Did anyone else see this on the Wednesday night game that just ended on ESPN U? Northern Illinois was playing Central Michigan and it went into overtime. UNI got the ball first and scored to go ahead 31-24. Central then took over on the 25 for its possession.
They stuck to the ground and after three attempts found themselves facing a 4th and 2 from the 17. On the fourth down play, the ball carrier was dropped at the 16. I will give all of you a minute to get your mental picture before I tell you what happened next.........
Are you ready? When the guy was dropped on the 16, and it was very clearly right ON the 16 yard line, the announcers and the referees collectively went to sleep on us. First of all, a ref placed the ball right on the 16, where the ball carrier had been stopped. The announcers were saying things like "It will all depend on the spot" and "They may have to measure." And I am not sure, but they may have actually started to bring out the chains.
But DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!! if the possession started from the 25, which it does in college, then clearly everybody in the stadium should have known that he had to reach the 15 to get a first down. So when he was dropped on the 16 (and believe me it was right ON the 16-it was not even remotely close), then it should have been obvious to everyone in the first micro-second that the game was over.
But for at least a minute or so, no one could figure that out. The announcers were clueless, the refs were slow on the uptake, and not even the players right out there on the field seemed to realize that it was game over. Finally the ref said "the ball carrier failed to reach the line to gain, so the game is over" but it took far longer than it should have to announce that. It was weird!
They stuck to the ground and after three attempts found themselves facing a 4th and 2 from the 17. On the fourth down play, the ball carrier was dropped at the 16. I will give all of you a minute to get your mental picture before I tell you what happened next.........
Are you ready? When the guy was dropped on the 16, and it was very clearly right ON the 16 yard line, the announcers and the referees collectively went to sleep on us. First of all, a ref placed the ball right on the 16, where the ball carrier had been stopped. The announcers were saying things like "It will all depend on the spot" and "They may have to measure." And I am not sure, but they may have actually started to bring out the chains.
But DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!! if the possession started from the 25, which it does in college, then clearly everybody in the stadium should have known that he had to reach the 15 to get a first down. So when he was dropped on the 16 (and believe me it was right ON the 16-it was not even remotely close), then it should have been obvious to everyone in the first micro-second that the game was over.
But for at least a minute or so, no one could figure that out. The announcers were clueless, the refs were slow on the uptake, and not even the players right out there on the field seemed to realize that it was game over. Finally the ref said "the ball carrier failed to reach the line to gain, so the game is over" but it took far longer than it should have to announce that. It was weird!
