Texas A&M’s seven-overtime win over LSU last weekend prompted SEC commissioner Greg Sankey to say on Friday that it may be time to look at changes to the way overtime is played out.
“In a way, we were fortunate that the seven-overtime game came on a week when neither team played, but playing essentially an additional half hour of football in an incredibly strenuous environment should cause us to ask questions about are there better ways to administer ties at the end of regulation?” Sankey said. “If that game had occurred at a different time of year — let’s say we’re playing in the heat and humidity in September — the physical part of that game is even greater than we saw naturally occurring on a much cooler night.
“Is it about placement of the ball? Is it about going for two right away? Did the ball go back farther than the 25 to begin? Do we require two-point conversions on every attempt? Should there be a limit? We haven’t talked about ties in a while, and yet we still have them in our record books. Are there certain points we say a tie is a sufficient stopping point for this game rather than extending so long?
“Certainly, when we’ve had games in this league that have gone five, six, seven overtimes, those become memorable moments, but it’s worth asking the questions yet again.”
Several of the longest games in college football history have featured SEC teams. Five games have reached seven overtimes since the NCAA adopted its overtime structure in 1996; three have been between SEC teams. Arkansas defeated Ole Miss in seven overtimes in 2001, then Arkansas defeated Kentucky in seven overtimes in 2003.
Tagovailoa named Manning finalist
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was one of 11 finalists for the Manning Award, it was announced on Thursday. The Manning Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback, taking into consideration their performance in bowl games.
Tagovailoa is among the nation’s leading passers, completing 189 of his 269 attempts (70.3 percent) for 3,189 yard with 36 passing touchdowns against two interceptions. He has also rushed for 211 yards and five touchdowns. His numbers have come in limited game action as Alabama has won every game by at least 22 points; Tagovailoa had three pass attempts in the fourth quarter during the regular season.
Reach Ben Jones at ben@tidesports.com or 205-722-0196.
