NCAA Investigating 12-Man Penalty Loophole Oregon Used in Win Over Ohio State

A smart move by the Ducks could lead to an in-season rules adjustment.

Oregon beat Ohio State in the final seconds of a top-five matchup / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Oregon's thrilling victory over Ohio State last weekend was a tremendous college football game, as well as a contest that allowed Ducks head coach Dan Lanning to flex his rules knowledge.

During the Buckeyes' final drive that ended with Will Howard sliding with no time left on the clock while in field goal range, Oregon appeared to intentionally put 12 defenders on the field. Lanning has since confirmed it was indeed a strategic decision rather than a mistake. Because the clock isn't reset after a 12 men on the field penalty, the Ducks were able to burn time off the clock while defending Ohio State with a one-man advantage.

It was, frankly, a brilliant maneuver and ended up making a huge difference in a game where literally every second mattered. It also, perhaps predictably, drew the attention of the NCAA rules committee.

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger wrote on Tuesday that the NCAA is looking into the strategy and considering a midseason rules adjustment in order to prevent other teams from taking advantage.

"Steve Shaw, the NCAA secretary rules editor, told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday that the NCAA Football Playing Rules Committee is actively 'engaged' in examining the play for possible action," Dellenger wrote. "The Big Ten officiating crew handled the play appropriately, Shaw said, but the rules committee is discussing a way to address the play."

Regardless of if or when the committee changes the rule, the Ducks are glad to have taken advantage. The win bumped them up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and will play a big role in any discussion about the College Football Playoff surrounding Oregon.

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