College Soccer - Rules

Rules

While similar in general appearance, NCAA rules diverge significantly from FIFA Laws of the Game. If a player accumulates five yellow cards over the period of one season, he or she is banned one game. A manager may make unlimited substitutions; however, a player cannot re-enter a game in the same half that he left in. All matches have an overtime period if the game remains tied after 90 minutes. As opposed to a classic two half overtime, a sudden death rule is applied. If neither team scores in the two ten-minute halves, the match ends in a draw (unless it is a playoff match, then it would be penalty kicks). College soccer is played on a "running clock" that is constantly counting down unless the referee signals for the clock to be stopped by injuries, the issuing of misconducts, or when he feels a team is wasting time. The clock is also stopped after goals until play is restarted. In most professional soccer leagues, there is an up-counting clock with the referee adding injury time to the end of each 45-minute half.