Georgia needed eight overtimes to survive an upset scare against Georgia Tech and keep their College Football Playoff chances alive. While the thriller at Sanford Stadium provided great cinema, it also brought college football's overtime rules into question.
In the first overtime period, each team gets a possession at the opponent's 25-yard line. If the game is still tied, another period is played with the same parameters. However, if the game is still tied after two overtimes, we have a "2-point conversion-off" where both teams alternate 2-point conversion attempts to determine a winner.
The process is certainly fun, but it's probably not the best way to end a football game. The ending of the 44-42 Georgia marathon win over Georgia Tech brought the validity of college football's overtime rules front and center:
Well that was awesome, even if I’m not wild about the 2-point OT rule.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 30, 2024
JJ Watt chimed in:
This is wildly exciting, but not a good way to decide a football game.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) November 30, 2024
And plenty of others with thoughts on whether the rule should change or how to improve the existing format:
I can not believe this game has resorted to two teams failing at a mini game like we’re deciding a winner of Mario Party
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) November 30, 2024
Please revert the OT rules
College football fans - “NFL needs real OT rules”
— NBA Slime (@TerryFranconia) November 30, 2024
College football OT: “At the 3rd OT we have a 2 point conversion off!!!” pic.twitter.com/OAbyJeq93k
2 rule change suggestions for college overtime:
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) November 30, 2024
1. stop walking up and down the field to change sides
2. stop giving them new timeouts before each 2-pt try OT
6th OT college football rules should be this pic.twitter.com/oAZEI9Rsfj
— Master (@MasterTes) November 30, 2024
Immediate changes needed to college football OT rules.
— Kyle Lamb (@kylamb8) November 30, 2024
No timeouts after the first OT.
Stop changing ends.
the old OT rules were just fine.
— Billy D. (@fourdtough) November 30, 2024
JJ, as usual, nails it. https://t.co/UvUJ0P9Oau
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) November 30, 2024
Still can't believe we totally changed the CFB overtime rules because of one Texas A&M-LSU outlier game.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 30, 2024
The Bulldogs have secured a spot in the SEC Championship game on Dec. 7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Georgia is set to battle the winner of Saturday's matchup between Texas and Texas A&M. The heartbreaking loss dropped the Yellow Jackets to 7-5 as they now await to see where they will head for their bowl game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fans Blast College Football Overtime Rules After Eight-OT Georgia-Georgia Tech Battle.
