Late CPU clock management is still flawed

[BDawg35]

I guess I should thank the CPU coach of the Western Michigan Broncos for gift-wrapping a victory for me last night in the opening game of my Michigan dynasty.

However, I'm more disappointed in the continued poor CPU clock management late in games.

Western Michigan is beating me 21-16 in the final minutes, but twice throws long incompletions on third down to stop the clock and give me time to win the game.

On third-and-13, a deep ball is broken up with 2:01 left. Western punts.

I fumble an option pitchout with 1:29 left at my own 30. I have only two timeouts left. I use them on first and second down. On third-and-19, Western again goes deep and it's incomplete with 1:14 left in the game.

Western punts into the end zone and I get the ball with 1:09 left. I have no timeouts remaining.

On my second play, with 44 seconds left, I hit Junior Hemingway for the game-winning touchdown. I'm figuring that almost all of those seconds would've been off the clock had the CPU just run the ball and milked the clock with the lead late in the game in my territory.

I remember winning several games in NCAA '11 because the CPU gift-wrapped more time on the clock for me. It appears this CPU clock-management flaw has not been fixed.

Another example was the CPU calling a quick timeout with 1:40-ish left in the first half to save time when it really wasn't necessary yet. That's a smaller issue, but still not the way a real team would manage the clock.

I should be 0-1 with an upset loss to Western. Instead, I'm 1-0 and the athletic director is giving me a free pass for that near-debacle.

[dochalladay32]

If I had a 3rd and 13 and was nowhere near the range of a field goal and had 2+ minutes left, I'd probably throw the pass too. A first down just about seals the game, though with two time outs, it's not a given. Not a very good chance of running for the first down though taking off another 20+ seconds which the computer will do is nice.

The second case is a little more iffy, though with no time outs, they should have run the ball and taken their chances.

[BDawg35]

Quote: Originally Posted by dochalladay32

If I had a 3rd and 13 and was nowhere near the range of a field goal and had 2+ minutes left, I'd probably throw the pass too. A first down just about seals the game, though with two time outs, it's not a given. Not a very good chance of running for the first down though taking off another 20+ seconds which the computer will do is nice. The second case is a little more iffy, though with no time outs, they should have run the ball and taken their chances.

Good feedback. Wish my "like" function was working.

I might throw in the first instance, but probably something near the sticks. These were bombs to the end zone.

[dochalladay32]

I buy it haha. The computer throws four verts in about 3 or 4 times when you do ask coach. It's probably a likely choice for the computer.

[Hunsy34]

I had a team run the hurry up still late in the game while winning I was able to easily get the ball back. Then I see them run the ball and be in no rush when trailing by two scores. Ha

[ashamael]

I'm an offensive coordinator.
I'm down by two scores with 6 minutes to go in the 4th quarter... 4th and 5 with the ball at midfield. This seems like a situation where I'd go for it, so I prepare myself to...

ah...

wait...

wtf?

I have to punt? WTF is this @#$!


Scenario 2:

I'm ahead by 6 points, my opponent has no time outs and I have the ball. I've just ran on 3rd down to keep the clock down so that I'll have to punt the ball with about 10 seconds to go in the game.

Oh, wait... here we go again.

Five seconds after the play is ruled dead, super sim screen comes up again... and my punter of course punts the ball with 40 seconds to go instead of 10... and I watch helplessly as my A+ defense lets a B- offense go straight down the field and score a TD with no time remaining.


So, double whammy of clock management fail and super sim fail. I was pretty angry.

[89OneHanded]

Quote: Originally Posted by ashamael

I'm an offensive coordinator. I'm down by two scores with 6 minutes to go in the 4th quarter... 4th and 5 with the ball at midfield. This seems like a situation where I'd go for it, so I prepare myself to... ah... wait... wtf? I have to punt? WTF is this @#$! Scenario 2: I'm ahead by 6 points, my opponent has no time outs and I have the ball. I've just ran on 3rd down to keep the clock down so that I'll have to punt the ball with about 10 seconds to go in the game. Oh, wait... here we go again. Five seconds after the play is ruled dead, super sim screen comes up again... and my punter of course punts the ball with 40 seconds to go instead of 10... and I watch helplessly as my A+ defense lets a B- offense go straight down the field and score a TD with no time remaining. So, double whammy of clock management fail and super sim fail. I was pretty angry.

I agree with this, the simulation clock management is ********, and that's a kind adjective for it.

[poopoop]

I had the computer waste their second time out after a play where I was tackled out of bounds and the clock was stopped anyway. With a little over a min left.

That blown TO call allowed me to run nearly half the remaining time off the clock.