Editing Running up the score (section)

==Justifications==
===Benefits in the BCS and other polls===
Some sports (especially American [[College sports in the United States|College sports]]) have used polls for determining team rankings, matches, and championships. Certain coaches are notorious for running up the score to impress coaches and sportswriters who vote in the [[Coaches Poll|Amway Coaches Poll]] or [[AP Poll]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}} It is a common allegation that some poll voters simply look at [[box score]]s before punching in their votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://proxy.espn.com/melkiper/s/2000/1002/796872.html |author=Kiper, Mel |title=Like it or not, blowouts count |date=November 3, 2000 <!--poss. October 1--> |work=ESPN.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040222130121/http://proxy.espn.go.com/melkiper/s/2000/1002/796872.html |archive-date=2004-02-22 |url-status=live}}</ref> When the [[Bowl Championship Series]] (BCS) existed in college football, the votes had a huge impact on who went to BCS games, including the [[BCS National Championship Game|national championship]]. Only by watching the game or game tape (or by careful box-score scrutiny) can a coach determine if a 49–21 score was caused by a fairly one-sided game or the winning team trying to make the score look more impressive when the game's outcome was certain. The BCS computers originally included margin of victory as a component, but the BCS removed that element after noticing large increases in teams running up the score.

From the 2014 season, the BCS was replaced by the [[College Football Playoff]] (CFP). Polls do not play a role in determining CFP participants; instead, these teams are chosen by a selection committee similar to that used in the [[NCAA basketball tournament selection process]].

===Practice===
Some fans of teams whose coaches frequently run up the score may also note that running up the score has its advantages. Though many coaches who run up the score do it with only their first-string players, a coach who uses his third- and fourth-string players can give them vital in-game experience if he allows them to do more than, in [[American football]], just [[quarterback kneel|kneel on the football]] or run the ball up the middle. When they are not allowed to make passing and running plays that the first- and second-stringers get to make, their skills may not develop as quickly.

Alternatively, in college sports with many players from successful teams having hopes of becoming professionals, running up the score gives players the chance to improve their statistics and to show off skills that the conventional offense would not allow. While it may be seen as poor sportsmanship, as there is no guarantee that any player will be picked for the professional leagues, every opportunity to bolster stats and impress scouts can be seen as improving the professional prospects of the players.

=== Gameplay ===
It is also argued that it can be used as a preventive measure to prevent a huge [[Comeback (sports)|comeback]]. In 2006, Penn State lost to Notre Dame 41–17. Notre Dame justified running up the score because Penn State was known for late comebacks. Supporters of preventively running up the score will often point to games such as the [[2006 Insight Bowl]] where Minnesota blew a 38–7 lead in the third quarter, to eventually lose 44–41 to Texas Tech.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=263630135 |title=Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers – Box Score |date=December 29, 2006 |work=ESPN.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102200228/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=263630135 |archive-date=2014-01-02 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Improving tiebreaker qualification chances ===
In addition, many leagues use [[Tiebreaker#In tournaments and playoffs|tiebreakers]] if two or more teams are tied in the standings; one common tiebreaker when multiple teams are involved (such as when three teams are tied, with no team having beaten both of the others) is "[[point differential]]" (calculated as the difference between the number of points a team scores vs. the number of points a team allows against common opponents) or variations thereof, such as [[cricket]]'s [[net run rate]]; "running up a score" can help their chances of winning positions and stop the other team from scoring as well (though some leagues counter that by placing a cap on the number of points which can be counted in a point differential, such as no more than 14; then, even if the score is 49–0, only 14 points will count in the tiebreaker).

=== Other justifications ===
An argument frequently used in favor of running up the score is the belief that it is not the coach's or winning team's fault if a weak team is unable to stop a high-powered offensive juggernaut.<ref name="Fernami">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/Fernami/76485|title=Fernami's SportingBlog – Running Up The Score|date=April 11, 2007|work=SportingNews.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930115733/http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/Fernami/76485|archive-date=2007-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Florida State Seminoles football|Florida State]] coach [[Bobby Bowden]] contended that it was not his job to call plays that are inconsistent with his regular offense. He felt that the prevention of further scoring was the responsibility of the opposing team's defense. Also, some coaches advocate running up the score to make another point, such as showing disapproval of comments made by opposing players, coaches, etc., in the media.

Running up the score in professional leagues generally creates significantly less controversy and indeed the term is far less common. While there are numerous reasons to run out the clock, there is no reason not to score more points if the situation allows. As all teams are professionals, even perceived underdogs have the potential to score points quickly if they are given the chance. Even teams with a dominant lead have a strong interest in maintaining possession to run down the clock, which often puts them in the position to score more points.

At all levels of play, it is generally accepted that players or teams close to breaking significant records can run up the score without it being seen as overtly disrespectful. In fact, many offensive records almost require running up the score to be in contention as a result of records set in eras in which leagues were less balanced, seasons were of a different length, or rules were substantially different.

In one instance that did not involve the score, but where a long-established record could have easily been broken, a coach was praised for his sportsmanship. In [[1999 Cincinnati Bengals season|1999]], during a 44–28 defeat of the [[Cleveland Browns]], [[Cincinnati Bengals]] coach [[Bruce Coslet]] took running back [[Corey Dillon]] out of the game early in the fourth quarter. By that point, he had gained 246 yards and, had he continued playing, almost certainly would have broken [[Walter Payton]]'s single-game rushing record of 275 yards. After the game, Coslet explained that since Payton, who had died the month before, had set the record in a game his team won 10–7, he did not feel it right for Dillon to break it in a game that, by the point he took the player out, became one-sided.<ref name="1999 Corey Dillon near-record">{{cite news|last=King|first=Peter|author-link=Peter King (sportswriter)|title=Inside the NFL|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2000/01/10/272121/inside-the-nfl|newspaper=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=January 10, 2000|access-date=June 17, 2019}}</ref>