NCAA looks to decrease marathon OT football games
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas A&M wide receiver Kendrick Rogers, right, celebrates with Charles Oliver (21) after their 74-72 win in seven overtimes against LSU in an NCAA college football game in College Station, Texas, in November. Marathon overtime games in college football, like the one Texas A&M and LSU played last season, are rare. The NCAA would like to make them extinct by tweaking its overtime format.
The NCAA football rules committee later this month will consider changing the overtime format. The goal is to make it less likely for games to go beyond two extra possessions for each team.
Among the more radical ideas set to be discussed is going to a 2-point-conversion shootout after teams have played two full OT possessions.
The current format, implemented in 1996, gives each team possession at the opponent’s 25-yard line, and repeats the process until one team has outscored the other. After two possessions by each team, the offense must try a 2-point conversion instead of kicking an extra point after a touchdown.
The rules committee will also consider eliminating point-after-touchdown kicks in overtime, forcing teams to go for 2 from the very first possession.
