As NFL talent evaluators put the finishing touches on draft boards in preparation for next week, there’s a significant wrinkle coming for their process next year.
According to multiple reports, the NCAA is set to approve a rules change on Friday that will keep the clock running in college football after first downs.
There are exceptions, as the clock will still stop for first downs in the last two minutes of each half. And the rule will not apply to Division III football, which could still implement the change at a later date.
It’s a significant shift that is expected to reduce the average number of plays run per game by seven. The clock has stopped after first downs in college football since 1968.
The Playing Rules Oversight Panel will make the final approval after the NCAA Football Rules Committee recommended the change last month.
Multiple reports also indicate that teams will no longer be able to call consecutive timeouts and a foul at the end of the first or third quarter will carry over to the next period — which means there won’t be an untimed down.
While college games should speed up with fewer plays to be run, that also means there will be a little less data available for all those who scout college players.
