College Football Rule Changes: Explaining Significant Adjustments for 2024

The 2024 college football season is right around the corner, and several changes are coming that many fans likely aren’t aware of. That includes a significant change to sideline tablets that'll have major implications for every school in every game.

Teams will now have the opportunity to use tablets showing TV, end-zone and All-22 feeds.

Not only that, but they’ll be more in-depth than those used in the professional ranks. While the NFL uses four screenshots, college tablets will feature additional live videos from several different angles. These include videos from the coach’s sideline and end zone, according to a release from the NCAA.

“For all three divisions, teams have the option of using tablets to view in-game video only. The video can include the broadcast feed and camera angles from the coach's sideline and coach's end zone. Teams can have up to 18 active tablets for use in the coaching booth, sideline and locker room. Tablets cannot be connected to other devices to project larger additional images and cannot include analytics, data or data access capability or other communication access. All team personnel will be allowed to view the tablets during the game.”

This isn’t the only change coming to the college game.

Each school will also have the opportunity to utilize coach-to-player communication systems through the helmet of one player on the field. The communication will be turned off when 15 seconds remain on the play clock or when the ball is snapped — whichever comes first.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel also adopted a two-minute warning, just as the NFL has toward the end of each half.

Additionally, horse-collar tackles occurring within the tackle box will now be 15-yard personal fouls. Before the change, those play weren't considered illegal.

Finally, an experimental rule that gave conferences the option to use a collaborative replay review system has been formally adopted moving forward.

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