re: NCAA football rule changes for 2013

quote:

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I read it as "There has to be at least 3 seconds on the clock to snap and spike it", not "Get the spike before 3 seconds on the clock".

So if the clock stops for a first down with 3 or less seconds left, the offense cannot line up and spike it. I can't imagine that if the clock is winding down from say 10 seconds, and the team lines up and spikes at 2, they wouldn't allow that.

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This. Its a lot like the rule in basketball where you need at least .4 seconds on the clock to catch and shoot the ball. Less than that and it has to be a tip in.

What they are saying is that it isn't really possible to snap the ball, have the QB throw an actual spiked pass (as opposed to the pushing it to the ground like a hot potato you see sometimes) and for the referee to signal the play dead in less than 3 seconds.

I imagine this rule only goes into effect when the clock is otherwise stopped for moving the chains at the end of the game. The referees will probably signal the rule in effect before setting teh ball and starting the clock.

The rule probably has to be 3 seconds since there are no tenths of seconds on the game clock (expect a change next year). Therefore 3 seconds could mean as little as 2.1 seconds.