NCAA allows coaches one challenge per game

The NCAA keeps inching closer to adopting an instant replay
system for college football that parallels what the NFL has done to
incorporate technology into the game. College football coaches will
now be allowed to challenge one ruling a game by officials and have
it reviewed by instant replay, provided the team has an available
timeout. College coaches from around the country have called for
the NCAA to completely adopt the NFL instant replay system, which
allows NFL coaches to challenge as many as two plays a game but
lose a timeout when the original ruling is upheld. Under a proposal
approved Tuesday by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, if a
coach’s challenge is successful, no timeout will be charged.
The NCAA has allowed the use of replays at all schools and
conferences, and nine of the 11 Division I-A conferences used some
form of replay. College football introduced instant replays four
years ago when the Big Ten was the first conference that allowed
its coaches to challenge an official’s ruling on the field.
In 2005, replay had been adopted by all conferences. Before
adjusting to this new rule, which was proposed by the Football
Rules Committee, only the replay official sitting in a booth above
the field of play could request to review plays. With the change,
plays involving a sideline, goal line or end line are now
reviewable. Judgement calls such as holding, pass interference and
intentional grounding aren’t reviewable. The panel also
approved a revision of the rule on the length of halftime in
football games. The recommended time is 20 minutes, but it may be
lengthened or shortened with the consent of both schools.

WOODEN CLASSIC: UCLA and USC found out who they
will meet in college basketball’s Wooden Classic next year.
Texas A&M and George Washington will join the Bruins and
Trojans in a doubleheader at the Arrowhead Pond on Dec. 9, 2006.
UCLA and Texas A&M take each other on in Game 1 of the while
USC and George Washington play in Game 2. It will be UCLA’s
10th appearance at the Wooden Classic and its fourth in a row.

ANNIVERSARY PARTY: On Saturday, more than 100
members of the 1976 UCLA Rose Bowl Championship football team
““ including coaches, players, cheerleaders and essential
staff ““ will gather on the Westwood campus for a 30-year
reunion. The 1976 team beat then No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Ohio
State on Jan. 1, 1976 by a convincing score of 23-10 after losing
to Woody Hayes’ Buckeyes and two-time Heisman Trophy winner
Archie Griffin earlier in the season.

Compiled by Adam de Jong, Bruin Sports senior
staff.