College Football Rules (NCAA)

College football is governed by the NCAA and uses a rulebook that sits between high school and the NFL. Many rules are similar to high school, but there are important differences — especially around the clock, overtime, and player safety enforcement.

Field and Game Format

• Field size: 100 yards + two 10-yard end zones (same as all levels above youth)
• Game length: 4 quarters, 15 minutes each (60 minutes of game clock)
• Play clock: 40 seconds from the end of the previous play (or 25 from a referee’s signal)
• Halftime: 20 minutes

Key Differences from High School

• Longer quarters — 15 minutes vs. 12
• 40-second play clock — vs. 25 in high school; tempo is faster
• Kickoffs from the 35-yard line — vs. 40 in high school
• One foot in bounds = a catch — only one foot needs to be inbounds for a completed pass (NFL requires two; high school requires one)
• Targeting rule is strictly enforced — hitting a defenseless player in the head/neck area results in a 15-yard penalty and automatic ejection, subject to video review
• Instant replay — plays can be reviewed by officials in the booth; coaches cannot challenge but officials initiate reviews

Overtime

College overtime is notably different from both high school and NFL:

• Each team gets one possession starting at the 25-yard line (vs. 10 in high school)
• No game clock runs during overtime — it’s based on possessions
• If tied after one round, teams alternate again
• Starting in the 3rd overtime, teams must attempt 2-point conversions only (no kicks)
• Starting in the 5th overtime (if reached), teams alternate 2-point conversion attempts only — no full possessions

Pass and Catch Rules

• One foot inbounds required for a catch (same as high school, different from NFL’s two-foot rule)
• Intentional grounding rules are the same concept as high school
• Ineligible receiver downfield: linemen limited to 3 yards past the line of scrimmage on pass plays

Clock Rules

• Clock stops to move chains on first downs, then restarts on the snap (not on the ready-for-play signal like high school)
• In the last 2 minutes of each half, the clock stops on first downs until the ball is set
• 10-second runoff rule exists for certain situations (injury timeouts, replay reviews) inside the last minute

Unique College Rules

• Targeting ejection carries over — if a player is ejected for targeting in the second half, they also sit out the first half of the next game
• No fair catch free kick — unlike the NFL, college does not allow a free kick after a fair catch
• Coaches can call timeout by signaling to an official (NFL requires a player on the field)