College football is considering some rule changes for the upcoming season.
The College Football Officials Board of Managers — comprising the 10 FBS conference commissioners and two FCS conference commissioners — is considering four rule changes that would impact clock management and gameplay.
The first proposal is to ban consecutive timeouts.
Currently, teams have three timeouts in each half that they can use whenever they like. The new proposal cites the practice of “icing” kickers when the opposing team takes timeouts to avoid the kicker’s game-winning attempt for as long as possible and supposedly increase the likelihood of a miss.
Under the proposal, teams could only use one timeout in that situation.
The second rule change concerns defensive penalties at the end of the first and third quarters. Under current rules, any quarter is extended for an untimed down when it ends on a defensive penalty.
The proposed change would make it happen only at the end of the second and fourth quarters. Penalties at the end of the first and third would still be assessed, but the plays would count as the start of the next quarter.
Third, the board is considering running the clock after a first down, a rule used in the NFL.
At the college level, the clock stops until the chains are set after a team picks up a first down. The new rule would eliminate that and keep the clock running, forcing teams to alter their approaches during crucial game points.
The last rule change being considered would keep the clock running after an incomplete pass. This has not been implemented at any level of football.
All the rule changes are being considered to shorten the length of college games; on average, college football games currently run longer than NFL games.
Sports Illustrated has reported that these changes have yet to be approved, and further discussions will take place when the NCAA Football Playing Rules Committee meets in Indianapolis in March.