Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel loves overtime.

Last season, the college overtime format first used in 1996 reached its pinnacle when the Buckeyes’ Fiesta Bowl win over Miami was decided in three overtimes. Last week, the Buckeyes needed overtime to overcome a fourth-quarter comeback by North Carolina State to remain in the hunt to defend their national title.

Without the fifth – and often sixth, seventh or eighth – quarters, both games may have ended in a tie, meaning the Fiesta Bowl would have finished without a sole national champion.

‘I really like the (overtime) format,’ Tressel said, ‘I think it is exciting. It’s like a shootout in soccer. Every play becomes important and impactful.’

Recently, Tressel and other strong proponents of the college overtime have been challenged by critics who say that the overtime format used in college is not real football and must be changed.

In a game, the overtime period differs from the regular game in several key ways.

First, without a running clock, the time element is lost, taking away the urgency to score often found at the end of regulation periods.

Also, special teams – except for field-goal kicking – are eliminated from the game, because the ball is automatically placed on the team’s 25-yard line without a kickoff.

Finally, each team receives an equal chance at scoring during a given period. Many opponents of the format say this minimizes the importance of defense, making the extra period too dependent on offense, especially the kicking game.

‘You fight your butt off for 60 minutes,’ Illinois coach Ron Turner said, ‘and it all comes down to one phase of the game: red zone offense. I just don’t think that is fair.’

Turner, who served as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bears in the NFL, said neither the current college system nor the NFL’s sudden death format is fair.

Proponents of the overtime format, like Purdue coach Joe Tiller, base much of their support for college overtime on the inherent unfairness of the NFL system. In the NFL, a coin toss determines who receives the ball in the sudden-death period. Twenty-eight percent of teams who win the coin toss win the game without allowing the opponent to touch the ball. Tiller feels a competitive game shouldn’t be decided by something trivial.

‘After they have struggled and strained for an entire game,’ Tiller said, ‘both teams deserve a chance to be successful. In the pro game, you may do a great job of coming from behind to tie a game and lose it based on a coin flip. That is not right.’

Since 1996, the only changes to the NCAA overtime rule have been to force a team to go for a two-point conversion after two full overtime periods have completed. Turner said the system needs to be overhauled, allowing each team to have a possession while still using most of the aspects of a regulation football game.

Turner proposes to kick the ball off to begin the overtime instead of placing in on the 25-yard line. He said if the score is still tied after each team is allowed a possession, the sudden death format should be implemented.

‘It would be a varied format of the NFL system,’ Turner said. ‘But it still keeps the aspect of both teams having a chance to get the ball.’

Even with its detractors, Tiller said the current overtime period provides excitement for fans, and the overtime rules shouldn’t be eliminated.

‘I always say,’ Tiller said, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And I don’t believe this one’s broke.’

Big Numbers

265-62

These were the rushing numbers between No. 14 Arkansas and No. 13 Texas during the Razorbacks’ 38-28 upset victory over the Longhorns in Austin, Texas.

Arkansas’s combination of Cedric Cobbs, Matt Jones and De’Arrius Howard managed to obliterate the total of Texas preseason Heisman hopeful Cedric Benson.

439-140

No. 3 Michigan’s total yardage compared to Notre Dame’s in the Wolverines 38-0 victory in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Michigan defense allowed the Fighting Irish to pick up only seven first downs, and Michigan running back Chris Perry ran for 133 yards and three touchdowns, showing his Heisman candidacy is for real.

111,726

The number of people jammed into Michigan Stadium to see the Wolverines defeat Notre Dame. This announced attendance is the largest to ever witness a college football game.

Say What?

‘The crowd is vociferous in their support for the Ducks.’ – Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, showing off his vast vocabulary while explaining his expectations for the crowd noise the Wolverines will have to encounter facing this Saturday when Michigan travels to Autzen Stadium to play Oregon.

Heisman race

1. Chris Perry, RB, Michigan

He backed up his lofty numbers against mediocre opponents with an outstanding, three-touchdown day against Notre Dame. Perry is currently on pace to run away with the award.

2. Philip Rivers, QB, North Carolina State

The only player even remotely challenging Perry’s spot on the Downtown Athletic Club’s wall is Rivers, who threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns in an overtime loss to defending national champion Ohio State.

3. Roy Williams, WR, Texas

He was one of the few Longhorn players who decided to show up in the loss to Arkansas, catching 10 passes for 117 yards.

Published on September 17, 2003 at 12:00 pm