College Football Players: Just Hold on to the Football

There's an epidemic sweeping across college football over the past two weeks, and it needs to be rectified immediately. When you're running into the end zone, make sure you hold on to the dang football.

It's not hard. The tough part is getting to the end zone, but if you're good and/or lucky enough to do so, just hold onto the football for another second.

We've seen college football players celebrate prematurely three times in the past two weeks. THREE TIMES. It shouldn't be that hard, people.

Our first instance this season came in the Troy-Clemson showdown in Death Valley on Sept. 10. Clemson's Ray-Ray McCloud was a little too excited to return this punt back for a touchdown in a then three-point game against Troy.

Fast-forward a week later and we see this same stupidity twice.

Talented California running back Vic Enwere celebrated too early and released the ball before entering the end zone against Texas. Fortunately for him, the referees reviewed the play and ruled there was no immediate recovery of the football, so Cal retained possession at the 1-yard line.

And in the FOX primetime showdown in Norman, OK, Joe Mixon didn't cross the goal line with the football in his possession on a long kickoff return.

But perhaps even worse than these bone-headed blunders is the fact that replay crews across the country have performed just as poorly in these scenarios. In the Ohio State-Oklahoma game, the replay crew didn't even recognize Mixon dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.

All of this can be solved quite simply: just hold onto the football. Do what J.T. Barrett and the Ohio State Buckeyes do: "When you score, you hand the ball to an official and you go hug a big guy."

But for now, for the sake of college football coaches and their sanity, just hold onto the football.