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With the 2025 college football season just two months away, the NCAA is working hard to train its officials on all of the rules changes made during the offseason. Its most recent instructional video focuses specifically on unsportsmanlike conduct.
This is the guide on which to refer before you make judgement on a ruling in October!
College football fans are often frustrated by the subjective nature of an ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’ penalty. It often feels like some officials are very quick to throw a flag while others are more lenient in what they might or might not allow. There is no way to win. One of the two fanbases will always be mad when the outcome does not go their way.
This is where the preseason training videos are helpful. We have a direct understanding of what should warrant a flag and what should be permitted without penalty. I am likely going to forget everything I learned from this most recent video as soon as my team is flagged for a seemingly harmless penalty but maybe if we all learn the rules together we won’t be as mad in the fall!
First and foremost, any “taunting action” that is “focused and directed at an opponent” must be flagged. Any form of gun violence is also against the rules. The NCAA, like the NFL, made it so that “brandishing a weapon” must be called as an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
From there, the focus shifts toward a few different college football scenarios.
- Play 1 —
- Players are not allowed to intentionally flip into the end zone in a celebratory fashion.
- It is a live ball foul if the flip begins in the field of play.
- Play 2 —
- The entire team will be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct in “extraordinary” circumstances. For example, if a bench clears into the end zone to join a celebration.
- Play 3 —
- Celebrations, like the seatbelt buckle, are okay unless it is directed at an opponent.
- Play 4 —
- Coaches cannot leave the sideline to protest an official’s judgement.
- Play 5 —
- A coach and/or player cannot physically interfere with an official.
- Play 6 —
- Players cannot throw a ball into the stands.
- Play 7 —
- Dead ball conduct fouls, like pushing or shoving, will be flagged as unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Play 8 —
- Taunting directed at an opponent must be called as unsportsmanlike conduct to prevent further escalation.
The overarching goal of ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’ is to deter further unsporting of college football games. Officials are asked to remain diligent in their decision-making to maintain control. Now we know!