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Whether you’re tuning into your local sports channel or seeing the game in real-time, anyone who keeps up with college football knows that a game’s schedule is more of a suggestion.
However, if you’re heading out to the stadium for the first time or hosting a watch party, you might want to know when to kick things off and how long to expect to stay seated.
Thankfully, we have everything you need to know so you don’t run into any surprises on game day.
How Long is a College Football Game?
The average college football game lasts a whopping 3 hours and 22 minutes, meaning you can expect to stay seated for three times the 60 minutes on the game clock.
Thankfully (or not, depending on how much you love football), that average may shrink in the future since the NCAA announced a rule change regarding clock management in the 2023 season.
Starting in 2023, clocks will run after a team makes a first down, unless there are less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds left in either half.
Still, college football games will continue to last longer than high school and NFL games. NFL games typically go on for exactly 3 hours, while high school football games only last between 2 and 2.5 hours.
Game Breakdown & Structure
Alright, so you’ve settled in, maybe grabbed some snacks, and you’re ready for the game to kick off.
But what exactly can you expect from the next few hours, aside from sheer excitement?
First off, the main action happens in four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes. That gives you a neat 60 minutes of total game time. However, as you probably already know, the game clock isn’t as straightforward as it sounds.
It starts ticking at the beginning of each quarter but will stop for several reasons—like an incomplete pass, penalties, timeouts, or when a player steps out of bounds. These little pauses are your chance to grab another hotdog or high-five your buddies after a mind-blowing play.
Now, let’s talk halftime.
Once the second quarter wraps up, everyone gets a breather. The halftime break usually lasts around 15 minutes. Teams head back to their locker rooms for some well-earned rest, maybe a quick bite, and a strategy session for the second half. During this time, the school band usually takes center stage to energize the crowd with a top-notch performance.
Factors That Influence Game Time
Those are the basics, but they still don’t explain why a 60-minute game takes over 3 hours to wrap up. A few key elements stretch those four quarters into a full-fledged event. Let’s dig into some factors that make watching your favorite college football team play a day-long affair.
Stopping the Clock
The game clock may say 15 minutes per quarter, but it often stops in its tracks. Why? Well, for reasons like incomplete passes, players running out of bounds, penalties, and timeouts. Each stoppage adds a few moments (or minutes) to the overall game duration.
Timeouts
Timeouts are strategic pit stops. Each team gets three timeouts per half, and they’re a crucial part of the game’s pacing. Not only do timeouts stop the game clock, but they also offer teams a chance to regroup, strategize, and catch their breath.
Smart teams also use timeouts to preserve time when they’re behind or slow down their opponent’s momentum.
Commercial Breaks
Commercial breaks are the unsung hero (or villain, depending on how you see it) of game time extension.
While you’re grabbing another snack or debating a referee’s call, networks are filling airtime with commercials. These breaks typically happen during game stoppages—like after scoring plays, during timeouts, and at quarter breaks.
Networks will essentially sandwich commercials into moments when you’d least notice them, but they contribute substantially to the overall length of the telecast.
Halftime Show
Halftime performances function as both entertainment breaks and time extenders. Typically, halftime lasts about 15 minutes. However, this can vary depending on the game’s significance.
For conference and non-conference games, halftime shows stick to the regular duration. But come championship time, you might find more elaborate shows that stretch the timeline a bit (especially if that show features a famous rapper performing in some interesting attire). So, if you’re at a bowl game or a championship, expect the festivities to take a bit longer.
Weather Delays
Ever heard of football being played come rain or shine? Well, that’s only partly true. Weather delays can mess with the game’s running time. Lightning or thunder can call for delays lasting at least 30 minutes. And it gets more complicated with non-conference games.
These could get canceled without rescheduling if the weather gets too wild. Teams can also pull out without penalty if conditions make play unsafe.
Overtime
And then, there’s the edge-of-your-seat drama of overtime. Overtime in college football is a whole different animal compared to the NFL. Teams start at the opponent’s 25-yard line and try to score.
The longest collegiate overtime?
That would be nine overtimes at the famous Illinois-Penn State game, a nail-biter that fans either love for its intensity or critique for its length. Over the years, the rules have changed a bit to speed up the process, but it still adds a significant chunk of time to the game.
College Football Games Are Getting Longer
If you feel like you’ve been spending more time on the couch each Saturday, you’re not imagining it. College football games have been gradually stretching out, and there are a few reasons why.
TV networks play a big role in increasing college football’s on-air time. More ad revenue means more commercial breaks, which translates to longer games. Then there’s instant replay, which, while making the game fairer, also pads out the duration as officials review plays.
Style of play has an impact on game time, too. Teams are leaning more into passing plays, which often result in clock stoppages. Tack on the usual timeouts, penalties, and the ever-present drama of instant replay, and it’s no surprise we’re spending more time in front of the screen or sitting in the stadium.
The Final Score
So there you have it, a 60-minute game isn’t really 60 minutes. From the on-field action to weather delays, from commercial breaks to potentially nail-biting overtime, several factors contribute to the length of a college football game.
For many football fanatics, that’s a good thing; it means more time to enjoy the game, hang out with friends, and immerse yourself in the excitement of college football.