If You Could Change One Rule for NCAA Football...

[UNTLifer]

What would it be?

Me: Penalizing the offense when they fumble the ball out of the end zone thereby awarding the defensive with the ball at the 20.  I think the offense should maintain possession, but be pushed back to the ten yard line.

 

I heard this discussion this morning on Dan Patrick's radio show and thought it might be interesting to see what everyone came up with.

[Texas Stranger]

I would outlaw activities where the sole purpose is to force or trick the opponent into a penalty.  Hard snap counts is where I would start.  The defense is already prohibited from using fake offense signals to entice a false start; no reason why the QB shouldn't be similarly restricted.

[golfingomez]

i would limit replay reviews to the same structure as the NFL. nothing slows college football down more than having to stop down every 10 plays for a review. make the coaches decide which plays need review, not the booth.

If i could have my druthers, i would eliminate slow motion from all replay reviews.

[Rudy]

This is easy.  a legitimate system where EVERYONE has a chance to compete for the national championship.  If you win your conference, you play in one of the bowl games as a first round playoff, from there on its a standard playoff.  Everyone else plays in the bowls. 

[jdennis82]

EASY... No clock stoppage after 1st down until the final 2 mins of each half

4 hour game length is impacting attendance negatively

[DentonLurker]

I would expand the playoffs to 16 right away. All 10 conference champions get in and the remaining 6 spots can be whoever.

Second, and this is just my own pet peeve, I would limit the number of people allowed to be on the sidelines. We are starting to have as many support staff on sidelines as there are players. It looks kind of ridiculous, if you ask me. Between athletic administrative staff, coaches, donors, etc., there is just too much stuff going on down on the field. Basketball is almost more obnoxious. Let's change it there too. Some schools have more support staff in basketball than they do players on their bench.

[southsideguy]

I would limit what a team could spend on the team,( a cap) so the field would once again be a little more level.  The cap would not be so high only the P5 could live in it and continue to pee on the rest of the teams.

[greenjoe]

I would eliminate the slam dunk or playing above the rim and create a “4 point” line.  
 

Oh...football.  Get rid of that guy in the red shirt and extended time outs.

I’ll pay more attention.

[southsideguy]

I hate that guy in the red shirt.  Maybe if the teams kept playing during the tv timeouts more people would show up to the games.

Edited April 22, 2021 by southsideguy

[MeanGreenTexan]

I think the rule that keeps NT from winning every game is pretty stupid & I’d like to get rid of it.

[greenminer]

My endgame: find a way that would allow the G5s some piece of the pie, at least a fighting chance.

My starting point: If you're undefeated, you're guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.

[ChiefTenBeers2015]

7 hours ago, Texas Stranger said:

I would outlaw activities where the sole purpose is to force or trick the opponent into a penalty.  Hard snap counts is where I would start.  The defense is already prohibited from using fake offense signals to entice a false start; no reason why the QB shouldn't be similarly restricted.

One reason could be because the quarterback has the ball...

[ChiefTenBeers2015]

1 hour ago, greenminer said:

My endgame: find a way that would allow the G5s some piece of the pie, at least a fighting chance.

My starting point: If you're undefeated, you're guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.

Or if you win your conference...and every conference has a championship...those without a conference are at the mercy of the “committee”, whatever that is - sounds like Commie Socialism to me 

[NT93]

I don’t know exactly what I’d change, but replay drives me crazy.  The intent of the rule has been lost and it’s killing the game.  As @golfingomezsaid, take slow motion out of it.  If the the call was that egregious, you can tell in real time.

I think the intent of the OP was actual in-game rules that you would change. I like @UNTLifersuggestion, but it just doesn’t happen very often, so changing wouldn’t have a great impact.  I think I might change a holding penalty to be a 5 yard penalty instead of 10.  As it is now, a holding penalty just kills you.

Edited April 23, 2021 by NT93

[UNTLifer]

For clarification, these are game rules not how the NCAA/BCS structures their playoffs. In game rules. 

[untjim1995]

Making time run constantly until there is a change of possession or less than 5 minutes in the half...should’ve already been done for time’s sake.

The NCAA needs to be in charge of conference affiliation. If your budget is over $60 million, you play in the top level of competition. If it’s between $20million and $60 million, you play in the next level. 
 

College rivalries are the best and they are even greater when they are local/regional. The NCAA controlling conference setup would keep the SMU/LaTech snooty look down at other schools near them from ever influencing other schools from admitting them into the conference. 

[buff64]

One rule both NCAA and pro. should change is the one that penalizes a team on the kickoff for a foul that occurs on a TD or extra pt. It has no effect on the team that commits the foul . The penalty should be on the first play from scrimmage after the kickoff.

[NorthTexasWeLove]

16 hours ago, Rudy said:

This is easy.  a legitimate system where EVERYONE has a chance to compete for the national championship.  If you win your conference, you play in one of the bowl games as a first round playoff, from there on its a standard playoff.  Everyone else plays in the bowls. 

Hear, hear

[GreenN'walinsVet]

Change Replay Reviews:   Have a 3 man independent review that gets the play with no context...No time of game, No score, No knowledge of the call on the field, nothing.  They get the play, they have 30 seconds to to make a decision on the play, they give their decision...Majority wins, call is relayed back to stadium and decision moves forward.

[El Paso Eagle]

Not an on the field rule, I would implement a budget limit for each division on what they can spend. A college "salary cap". Not Saying that each school has to spend that amount, but a limit. Along this line the revenue split for G5s needs to be addressed.

[UNTLifer]

The other in game rule I would like to see changed is the disqualification of a coverage unit player that leaves the field on their own and then re-enters to make the play.  They are currently not penalized if the defender pushes them out, but if they so choose and want to try and navigate through their opponents bench area, then have at it.

[greenminer]

16 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

The other in game rule I would like to see changed is the disqualification of a coverage unit player that leaves the field on their own and then re-enters to make the play.  They are currently not penalized if the defender pushes them out, but if they so choose and want to try and navigate through their opponents bench area, then have at it.

This would essentially make the field wide open between the snap and the moment the ball is caught/handed off. I imagine coaches would do some really wacky route running with this and it would change the game dramatically.

....or comically.

[UNTLifer]

2 hours ago, greenminer said:

This would essentially make the field wide open between the snap and the moment the ball is caught/handed off. I imagine coaches would do some really wacky route running with this and it would change the game dramatically.

....or comically.

Not every play, just on coverage units.

[UNT86]

I would change that only 11 players should be in the huddle.  During time outs, all 45 members of the offense are in the huddle.  They should have to leave 11 on the field at all times during time outs.

[Marty]

No automatic first down on pass interference.