NCAA adopts overtime rule changes in response to marathon Texas A&M-LSU game

By Will Leverett

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The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel committee approved a tweak to college football overtime rules on Tuesday.

If a college football game goes into five overtimes, teams will take turns attempting two-point conversions instead of starting from the 25-yard line like in previous overtimes. There will also be a mandated two-minute rest period after the second and fourth overtimes.

“This rules change was made to limit the numbers of plays from scrimmage and to bring the game to a conclusion,” the NCAA said in a statement.

The change is a response to the marathon seven-overtime matchup between Texas A&M and LSU. The Aggies outlasted LSU 74-72 at Kyle Field for their first win over the Tigers since joining the SEC in 2012. It was the highest-scoring game ever, and tied for longest game ever. Four other games also went seven overtimes, including a 71-68 Western Michigan win over Buffalo in 2017. 

Texas A&M’s win over LSU spanned 197 plays and lasted nearly five hours of real time. Eighteen of those plays happened after the fifth overtime.  

In addition to the overtime rules, the NCAA passed a rule banning blind-side blocks, which will now be a 15-yard penalty. The rules panel also passed a pair of target reform rules. The replay official must have enough evidence to “confirm” targeting; a player can no longer be ejected for simply the call on the field standing. An individual player who picks up three targeting penalties in a season will be hit with a one-game suspension.

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