If you are new to college football, penalties can make a game feel much more complicated than it really is.
A yellow flag appears, the referee announces something that sounds vaguely technical, the ball gets moved and suddenly the situation has completely changed.
The good news is that you do not need to know every penalty in the rulebook.
There are a handful you will see again and again.
What Happens When There Is a Penalty?
When a player breaks a rule, an official usually throws a yellow flag onto the field.
After the play, the referee explains what happened and which team committed the foul.
The punishment usually involves moving the ball forwards or backwards by a set number of yards.
Some penalties also give the offence an automatic first down or can cause a down to be replayed.
False Start
A false start happens when an attacking player moves illegally before the ball is snapped.
You will see this quite often from offensive linemen.
The play is stopped immediately and the offence is moved back five yards.
So if it was 2nd-and-5, it could suddenly become 2nd-and-10.
Offside
Offside usually happens when a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped.
Unlike a false start, the play can sometimes continue.
That can give the offence the chance to take a bigger risk because they know a penalty is already coming.
If you hear commentators talk about a “free play”, this is often what they mean.
Holding
Holding is one of the most common penalties in football.
It usually happens when a player illegally grabs or restricts an opponent rather than blocking them properly.
You will hear offensive holding most often.
It can be particularly painful because a big gain can be wiped out and the offence is moved backwards.
Nothing quite kills the mood like seeing a huge run and then spotting a flag on the field.
Pass Interference
Pass interference happens when a player illegally prevents an opponent from having a fair chance to catch the ball.
It can be called against either the offence or defence, although defensive pass interference is the one you will hear most often.
The important thing to remember is that defenders can cover receivers closely, but they cannot simply grab, push or interfere with them before the ball arrives.
Roughing the Passer
Quarterbacks receive extra protection after releasing the ball.
If a defender hits the quarterback late or in an illegal way, officials can call roughing the passer.
It is a major penalty and can also give the offence an automatic first down.
Because quarterbacks are so important, these calls usually get plenty of attention.
And plenty of debate.
Delay of Game
The offence has a limited amount of time to start the next play.
If the play clock reaches zero before the ball is snapped, the offence can be penalised for delay of game.
The punishment is usually five yards.
This is why you will often see quarterbacks desperately trying to get the snap away as the play clock gets close to zero.
Personal Foul
A personal foul covers more serious illegal contact.
That can include late hits, dangerous contact or unnecessary roughness.
These penalties are usually much more costly than a simple false start or offside.
They can completely change field position and momentum.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Not every penalty is about what happens during the play.
Players can also be penalised for behaviour after it.
Unsportsmanlike conduct can include excessive taunting, abusive behaviour or actions officials consider unacceptable.
College football has plenty of emotion.
There is still a line.
Too Many Players on the Field
Each team is allowed 11 players on the field at once.
If a team accidentally has too many players involved when the ball is snapped, they can be penalised.
It sounds basic.
It still happens.
Usually at exactly the moment a coach really does not want it to.
What Is Targeting?
Targeting is one of the most talked-about penalties in college football.
It deals with dangerous contact, particularly involving the head and neck area.
It is more serious than most penalties because a player can be disqualified from the game.
There are specific rules around what counts as targeting, so we will cover that properly in its own College Football Basics guide.
What Does “Penalty Declined” Mean?
Sometimes the team that benefits from a penalty can choose not to accept it.
This usually happens when the result of the play is already better than the penalty.
For example, if the offence gains 20 yards but the defence commits a five-yard penalty, the offence may prefer to keep the 20-yard gain.
The referee will then announce that the penalty has been declined.
The Last Word from Across the Pond
Penalties can feel confusing when you first start watching college football because there are so many different calls.
But you do not need to learn them all at once.
Start with the common ones.
False start means the offence moved too early.
Offside usually means the defence crossed the line too early.
Holding means someone illegally grabbed an opponent.
Pass interference means someone unfairly stopped a player trying to catch the ball.
And if you see a yellow flag, wait for the referee.
They will tell you exactly what happened.
Eventually, you will start spotting the penalties before they even announce them.
That is when you know college football has really got you.
