No Overtime If Miami, Penn State Tie in Fiesta Bowl, NCAA Rules

The National Collegiate Athletic Assn. ruled that no overtime period will be played if top-ranked Miami and second-ranked Penn State wind up in a tie after regulation time in the Jan. 2 Fiesta Bowl.

“We reviewed the matter and found no rule that permits such an overtime period to be played in a Division I-A game,” NCAA spokesman Bob Minnix said.

“Under the current regulations, overtime can only exist under two conditions. One is a progressive type tournament. And the second is in a game being played for the national championship. And the Fiesta Bowl does not meet either criteria.”

Overtimes are permitted in NCAA divisions I-AA, II and III, all of which have playoff systems to decide the national champion.

“While I realize that the Miami-Penn State game is being labeled as a national championship game in some quarters, we cannot forget that the Fiesta Bowl is still just another bowl game,” Minnix said.