In Oregon, the NCAA Football Playing Rules Committee is stepping into the spotlight following a controversial incident during a recent college football game. Just days after a situation involving 12 Oregon defenders took place during a critical moment against Ohio State, the committee is considering changes to the rules to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
In the closing seconds of the game, Oregon sent 12 players onto the field during a third-down play. This led to a penalty, but the Ohio State offense was unable to capitalize, throwing an incomplete pass. The clock continued to run, and Oregon was penalized, causing concerns around game management and timing rules. Currently, the NCAA does not mandate that the game clock resets after such a penalty is called, which has raised eyebrows among fans and officials alike.
As a result, the NCAA is now actively reviewing the situation and is expected to propose changes this week. Sources have indicated that the new rules would likely instruct officials to reset the game clock to its original time after a 12-men penalty, allowing for a fair chance to both teams.
The Big Ten officiating crew that handled the game reportedly managed the play correctly according to existing rules. Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning mentioned the careful consideration given to such situations in their preparation, stating, “We spend an inordinate amount of time on situations and some situations don’t come up very often in college football, but this was obviously something we had worked on.”
The Ducks narrowly escaped with a victory, moving them up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 rankings. This incident, while detrimental to Ohio State’s chances, is prompting the NCAA to reevaluate how such plays are governed in the future. A formal rule change usually takes place in the offseason, but these mid-season bulletins by the committee serve to guide officials on their judgments moving forward and discourage coaches from exploiting existing rules.
