Along with the 12-team expansion for the College Football Playoff, more changes could be coming for the 2024-2025 season. An NCAA panel is considering three different rules chances with the hope of shortening the length of college football games, according to ESPN.
The first college football rule change would be to eliminate stopping the clock after a first down, except in the last two minutes of a half. Second, the NCAA panel is considering removing the rule that allows a team to call consecutive timeouts. The third and final rule change would carry over any penalties to the next quarter instead of finishing that quarter with an untimed down.
The first two rules already exist in the NFL.
“A year or so ago, we began to pivot away from just worrying about the clock to the number of plays per game, student-athlete exposures, and that has really become more the direction now, led by our commissioners,” Steve Shaw, NCAA football secretary rules-editor and officials coordinator, told ESPN. “With the focus on player health and safety and the CFP and extended playoff, which could create more games for players, it's appropriate to look at what are these numbers of student-athlete exposures?”
Over the last three college football regular seasons, games have averaged 180 plays. They've lasted an average of three hours and 21 minutes, according to Shaw. The goal is to cut the average game time by seven to eight minutes.
The rules committee is expected to publicize any potential rules changes Friday. The playing rules oversight panel would have to approve those changes in April.
The upcoming season is the final year in which the College Football Playoff will only feature four teams.
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