College Football Fair Catch Kickoff Explained

College football does things a little bit differently when it comes to the fair catch rule on kickoffs. As weird as it may be the first time you see someone call for a fair catch on the two-yard-line, it's a common occurrence in the college game.

What is the College Football Fair Catch Rule?

On any kickoff, the receiving team calling for a fair catch on a kickoff will receive the ball on the 25-yard-line. Football purists may not like the move, but it was created to reduce the number of injuries sustained on kickoffs.

Even if the player calling for a fair catch muffs the ball, the fair catch is still honored unless the ball touches the ground, upon which it will become a live ball.

If the kick doesn't reach the 25 yard line, the fair catch rule will give the receiving team the ball at the spot, just like the NFL.