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What are the rule differences between the NFL and college football? Here's how the two compare
The NFL and college football are often perceived as identical sports by the casual observer. They are very similar, at least on the surface, but some differences in the rules shape the way each version of football is played.
Here, we take a closer look at what sets the professional game apart from its college counterpart, and why those differences give each version of football its own identity.
The ball
NFL footballs are slightly larger and have a more pointed tip, measuring 11–11.25 inches in length with a circumference of 28–28.5 inches.
College balls are fractionally shorter and rounder, measuring 10.5–11.5 inches long and 27.75–28.5 inches around. NCAA balls feature white stripes near the tips, while NFL balls do not.
Roster size
During the regular season, NFL teams are limited to 53 players on the active roster. College football rosters can be more than 100 players, though only 85 can be on scholarship at the FBS level.
Overtime
College football takes a different approach: teams alternate drives starting at the opponent’s 25-yard line. Beginning in the third overtime, teams must go for two-point conversions instead of kicking extra points.
Down by contact
NFL players aren’t down until they’re touched or when a quarterback takes a knee. In college football, the play ends the moment a knee, elbow, or hip hits the ground.
Hash marks
College hash marks are 40 feet apart, creating a wide and short side of the field. NFL hash marks are just 18 feet, 6 inches apart, keeping the ball closer to the center.
Catches
The NFL demands control, two feet in bounds, and often a “football move.” College football is far simpler: one foot with control is enough.
Clock rules
College football used to stop the clock after every first down, but since 2023, the clock only pauses inside the final two minutes of each half. The NFL never stops for first downs, though the clock halts for incompletions, timeouts, penalties, and plays out of bounds.
Pass interference
In the NFL, defensive pass interference is a spot foul that can result in a significant penalty on a single play. In college, it’s capped at 15 yards unless the foul occurs in the end zone.
Targeting vs. personal fouls
A targeting call in college leads to an automatic ejection after review. The NFL penalizes similar hits with flags and fines, but players often remain in the game unless it’s deemed flagrant.
Goal posts
In the NFL, the goalposts are positioned at the back of the end zone, making every kick 10 yards longer, whereas in college, they are located right on the goal line, which shortens field goals and extra points.
Special Teams
Extra points are longer in the NFL kicks are placed at the 15-yard line, making them approximately 32 yards once you add the snap and end zone depth. In college, the ball is placed at the 3, so it’s only a 20-yard attempt.
Kickoffs also differ. In 2024, the NFL adopted a “dynamic kickoff” rule, mandating that coverage players can’t move until the ball is touched or hits the ground, a tweak designed to improve safety while keeping returns alive. College football sticks to the traditional system, with coverage teams sprinting the moment the ball is kicked.
Missed field goals are spotted differently too. In the NFL, the ball goes to the spot of the kick unless that spot is inside the 20, in which case it comes out to the 20-yard-line. In college, it returns to the previous line of scrimmage, or the 20 if the line was inside.
On punts, both leagues protect the returner’s right to an unhindered catch. Once the ball hits the ground, the kicking team can down it in either code, and both allow for the fair catch.
Booth reviews
Every scoring play and turnover is automatically reviewed in both leagues. In the NFL, coaches control other reviews by throwing a challenge flag. Each team receives two challenges per game, with a third challenge available if the first two are successful, and must have timeouts to utilise them. In the last two minutes of each half and in overtime, only the booth can initiate reviews.
In college football, replay officials have far more power. They can stop the game to review any play at any time. Coaches also have one challenge (a second if the first is successful), but reviews are largely booth-driven. Targeting fouls are always reviewed in college to confirm or overturn the call.
The Bottom Line
Both games share the same foundation, but the rulebook pulls them in opposite directions. College football leans toward chaos and big swings. The NFL strips things down, prizes control, and punishes mistakes.
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