Commentary: Stop Messing With College Football

The Boiling Point: NCAA football rules changes are OK as long as they don’t change outcomes, like the new unsportsmanlike penalty on scoring plays will do this fall. And the BCS sucks.

On Thursday, an NCAA committee proposed several changes for college football. Rather than coming up with some original ideas, the committee saw what the NFL was doing and suggested the same thing. The first is a 10-second runoff for clock-stopping penalties inside of a minute and one of the others involves moving the umpires from the middle of the field to behind the running back.

Honestly, these changes are OK with me. Whatever. They really don’t affect the outcome, which is good. But if they are approved in April they will join a change that was approved last spring that is ridiculous. For some reason, the rule change relating to unsportsmanlike calls on scoring plays hasn’t gotten much attention, but it is absurd. Starting this fall, the penalty will be assessed from the spot of the foul or the ball will be placed at the 1-yard line. That means touchdowns will be taken OFF the board for celebrating a good play. Yes, outcomes could be affected because of emotion.

I remember a change in this rule about four years back when the NCAA outlined a number of actions that would result in a flag. The list included pointing, taking a knee or any celebrating with a teammate. At the time, then Purdue tight end Charles Davis asked “Is it still legal to score a touchdown?” Valid question, Chuck.

Clearly, the NCAA is OK with messing with its product, as long as it has NOTHING to do with altering the BCS or bowl system in favor of a playoff. For that, I’m throwing my flag.