Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Three minute warning

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In Canadian football, the three-minute warning is given when three minutes of game time remain on the game clock in the first and second halves of a game. (If the football is in play when the clock reaches 3:00, the three-minute warning is given immediately after the ball is declared dead.) The three-minute warning stops the game clock in all cases.

Rule changes after the warning

  • Since the 2006 CFL season, CFL teams cannot use instant replay challenges to dispute the rulings of controversial plays during the final three minutes of the second half. However, a replay official may initiate a review during this time.
  • The penalty for a "time count" by the offence—failure to place the ball legally into play within 20 seconds of it being declared ready for play (a foul known as "delay of game" in American football)—dramatically changes at the warning. Before the warning, the penalty is 5 yards with the down repeated. After the warning, the base penalty changes to loss of down on first or second down, and 10 yards with the down repeated on third down. Additionally, if the referee deems a time count violation on third down to be deliberate, he has the right to require the offence to put the ball legally into play within 20 seconds or lose possession (similar to the unfair act clause in American football). Note, however, that the enforcement of time count on convert attempts does not change at the warning; it remains 5 yards with the down repeated.

    • References

    Three-minute warning Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA