**Title:** Controversy Arises Over Injury Timeout Rule in College Football
**Meta Description:** Former NFL referee Terry McAulay criticizes the enforcement of the new injury timeout rule during Georgia Tech’s recent game against Colorado.
**URL Slug:** injury-timeout-rule-college-football
**Headline:** Former NFL Referee Critiques Injury Timeout Rule After Georgia Tech’s Win
In a recent college football matchup, former NFL referee Terry McAulay expressed his dissatisfaction with how officials applied the new injury timeout rule during Georgia Tech’s victory over Colorado. The game, held on Friday night, saw the Yellow Jackets and Buffaloes tied at 20 with just 2:34 remaining in the fourth quarter when a Georgia Tech player went down with an injury. Medical personnel attended to the player, but Georgia Tech was penalized with a timeout due to the stoppage in play.
The NCAA has implemented stricter measures to prevent players from feigning injuries to halt the game clock. According to the new rule, if a player appears injured after the ball is spotted for the next play, their team is charged a timeout. If no timeouts remain, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty is imposed.
McAulay criticized the Big 12 Conference officials for their handling of the situation, stating, “The Big 12 doubles down on being ridiculously over officious regarding the new injury rule. Again, this player was clearly injured at the end of the play, and yet the offense was still charged a timeout.” He further noted that the replay official failed to recognize that the injury occurred before the ball was spotted.
This incident echoes McAulay’s concerns raised during a previous game between Kansas State and Iowa State, where he argued that the rule could unfairly penalize teams for situations beyond their control. “This player is clearly injured and yet because he went down after the ball was spotted, they were charged a timeout,” he remarked. “Even worse, it appears he was demonstrating he was injured before the ball was spotted. This is not a good rule.”
Despite the controversy, Georgia Tech secured a 27-20 victory in the game. The NCAA Football Rules Committee aims to address the issue of players faking injuries, mandating that any player who is injured must sit out for at least one play, even if their team is granted a timeout, and cannot return until cleared by a medical professional.
**FAQ Section:**
**Q: What is the new injury timeout rule in college football?**
A: The new rule penalizes teams if a player appears injured after the ball is spotted for the next play, resulting in a timeout charge or a delay-of-game penalty if no timeouts are available.