NFL Vs. College Football
To a novice football fan, the differences between professional football in the NFL and college football may seem minute or go unnoticed. However, to a seasoned fan or trained football eye, the small differences in the format and rule books actually make the two significantly different games.
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Team Breakdown
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As of 2010, the NFL includes 32 teams, while college football features 120 institutions at its highest level. College football features 11 conferences and three teams who chose to remain independent of conference affiliation.
Regular Season and Playoffs
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Every NFL team plays 16 regular season games over a 17-week season. The top six teams in each conference, including four division winners and two wild cards, make the playoffs. The two conference winners play in the Super Bowl to determine the league champion.
As of 2010, college football allows up to 12 regular season games per team, with additional games allowed for a conference championship. The Bowl Championship Series rankings, determined by human and computer polls, determine the top two teams in the country to play in the championship game. FCS, Division II and Division III college football each have a playoff tournament.
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Clock
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Both levels play four 15-minute quarters. In the NFL, the clock only stops on incomplete passes, time outs, official timeouts and the two-minute warning. In college football, the game plays slightly longer as the clock stops after each first down until the chains and ball are reset.
Hash Marks
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In the NFL, the hash marks that serve as horizontal field boundaries for where each play starts measure 70 feet 9 inches from each sideline and 18 feet 6 inches in between. In college, the hash marks are located wider apart than the NFL, with measurements at 60 feet from each sideline and 40 feet in between.
Overtime
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NFL teams play a one-period sudden-death overtime until the first team wins. However, starting in 2010, if the first score of a playoff game is a field goal the other team is allowed one possession to try to score as well. In college football, teams each take one possession from the 25-yard line and attempt to score. Subsequent overtime periods commence until the tie is broken. Beginning with the third overtime period, teams that score a touchdown have to attempt a two-point conversion.
Roster Sizes
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NFL teams have rosters of 53 players. In college football, each team is allowed up to 105 roster members, with no more than 85 scholarship players. Depending on conference rules, only a portion of the football roster is allowed to dress in uniform for games.
College to NFL Transition
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Not every college player is suited for the NFL. Many schemes and strategies that work in college, do not work in the NFL against bigger and faster defenses. For example, the option may work well in college, because a fast quarterback and running back combination can beat a defender to the edge of the field. However, in the NFL, linebackers and even defensive ends are fast enough to neutralize this play. Thus, many college football stars who excelled in these types of schemes do not perform well in the NFL.
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References
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- Photo Credit American football field. image by Sandra Henderson from Fotolia.com
