Untimed Down

[Adam]

This is going to show my football rules ignorance, but at the end of the 3Q last night, Ohio State was hit with an offensive holding penalty. Time had run out, but the officials extended the quarter for an untimed down.
I thought untimed downs were only for defensive penalties. Why didn't they just go to the 4Q and replay 3rd down that way?

[mbyron]

I don't have the NCAA reference handy, but I bet it's substantially the same as NFHS 3-3-3:

"A period must be extended by an untimed down if during the last
timed down of the period, one of the following occurred:
a. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for
those fouls listed in 3-3-4b.
b. There was a double foul.
c. There was an inadvertent whistle.
d. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is
scored during the last down of the fourth period and the point(s) would not
affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying.
If (a), (b), (c) or (d) occurs during the untimed down, the procedure is repeated."

If the defense wants to end the period, they can decline the penalty. They didn't want to do that in last night's game, because OSU would have started the next period with a 1st and 10 instead of 3rd and long

[Welpe]

It is the same as NFHS, any accepted penalty for a live ball foul will extend the period for an untimed down. Unlike the NFHS, though, the period will only be extended if time expired during the down.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I thought untimed downs were only for defensive penalties.

Tries are not timed.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mbyron

I don't have the NCAA reference handy, but I bet it's substantially the same as NFHS 3-3-3:

"A period must be extended by an untimed down if during the last
timed down of the period, one of the following occurred:
a. There was a foul by either team and the penalty is accepted, except for
those fouls listed in 3-3-4b.
b. There was a double foul.
c. There was an inadvertent whistle.
d. If a touchdown was scored, the try is attempted unless the touchdown is
scored during the last down of the fourth period and the point(s) would not
affect the outcome of the game or playoff qualifying.
If (a), (b), (c) or (d) occurs during the untimed down, the procedure is repeated."

If the defense wants to end the period, they can decline the penalty. They didn't want to do that in last night's game, because OSU would have started the next period with a 1st and 10 instead of 3rd and long

OK, now that makes sense.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Cobra

Tries are not timed.

But are they considered "downs?"

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

But are they considered "downs?"

Yes, a try takes place during an untimed down. Not that it's at all relevant to your question.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

But are they considered "downs?"

A down starts when the ball is snapped (scrimmage down) or free kicked (free kick down) and ends when the ball becomes dead.

[Adam]

Well I did say it would expose my ignorance with football rules.
Thanks again.

[bisonlj]

Thanks for asking the question. This is another example where announcers make our lives very difficult. At the end of a game a period can be extended for offensive or defensive fouls but it's not likely the defense would accept an offensive foul if decling it would end the game in their favor. One instance where they would accept it though is let's say A was called for offensive holding on a play where they scored a TD to take the lead as time expired. B's options - decline the penalty and lose the game or accept, enforce the penalty and play one untimed down. They would obviously chose to accept the penalty and the period is extended for an offensive penalty.

I guarantee you if that ever happened the talking heads would explode because they would be screaming "the period can only be extended for defensive penalties!"

[JasonTX]

It don't apply to this situation, but just make sure everyone is aware that if a penalty includes a loss of down, the period is NOT extended.

[Coach Jinx]

Originally Posted by Welpe

It is the same as NFHS, any accepted penalty for a live ball foul will extend the period for an untimed down. Unlike the NFHS, though, the period will only be extended if time expired during the down.

can u explain this because I dont agree

[Welpe]

Sure:

3-2-3-a

I'd copy and paste the rule but iBooks doesn't allow it but notice that the rule says if time expires during the down.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Coach Jinx

can u explain this because I dont agree

Correct...in HS the criteria the foul occurred during the last time down. That means you could have a down that ends with time left on the clock but if another play is not run after the clock starts again, the foul still occurred during the last timed down. In NCAA, the clock must have hit 0 DURING the down where the foul occurred.

[HLin NC]

can u explain this because I dont agree

Why do you not agree, coachjinx?