by Bob Swanson

Created on: October 07, 2008

There are a handful of differences between college and professional football. Some are very minor while others are drastic. Some are merely cosmetic while others can change the outcome of the entire game.

The first and what many consider the biggest rule is the catch rule. In the NFL the player must have control of the ball while having both feet inbounds. This differs from college, as you only need control of the ball and one foot inbounds. This may seem like a minor rule to many, but when a wide receiver is running full speed down field and makes a spectacular one-handed grab in the back of the end zone it matters. This rule however is understandable. As professionals in the NFL the game should have a higher degree of difficulty. Next time you are out in the back yard tossing the pigskin around try and catch a pass while keeping both feet inside a marker, it's not easy.

The next rule is simply cosmetic and doesn't do much except cause a little confusion. In the NFL only one player can have a certain number. For example if your quarterback is number 10, another player cannot have number 10. However in college a player on offense and defense can share a number. For example, the Penn State Nittany Lions have 2 number 10s. Cornerback Lydell Sargeant is 10 on defense while tight end Andrew Quarless is number 10 on offense. This is not a huge difference but it can cause confusion when trying to identify your favorite players.

One rule that is overlooked is how replay works. In the NFL officials call a replay only when inside 2 minutes at the end of the first half or end of the game. In college officials can call a replay at any point during the game. This can greatly help many college teams.

What is arguably the most drastic rule is the pass interference rule. In the NFL if it is defensive pass interference the ball is placed at the spot of the foul. Unless of course the foul is committed in the end zone. In this case the ball is placed at the 1-yard line. For offensive it is a 15-yard penalty. NCAA rules have it as a 15-yard penalty for both offensive and defensive pass interference. This is so drastic because of the amount of yardage that can be awarded to the offense by NFL rules. This rule can drastically change a game.

Overtime is also run differently. In college both teams have a turn on offense. In the NFL it is sudden death overtime, you score first and you win. In college if you score first your defense still has to stop the other team. NCAA's overtime rule may be a little fairer compared to the NFL where luck comes into play. At the beginning of overtime there is a second coin toss. The winner will most likely choose to receive the ball and have the first shot at the win. It is all a matter of opinion to which is method is better.

Finally a rule that has helped several NFL rookies make fools of themselves. In college if a player with possession of the ball falls to the ground he is ruled down. In the NFL the player must be touched by an opposing player to be ruled down. This rule is sometimes forgotten by NFL rookies. One example is when Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Plaxico Burress made a catch and fell to the ground. He got up and spiked the ball into the ground in disgust. An opposing player did not touch him and by NFL rules the ball was considered "live." This created a fumble and the opposing team recovered it.

There are several minor and major differences between NCAA and NFL rules. They are all in their own right fair and add a different degree of difficulty to the game. In all honesty the NFL should have tougher rules than the NCAA because, well, they all are professionals after all.

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