College football’s biggest rule changes for 2023, explained

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Some new rules will be in effect this college football season

The 2023 college football season is just weeks away.

The year ahead could be transformative for the sport, with conference movement, the transfer portal, and NIL deals changing the nature of college football. But those are not the only changes coming to the game. When “Week 0” kicks off at the end of August, some new rules will be in effect for the college game.

So before things get going, we thought it made sense to run through the major new rules, to get ready for the season.

New timing rules

Three of the six rule changes involve timing, the stoppage of play, and the flow of the game. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel is looking to moderately reduce the number of plays over the course of a given game, and improve the flow and pace of play.

Here are the three rules under this category of changes.

Stopping and starting the clock

Previously in college football, the game clock was stopped when the offense gained a first down. This rule has been changed for the 2023 season, and the clock will stop on an offensive first down only in the final two minutes of each half.

With two minutes remaining in the second quarter, the clock will stop when the offense gains a first down. That will also apply in the final two minutes of the game.

This rule goes into immediate effect for Division 1 and Division 2 college football, and will be implemented at the Division 3 level for 2024.

Consecutive timeouts

Consecutive timeouts by a single team are no longer allowed during a dead-ball period.

Each team has three charged team timeouts during each half. However, no more than one charged team timeout is available per team, during each dead-ball period.

Extension of quarters

Previously, any quarter would be extended an additional, untimed down if a penalty occurred on the final play of the quarter.

Starting in 2023, only the second or fourth quarters will be extended an additional, untimed down in the case of a penalty, an inadvertent whistle, or offsetting penalties. Should such a situation occur in the first or third quarter, the penalty will carry over to the next quarter, and the quarter will not be extended an additional down.

Drone usage

Many college football programs started using drones to create incredible content on social media:

However, do not expect to see more content like this in the future.

This is the new drone policy for college football, starting in 2023: “Drones are not allowed over the field or the team area when squad members are present within the playing enclosure. Outside the limit lines, game management (or conference policy) will govern drone activity. This governance includes all FAA, state, and local laws including campus policy where appropriate.”

Halftime intermission

Some changes are coming to halftime as well, specifically regarding when and where players can warm-up for the second half.

Timing and field availability

In 2023, the field will be available for players to warm-up “no later than three minutes prior to the scheduled second-half kickoff.”

Should a player enter the field during halftime, they must be accompanied by a staff member.

Field usage during halftime

Should a player come onto the field during halftime prior to the designated time period noted above, they must restrict their activities to the designated team areas on the sideline. All kicking activities must be done with players kicking into the provided kicking nets, and all players and staff are to respect halftime activities and performances.

When the field becomes available — starting three minutes before the schedule second-half kickoff — the field will be divided into an “L-shaped configuration” for the teams to warm-up.

Here is a diagram from the 2023 Rules depicting the “L-shaped configuration:”

Instant replay

Under the NCAA Rules, “[a]ny member institution may use instant replay, but there is no requirement to do so. If instant replay is used, it must be used in full compliance with [the NCAA Rules.”

A change to the rules for this year involves some exceptions to the instant replay rules during games that do not have an instant replay booth official. Instant replay is still permissible in these situations, with some exceptions.

Personnel, equipment, and location

The referee is the sole decision-maker on any review, and can consult with one additional official during the review process.

Any replay equipment used in the review process “must be located outside the limit lines on the sideline or end zone and must be completely outside the team area.” The referee and additional crew member must be given a “separate, secure location away from fans and sideline personnel, with a tent or similar type shelter structure” where they can conduct the review.

Initiating replays

A head coach challenge is the only way to initiate a replay review, other than reviews for targeting. “When the head coach requests a timeout for replay review, the replay challenge flag must be dropped onto the field of play.”

The officiating crew cannot stop play for a replay review, other than for targeting.

Targeting reviews

The referee will stop the game to review all targeting penalties that are called during the course of play.

A head coach can request a targeting review provided the team has both a timeout available, and a coach’s challenge remaining.

Blocking rules

In recent years the NCAA altered blocking rules, particularly the rules regarding blocks below the waist. In a change made last year, blocking below the waist was permitted only inside the tackle box. Once a player leaves the tackle box, blocking below the waist — often referred to as “cut blocking” — was no longer allowed.

This rule change has seen teams like Army and other service academies decide to shift away from their under-center triple option game. Jeff Monken, the head coach at Army, made such a decision this spring.

In the 2023 Rules, the NCAA again clarifies the point regarding cut blocks with this hypothetical:

Back A21 is stationary and is lined up in the tackle box. Just after the snap A21 immediately releases outside the tackle box. QB A12 is in the pocket to pass and A21 sees linebacker B54 blitzing. A21 returns into the tackle box and before A12 throws the pass, blocks B54 below the waist in the tackle box and the block is directed from the front. RULING: Foul by A21 for an illegal block below the waist. Once a player leaves the tackle box during the play, that player is considered outside the tackle box for the remainder of the down. A21 1 may not block below the waist once considered outside the tackle box.

Monken insists that Army will still run the option, but it will look more like the speed-option designs the majority of teams in college football use. Monken has consulted with Liberty head coach Jamey Caldwell, whose innovative spread system is the envy of many, and studied by all who love Xs and Os.

“The biggest challenge I think coach Monken is gonna get hit with,” Chadwell said to The Athletic for a fascinating piece on this issue back in April, “is when you’re underneath center, (the option) hits so much faster. Your linemen, they’re coming off the ball so much faster because the fullback dive is right behind them. When you’re in the gun, it’s a slower process, and so the way you choose to block is different.”

As we said, the college game is going to look and feel a little different this fall.