New College Football Rules Enacted

By Kyle Rowland on March 7, 2013 at 3:06 pm
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It was a busy day at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, as a series of rule changes related to college football were adopted.

The only rule on the docket not put in place was one that would have required home teams to wear uniforms that differed from the color of their field. It was aimed at Boise State, which wears blue jerseys and pants in the blue-turfed Bronco Stadium.

Here's a run down of the changes:

  • To add a 10-second runoff with less than a minute remaining in either half when the sole reason for the clock stoppage is because of injury.
  • To establish three seconds as the minimum amount of time required to be on the game clock in order to spike the ball to stop the clock. If one or two seconds remain on the clock, there is only time for the offense to run one more play.
  • To require a player that changes numbers during the game to report this to the referee, who will announce it.
  • To preclude multiple players from the same team from wearing the same uniform number (for example, two quarterbacks on the same team are not allowed to have the same number).
  • To allow the use of electronic communication by the on-field officiating crew (the practice was used successfully on an experimental basis by the Southeastern Conference). This is a permissive rule and not a requirement.
  • To allow instant replay to adjust the clock at the end of each quarter. Previously, this provision was in place only for the end of each half.
  • To clarify uniform rules as follows: “Jerseys must have clearly visible, permanent Arabic numerals measuring at least 8 and 10 inches in height front and back, respectively, and be of one solid color that itself is clearly in distinct contrast with the color of the jersey, irrespective of any border around the number.” This rule goes into effect for Football Bowl Subdivision teams in 2013. Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III teams will have until 2014 before the rule becomes effective.

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