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OK football folks, this bothers me but maybe I missing something. Common scenario, it arose in last nights Holiday bowl in the 4th quarter with like 10 minutes left when Oklahoma had the ball on the Oregon 32 facing 4th and 9 up 10 points I think and took a delay of game penalty to give their punter more room to kick.

Why didn't Oregon decline the penalty?

One obvious answer is they couldn't decline the penalty, but Rule 10, section 1, article 1, subsection (b) of the NCAA football rules states "any panalty may be declined." I assume this rule is the same in the nfl.

So is this an etiquitte thing (which sounds like a silly rational to me, the game is about winning), or are a lot of coaches making an error here, or am I missing something?

Thanks, J.R.

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This happened in a Rutgers game this season, I believe against South Florida. Coach Schiano declined the delay of game penalty that USF sought to give their punter more room. I believe it was 4th and 7, and there were about 30 seconds left in the half. When Schiano declined the penalty, USF flipped Rutgers the bird and went for it, and got it, winding up with a bonus FG to end the half. After the game Schiano said he'd never do that again.

I've always imagined that the reason you generally don't decline the penalty is to make sure that the other team punts and you get the ball. Leaving them at 4th and 4 to 9 say, at that part of the field, leaves the door open to a fake.