Georgia Tech-Georgia was everything right and wrong with college football overtime
They call the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate and it seems finally on Friday everyone found something to hate together: the absurdity of college football’s current overtime rules.
The big story from the game is that Georgia erased a 17-0 deficit after halftime and prevailed, 44-42, after eight overtime periods to bolster the Bulldogs’ College Football Playoff resume ahead of the SEC Championship Game.
The subplot is just how drawn out the overtime process was (to say little of some questionable refereeing that got the game to overtime).
No one is arguing the overtimes weren’t thrilling, but they could’ve taken much less time to complete.
The current overtime system in college football begins with each team alternating attempts to score from their opponent’s 25-yard line. If neither team scores, or the game remains tied following the period, it moves to a second overtime, during which any team that scores is required to go for two. If there is still no winner, the teams compete in dueling two-point conversions attempts. Think of it like an shootout in hockey at that point.
The problem is just how much time was elapsing between each play. As the overtimes dragged on, play was halted after each overtime to switch sides of the field. Then there would inevitably another pause for a team to use it’s one time out of the overtime.
It was all a bit much.
Whoever said that the coaches should get a new timeout every overtime should be sent to Rikers
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) November 30, 2024
2 rule change suggestions for college overtime:
1. stop walking up and down the field to change sides
2. stop giving them new timeouts before each 2-pt try OT
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) November 30, 2024
From third overtime period on, there should be no more timeouts.
— Jeff Bechthold (@JeffBechthold) November 30, 2024
“The alternating two-point conversions in college football overtime are unserious and not fun to watch, and coaches should not be able to take timeouts after the first two overtimes are over” pic.twitter.com/rAfqUEutto
— Jacob Kisamore (@jacob_kisamore) November 30, 2024
Those were the gripes. But don’t let it (entirely) overshadow the epic touchdowns — and drops — the overtimes produced. When the teams actually got to run plays, the sport showcased what it gets right about overtime: the opportunity to see a score on every snap.
GEORGIA TECH TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/BNbCr4KwVD
— Alex (@Dubs408) November 30, 2024
Incredibly lucky Georgia Tech didn't lose this fumble pic.twitter.com/IlDI8UITwl
— Alex (@Dubs408) November 30, 2024
Georgia 1 play touchdown pic.twitter.com/PAPAjN3b4X
— Alex (@Dubs408) November 30, 2024
TECH FORCES A 6TH OT pic.twitter.com/kL6CSVzBMK
— Alex (@Dubs408) November 30, 2024
GEORGIA WITH THE DROP pic.twitter.com/1Srqg7Cglu
— Alex (@Dubs408) November 30, 2024
"OH IT'S GREAT IN EIGHT."
Joe Tessitore on the call as Georgia's Nate Frazier scores in the eighth overtime to give the Bulldogs a 44-42 win over Georgia Tech. pic.twitter.com/SRr4thOJwd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2024
See how much more fun that is to watch without timeouts and commercial breaks? Hopefully the NCAA agrees and fixes some of this madness for next season.