What happens when college football games run long? A former network exec explains

A former network executive’s account revisits a notorious NFL TV scheduling failure from Nov. 16, 1968, when the New York Jets led 32-29 over the Oakland Raiders with 65 seconds left. NBC had an automated switch scheduled to start the movie Heidi at 7:00 p.m. ET; exactly at that time, coverage changed and the Raiders scored two touchdowns in 9 seconds to win 43-32. Viewers in mountain and Pacific time saw the end, while the San Francisco/Oakland DMA didn’t due to then-existing blackout rules. Public outrage helped prompt AFL/NFL contractual changes, including a “show to conclusion” rule that still applies to NFL games today. The article then discusses similar, earlier-season programming disruptions in college football, including ESPN moving Oregon State–Houston and Oregon–Oklahoma State to other channels to begin US Open tennis on time, while another game shifted late in Oregon–OSU coverage.