**1.1a: the clock, end of game decisions and scoring**

This update is about making games play like college football. Scores were too high, too many games turned into blowouts, and the clock did not work the way it should late in halves. All three are addressed here.

**The clock**

- Time during a play and time between plays are now tracked separately. The clock still moves play to play, not second by second.

- The clock stops at the two minute mark, at the end of each quarter, and on a change of possession.

- Outside the last two minutes, the clock after an out of bounds play restarts when the ball is set, the way the college rule works.

- From the third overtime on, each team has one timeout for the rest of the game, matching the current college rule.

**End of game decisions**

- A team that picks up a first down in the final seconds will use its timeout instead of letting the half run out.

- Tied teams now use their timeouts late when they have a chance to score.

**Scoring**

- Offenses in the top division scored about 40 a game. They now score about 27, right at the real world average.

- Teams run more and throw less, the way real offenses do. Computer staffs also grade fullbacks at the fullback job now, which was pushing a lot of them toward passing.

- Completion rate and yards per throw now match real football. A passing window can close while the ball is in the air, and a short route is judged as a short route even when the call was deep.

- Sacks cause lost fumbles about half as often as before.

- Games run fewer plays, closer to a real game.

- Blowouts are much rarer.

**Defense**

- Prevent now does its job. It was giving up more big plays than playing without it. Now it gives up fewer, and receivers get less room after the catch.

**Good days and bad days**

The game day swing is smaller again. The better roster wins a little more often, and evenly matched games are still close to a coin flip.

**The other divisions**

Divisions you are not coaching in now play out the same way your own does. Before, they scored about 31 a game no matter the division.

**Saves**

- The game now saves after every completed timeout by either team, as well as at halftime. If something goes wrong, you come back at the last timeout or halftime. Anything after that is lost.

- The save from before the game is always kept as a separate backup.

**If you have an existing dynasty**

- The Pass setting on the Game Plan screen now reads 52% where it used to read 58%. The scale was re-centred. Your plan plays exactly as it did before.

- Computer teams in your dynasty will run somewhat more starting with your next game. That is what brings existing dynasties the full scoring fix.

**Known gap**

Division 3 now scores low, about 22 a game against a real average near 27, and shutouts happen more often than they should. Part of it is kicking. It gets fixed in the next update, together with special teams.

Anything that breaks a game, report it in #bug-reports. It jumps the line.