Philadelphia, PA
—Have you ever wondered what the differences are between college football and NFL football? The NFL is also one of the biggest sporting franchises in the world, as it is America's number one sporting league.
Differences between NFL And College Football
That being said, outside of the United States, few people know much about other football leagues in the US. They know very little about college football and how it is even more popular than the NFL in many states with even more betting action than the popular NFL odds. College football is a significant league in its own right, known as the NCAA, and is made up of an incredible 130 teams, which universities, colleges, and other academics field. The NFL is a professional league that is followed by hundreds of millions of people, with 32 teams based around the country who fight it out for the Super Bowl title. So, while they are linked, they are different; let us explain how.
A Guide To College Football
Canadian and American universities, academies, and colleges make up the college football league.
As there is no minor league for football, college football has filled the gap where a minor league would be.
However, in many parts of the United States, college football is much more popular and is, in some cases, even viewed as more prestigious than the NFL. There is even an aspect of college football equal to that of the Madden games.
The NCAA Football Division 1 is technically the official name of the College football league, and in this, you will find 130 teams split up into 12 conferences. However, there is only one playoff in college football, and thus, the winners of big tournaments are much easier to predict.
This makes it easier to place successful bets, making you think that NCAA betting would take up most of the bettors' time, but the NFL is still the more popular bet.
Draft
The draft is a place where you can find differences. The NFL draft will take place in the league's off-season. Franchises will select semi-pro and amateur players to join them. Each draft is made from 7 rounds.
This process was introduced to enhance the competitive side of the NFL. Thus, teams that did worst in the last season would get the first pick, allowing the worst team to get the best players and improve, or at least in theory.
Then again, top picks are often the best players, but this is not always totally true. Tom Brady is a perfect example of this, as Brady was picked 199th in his draft.
A player who has been out of high school for three years will be eligible for the draft. They needn’t even be college seniors, but it is common for draft picks to be college seniors.
Teams can also be forced to forfeit a pick if they violate rules in their previous season. This can be seen in the New Orleans Saints, where they were punished for violating COVID-19 guidelines on repeat during the 2020 season.
NFL Guides
The NFL is probably the most watched sport in the entire United States. Millions turn up to watch every match, and even more watch at home. Many people also actively place bets on NFL games. If you find yourself in this category, following Doc’s NFL predictions can be of great help.
The league has 32 teams in total and is the only actual professional football league in the United States. It started in 1920 and, in 1966, merged with the AFL, its only rival, to make one gigantic league.
The NFL has been holding Super Bowl competitions for well over half a century, and they are still becoming increasingly popular.
Rule Differences
When comparing college football to the NFL, it is important to consider the rules of the game and how they differ.
Here are some major differences in the rules between the College Football leagues and the NFL.
- College football cannot end in a tie; the teams will continue playing until one team gets ahead.
- In the NFL, contact must be ruled down. However, this is not true for college football.
- In college football, the clock will be stopped after the first down.
- In College football, only a single foot must be within bounds for a pass to be completed. Yet, in the NFL, both feet must be within the bounds for a complete NFL pass to be made.
- The NFL's ability to review plays is extremely limited. Yet, in College football, plays can be reviewed easily.
- In College football, a defensive holding penalty needs to be 10 yards. However, the difference between the NFL and the NCAA is in the distance; in the NFL, the distance is $6.
The NFL and NCAA are very similar; however, in the same respect, they are also very different.
