College football season is officially a month away and fans are already biting at the bit for football to return. Die-hard fans are currently trying to figure out how they can watch as many games as possible throughout the day.
With the game of college football changing especially with teams moving to different conferences, however, there is more changing than just that. This season there will be six new rules that fans should read up on to know what to look for this season.
So before the season kicks off on August 24th, make sure you read about these six new rules in college football.
2-minute warnings
Just like the NFL, college football is implementing a 2-minute warning.
The 2-minute warning will come as an official time-out when there are 2 minutes left in the first half and in the second half, or at the end of the second and fourth quarters.
After the time-out, the clock will then stop after any first down and a ten-second runoff can be imposed for a pre-snap penalty while the clock is running.
In-helmet communications
Another rule that is similar to the NFL is in-helmet communications meaning coaches will be able to communicate with one player for a specific amount of time until 15 seconds remaining on the play clock or until the ball is snapped.
The player that has what will be called "the mic" will be identified by having a green dot on the back of the player's helmet.
The NCAA has already tested this new rule in a few of the 2023 bowl games and found it to be very successful.
Tablets for in-game video review
Yet another NFL rule being implemented in college football this season is tablets on the sideline. There will be a total of 18 tablets on each sideline for players to use.
The coaches and staff will be able to use the tablets to check in-game footage and review it with players. However, they will not be able to look at any practice footage or past in-game footage from previous games.
The tablets will only have analytical information for the team and not any for the opponent.
Horse collar tackles in the tackle box will result in a 15-yard personal foul
The horse collar tackle has always been a penalty in college football, but now a tougher penalty will be enforced.
How instead of just a general penalty, the NCAA is adding a little more to the penalty.
Due to the danger a horse collar can put a player in, the horse collar tackle penalty will now result in a 15-yard penalty and it will be considered a personal foul when an offensive player is tackled in the tackle box.
Conference-wide video review system
Normally there is one video review system for all of college football, but each conference will have its own video-replay system to review plays and help officials in reversing or confirming a call on the field.
Basically, referees may not have to look at those tiny black screens on the field.
Head coach interviews after 1st and 3rd quarters
Coaches in the past have normally been interviewed going into halftime and coming out of halftime. Now fans will get to hear from their favorite and not-so-favorite coaches more with mandatory coach interviews at the end of the first and third quarters.
Players will be unable to do in-game interviews, unlike college basketball. However, think about what it will be like to listen to Chris Klieman talk about the Wildcats even more and hear about what they are doing well and what they need to work on in-game.