If you don’t like how long college football games tend to go these days, some good news came down Thursday. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has voted to change the overtime rules, effective with the 2021 season. Teams now will have to attempt a two-point conversion beginning with the second overtime. Additionally, the two-point shootout, during which teams alternate two-point conversion attempts until a winner is determined, now will begin with the third overtime as opposed to the fifth.
The panel explained its ruling in an official NCAA release:
“This rules change is being made to limit the number of plays from scrimmage and bring the game to a quicker conclusion. Teams can still choose whether to kick the point after touchdown or run a two-point conversion play during the first overtime period.”
Among the other changes being made for the upcoming season are extending the sideline area to the 20-yard line and implementing several points of emphasis, including uniform rules, taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for coaches who enter the field or leave their team’s area to protest a call to officials.