The 2019 college football season marked 150 years of the sport and massive institutional shifts.
In short: The 150th anniversary of college football was defined by more than just on-field action. While the LSU Tigers secured a national title, the sport faced seismic legal challenges regarding athlete compensation, major rule changes to targeting and overtime, and a wave of stadium renovations that reshaped the collegiate landscape.
The 2019 season served as a milestone, commemorating 150 years since the inaugural 1869 contest between Princeton and Rutgers. Amidst the celebrations, the sport underwent significant regulatory adjustments. The NCAA implemented stricter targeting protocols, eliminating the 'stands' option for replay reviews and mandating a one-game suspension for players accumulating three targeting penalties in a single season. Furthermore, the overtime structure was overhauled; starting in the fifth period, teams were required to attempt two-point conversions from the three-yard line rather than the 25-yard line, a change first tested in a six-overtime thriller between North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
Off the field, the NCAA faced mounting pressure regarding athlete rights. In March, a federal judge ruled that the organization could not restrict education-related benefits for players. By September, California enacted legislation—the Fair Pay to Play Act—that challenged the NCAA's prohibition on endorsement income, setting the stage for future conflicts. In response, the NCAA board of governors unanimously committed to exploring ways for athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, aiming for a policy shift by 2021. These developments occurred alongside high-profile disciplinary actions, including postseason bans for Missouri and the vacating of 33 victories by Ole Miss due to past misconduct.
The season also saw a flurry of infrastructure investment and realignment. Programs like Syracuse, Iowa, and Missouri poured millions into stadium upgrades, while others, such as South Alabama and UAB, looked toward new venues. Conference dynamics shifted as well, with UConn announcing its departure from the American Athletic Conference to rejoin the Big East, eventually opting for FBS independent status for its football program. These changes, coupled with the closest three-way AP Poll vote in decades, underscored a year where the business and tradition of college football collided with the realities of a modernizing athletic landscape.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season
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