Well, the NCAA’s teeth may look more like an actor’s – shiny and white – than a bulldog’s these days, but there are rules changes for the upcoming football season that will sooner or later be noticeable by everybody.
Here’s my personal favorite, and I’m betting this one comes into play on the very first broadcast of the season.
When the referee announces a decision after instant replay officials finish a review, no longer will the terms “confirmed” or “stands” be used. They’re being replaced by “overturned” or “upheld.” And I LOVE THAT. These guys have been hiding behind this “stands” / “confirmed” thing for years. Let’s make them say whether or not the call was actually overturned or not. Love it.
Here are some that have to do a lot more with football.
1. Might call this one the “Tennessee-Ole Miss Rule” after what happened between those two teams a couple of seasons ago. If trainers have to actually come on to the field of play to look at an injured player after officials have spotted the ball and a play is about to begin, then the player’s team will have to give up a time out, or be penalized 5 yards if that team has no time outs. And on top of that, if it happens after two-minute mark and the injury – or “injury” – is the only reason the clock was stopped, there will be a 10-second runoff, to boot. The game in Knoxville between Ole Miss and Tennessee put on a master class for – let’s say “questionable” injuries. This was also a game where Volunteers fans tried to throw everything NOT nailed down at Rebels coach (former Vols coach) Lane Kiffin.
2. If a game goes to three overtimes, then teams will get just one time out, from that point.
3. This next one sounds bizarre, but one that I almost GUARANTEE North Carolina coach Bill Belichick will use at some point: on kickoffs, if a player on the return team signals “T” with his arms, then the team foregoes the right to return the kick and the play is whistled dead.
4. After the two minute time out, if a team is called for too many players on the field, it’ll be a 5-yard penalty and the offense will also have the option to reset the game clock at the start of the play. If the 12th man was coming off the field of play and / or had no impact on the play, then the penalty yards will remain in effect, but the clock reset option would not be in effect.
5. And on punts, a couple of changes: 1.) no player can directly line up in the snap to a potential kicker, or inside the frame of the snapper to appear as a legal scrimmage kick formation – five players with numbers between 50-79 must be on the line of scrimmage. And 2.) If the player snapping the ball is on the end of the line, he loses protection and defense can line up a player over him.
Not a rule change, but a date: the 2025 college football season officially kicks off once again in Dublin, Ireland, in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. This year, that game, to be played once again at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, will feature Iowa State taking on Kansas State.
Last year, Georgia Tech stunned Florida State in the classic, an outcome many of us actually predicted, before a season for FSU that many of us did not. Are we in for another?
It’ll be the second season of the 12-team College Football Playoff, this time with a seeding change: the top four seeds will receive the first-round byes, even if they’re not conference champions.
Kickoff in Ireland will be here before we know it. Can’t wait.
