Conference commisioners interested in NCAA adopting NFL-style timing

While the tradition is for the NFL to take players from the NCAA, the college ranks are thinking of turning the tables to take something from the pros.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott and Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson want the NCAA to adopt the NFL's clock-running policy after first downs, Jon Solomon of CBS Sports reports.

The reasoning behind the encouraged changes? Shortening games.

The average FBS game went three hours and 23 minutes last season, an increase of six minutes from the year before.

Scott is also a proponent of taking the NFL's method of limiting coach's challenges, rather than having every play being potentially challenged.

"You'll always get traditionalists who won't change it. I don't find it concerning or daunting that there are some that would oppose it. I think the job for commissioners is to take a step back and look at it holistically. The health and welfare of student-athletes is first and fans are a close second in terms of keeping games appealing. Three-and-a-half hours, to me, is too long," Scott said.

These suggestions arise as the NCAA football rules committee, who recently polled coaches and commissioners on their feelings about the running clock, meets in Indianapolis.

"I think our fans are expecting shorter games, and I think when you see attendance is down, we need to address it," Benson said.

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby represented the opposing view on the potential change.

"Personally, I like the strategic aspect of (the clock stopping), and I think it makes the game really interesting for how you manage the opportunity for a comeback. In the NFL, you know you're going to get stoppage for the last two minutes in the game. In college, you only do it by calling a timeout or stop the clock a little with a first down," he said.

Time will tell to see if the NCAA - which has long resisting becoming too similar to the NFL - sacrifices time for the sake of fan interest.

Whatever happens will cause some sort of controversy, in true NCAA fashion.