[Husker] College Football OT Rules - plz respond to me direct

[Mike Nolan]

> Thus, this implies 1 coin toss for all of overtime. 

Yes, there is just one coin toss in overtime.  In all odd numbered
overtimes the team that won the toss has the first option, in all 
even numbered overtimes the other team has the first option. 

A more interesting question would be whether any team has ever chosen
NOT to go on defense when it had the first option.  (The team with the
first option has two choices, it can select whether to go on offense or
defense or it can select which end of the field to play on.)

> Can anyone shed light on this? And when did the 3OT rule take effect? 

That change was made starting in the 1997 season.  (The NCAA press release
announcing the change is dated 2/14/1997.)

The NCAA's justification for the change seemed a bit weak at the time,
and the two longest overtime games since overtime came into play were
after that rule change, so it's not clear to me that it helped much.
--
Mike Nolan