Casey Washington of Illinois caught a 2-point conversion assist in ninth overtime on Saturday, ending the longest game in college football history. The Illini defeated Penn State 20-18.
Wake Forest judge Ellison scores on a 46-yard run on Saturday, ahead of Army defensive back Cedrick Cunningham Jr., one of five 40-plus touchdowns the Demon Deacons have had.
A rule change in college football this season helped create the record-breaking nine-hour overtime game on Saturday between Illinois and Penn State, although the idea that that contest lasted nine OTs is a bit misleading.
The rules committee has decided that in 2021, teams still tied after two overtime possessions would enter a 2-point conversion contest until a winner is determined. Thus, each ensuing overtime lasts only one game for each team.
This led to a series of mostly ugly and unsuccessful attempts to win the game from both sides until the Illini won in the ninth OT, 20-18. Overall, Illinois converted two of seven 2-point conversion attempts and Penn State converted only one.
“We have practiced a bit, but nothing quite looks like the reality,” said Illinois coach Bret Bielema. “It’s all a 2 point game and it comes really fast. … I was involved in a Penn State (Wisconsin) overtime game, but it was the old way and it just seems to go on forever. We want to make the fans happy, don’t we? It’s a fan generated world that we live in, and I have to believe these 2 point games are a lot of fun.
In the past, teams would have played four overtime, with possessions starting at the 25-yard line, before the start of the 2-point alternate conversion contest.
Work on streamlining the process began after a seven-way OT game between Texas A&M and the State of Louisiana in 2018. The college OT system has long been viewed as a better alternative to the NFL method.
