The NCAA Closes Loophole Exploited in Oregon-Ohio State Game: The 12 Men on the Field Penalty
In a move to maintain fairness and prevent strategic exploitation of rules, the NCAA has addressed a loophole regarding penalties for having 12 players on the field, specifically in the final two minutes of a game. This decision comes after an incident during a game between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes, where Oregon seemingly used this loophole to their advantage.
The Oregon-Ohio State Incident
During the closing seconds of their October game, the Oregon Ducks, coached by Dan Lanning, intentionally put 12 men on the field while Ohio State was driving for a potential game-winning field goal. With Ohio State facing a 3rd and 25 with 10 seconds remaining, Oregon defensive back Dontae Manning walked onto the field, giving the Ducks an extra defender. The play resulted in an illegal substitution penalty, costing Oregon 5 yards but crucially taking four seconds off the clock. Ohio State failed to complete a pass against Oregon's 12-man defense. A scramble by Ohio State quarterback Will Howard on the next play ended the game. Oregon ultimately won the game 32-31.
Lanning later confirmed that the decision was intentional, 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. You can see the result."
The NCAA's Response: A New Interpretation
The NCAA quickly responded to this tactic. Steve Shaw, NCAA football secretary-rules editor, issued a statement emphasizing the importance of preventing teams from benefiting from penalties. The NCAA issued a new rules interpretation on how to handle a penalty for 12 players on the field in the final two minutes of either half.
Under the new interpretation, if the defense has 12 players actively participate in the down, the offense can choose, along with the 5-yard penalty, to have the game clock reset to the time that had been displayed at the snap. "This action violates a guiding principle in our football playing rules, that there should be no profit when a team fouls,” Shaw writes in the bulletin.
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This adjustment ensures that the offending team does not gain an advantage by strategically committing a penalty to run down the clock.
Specifics of the New Rule
The new rule interpretation includes the following key points:
- Clock Reset Option: If a defense has 12 players actively participating in a play within the final two minutes of either half, the offense can accept the 5-yard penalty and have the game clock reset to the time at the snap. The offense does not have to accept the penalty yards to get the time added to the clock.
- Exception: If one of the 12 players is attempting to leave the field and does not affect the play, there will be no time change, and only the 5-yard penalty will be enforced.
Broader Implications and Other Rule Changes
The closure of this loophole is part of a broader set of rule changes and interpretations aimed at maintaining the integrity of the game. Several other rule changes coming to college football in 2025 include:
- Timeout Penalty for Faked Injuries: To discourage players from feigning injuries to stop the clock or disrupt the opposing team's momentum, a team will now lose a timeout if a player goes down due to injury after the ball is spotted for the next play and medical personnel enter the field. If a team is out of timeouts, it will incur a 5-yard penalty for delay of game. Steve Shaw said the rule would not apply to players who were limping or struggling to get to the next play before going down. It’s meant to be applied to players who quickly drop to the field in an egregious act.
- Overtime Timeout Adjustment: A single timeout for the third overtime and beyond.
- Kick Return Signal Clarification: The "T" arm signal on kick returns will now lead to a dead ball call. This prevents teams from using the signal to deceive opponents during trick plays.
- Replay Review Announcement Language: Officials' announcements of rulings that have been upheld on replay review will no longer differentiate between calls that are “confirmed” or “stand,” hinting at how confident the officials were in the original call.
Historical Context: Buddy Ryan and the NFL
Interestingly, the tactic of intentionally putting extra players on the field to manipulate the clock is not entirely new. Famously, NFL coach Buddy Ryan had a clock-bleeding tactic that would place as many as 15 players on punt coverage. However, the NFL eventually closed that loophole, demonstrating a similar concern for preventing the strategic abuse of rules.
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