Upon Further Review: 2 Fixes for Replay Now

Enhanced Replay Access

The ACC teamed up with ESPN to give fans a much better instant replay experience at home. During reviews, viewers hear the live conversations between the on field referee, the stadium replay official and the ACC Game Day Operations Center in Charlotte, N.C. I got my first taste of this setup during Virginia’s (4-1 2-0) upset of then-No. 8 Florida State (3-1 0-1) on Sept. 26. The added visibility and transparency were refreshing, letting fans follow exactly which angles were being reviewed. Sure, fans will still argue about calls, like the overturned late TD by Florida State wideout Duce Robinson, but getting insight into the thought process behind those decisions is a game changer.

Immediate change No. 1: Require the Power Four conferences to roll out an approach this season similar to the ACC, where select games use enhanced replay. The long-term goal is for every Power Four conference to adopt this system in 2026, with Group of 5 given the option to start piloting it next year, where it makes sense.

Football Shot Clock

According to the 2024 NCAA instant replay manual, the guideline is clear: “The expectation is that the replay official will not exceed two minutes to complete a review. If the review has an end-of-game impact or involves multiple aspects, it should be completed efficiently but has no stated time limit.” An AP study of the 2022 season found 1,927 replay stoppages across FBS regular-season and championship games. The big question is how many of those reviews actually went beyond the two-minute mark. In 2022, the average review lasted one minute and 55 seconds, which makes it clear plenty of them stretched past the limit.

Immediate change No. 2: When the shot clock was introduced in basketball, NBA legend Red Auerbach called it “the single most important rule change in the last 50 years.” It is time for the NCAA to do the same with instant replay by turning the two-minute limit from a guideline into a rule. Put the countdown on the stadium scoreboard and on television so everyone can see it. If replay officials cannot decide in two minutes, regardless of when it occurs, the call on the field stands.

Closing Thoughts

Instant replay has a simple path to becoming a real value add for college football. By expanding the enhanced replay experience and introducing a replay shot clock, the NCAA can fix several of the flaws in today’s system. Fans will finally get instant insight into the process and answers in two minutes or less, with plenty of time to argue, cheer or complain with friends in the stands and on social media.