Saban Favors NFL Overtime System

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Nick Saban has coached in the college ranks and in the NFL.  He’s experienced both overtime systems… most recently losing 9-6 to LSU in the first session of college football’s overtime last Saturday.

Given his choice, Alabama’s head coach prefers the NFL’s system:


“The rules of the game have been good for the other four quarters of the game… I’ve always said this, so I don’t want anybody to think it’s sour grapes about overtime. 

I think we should just continue playing the game.  Flip the coin.  Somebody kicks off.  Somebody receives, and you just keep playing the game until somebody scores.  So you’d have to be able to move the ball and be the better team to get it into field position or get a turnover.”


When it was pointed out to Saban that the team losing the coin toss might never get the ball, the coach said: “But if you kick off to them and they get it to the 30 and you can’t stop them until they get in field-goal range, you ought to lose.”

We agree.  The college system — which is a derivative of high school overtime — is akin to ending a basketball game by playing H-O-R-S-E.  If a 10-10 game can end 76-75, then the system is flawed.

The simplest solution would be a hybrid of the two systems.  Use the NFL system, but make sure both teams touch the ball.  If Team A scores on the opening possession of overtime, Team B would get the ball.  If Team B scores, the game goes on… if Team B doesn’t score, Team A wins.

That plan would also be considerably shorter than some of the multi-overtime games we currently see in the college game.