The NCAA football rules committee recently issued guidance to address a loophole that allowed second-ranked Oregon to exploit an illegal substitution penalty in their victory over Ohio State. During Ohio State's final possession with seconds left on the clock, Oregon was penalized for having too many defenders on the field, resulting in a 5-yard penalty that also ran four seconds off the clock. This move ultimately contributed to Oregon's 32-31 win.
The new guidance states that after the Two-Minute Timeout in either half, if the defense commits a substitution foul with 12 or more players on the field, the game clock can be reset to the time displayed at the snap at the option of the offended team. The game clock will then restart on the next snap. However, if the 12th defender had no influence on the play and was attempting to exit the field, the normal substitution penalty would be enforced without a clock adjustment.
Steve Shaw, NCAA coordinator of football officials, emphasized that penalties should not benefit a team. The goal of this interpretation is to eliminate any clock advantage gained from committing a substitution foul and prevent the defense from benefiting from violating the substitution rule.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day has not publicly commented on the play, while Oregon coach Dan Lanning hinted that the Ducks had prepared for such situations. Oregon's Atticus Sappington secured the win with a 19-yard field goal, setting the stage for Ohio State's final drive.
During the critical drive, Ohio State faced challenges, including an offensive pass interference call. With 10 seconds left on the clock and Ohio State at the Oregon 43 on a third-and-25, Oregon's 12-man defense forced an incomplete pass. However, the Ducks were penalized for an illegal substitution, giving Ohio State a 5-yard gain but costing them four precious seconds.
Ultimately, Ohio State's quarterback Will Howard's scramble fell short as time expired, leaving the Buckeyes with a loss and a drop to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 rankings. The game's outcome has sparked discussions about the impact of penalties and clock management in crucial moments of college football.
