Clock and Helmet issue at the end of the first half

Ok, here it is:

If a player loses his helmet during a play, he must come out the game or the team must call a time out - unless there is a clock stoppage anyway (like out of bounds or incomplete pass) in which case he can play the next play without having to take a timeout. Also, if the ref determines that his helmet was pulled off, none of this applies - that is to stop the other team from just pulling off guys' helmets all the time and making them go out for a play. If a player's helmet comes off and he doesn't go out of the game, the team is charged a timeout (unless the clock stops anyway). And if the team doesn't have a timeout, there is a 10-second runoff.

So, in the game the other night, the refs screwed up at first. Collins' helmet came off and he stayed in the next play. Since LSU did not have a timeout, they at first thought that the 10 second runoff was necessary. Then they huddled up and figured out that the play where his helmet came off was an incomplete pass - so the clocked stopped. So, even though he lost his helmet, he could play the next play without a timeout being taken. So they made the right call - just a bit late.

Then, to confuse the issue even more, Les told the sideline reporter that what the refs determined was that Collins' helmet was pulled off - which also would have had the same effect - there would be no 10 second runoff. That was not the issue - but you can see how that would be what Miles thought it was.

Anyway, the issue was that the refs realized the clock had stopped anyway so no 10 second runoff was necessary. So they did the right thing and got the teams back out there and played the next play.