During his team's opening game against Coastal Carolina, UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly expressed his dissatisfaction with a new NCAA clock rule. The rule, implemented in both Division I and II football games, states that the clock will no longer stop after teams achieve a first down unless it is the final two minutes of the half. The NCAA's intention behind this rule change is to shorten game durations, but many teams are not happy with the adjustment.

Kelly joined the chorus of coaches who have spoken out against the rule during halftime on Saturday night. In an interview before running off the field for halftime, Kelly described the new rule as "crazy." He criticized the impact it had on his team's performance, stating that they only had four drives in the first half due to the accelerated pace of the game. Taking a dig at the NCAA, Kelly suggested that the organization may have implemented the rule to allow for more commercial breaks and, subsequently, generate more revenue.

Another coach who voiced his opinion on the matter was Utah's head coach, Kyle Whittingham. After Utah's 24-11 victory over Florida, Whittingham told reporters that there weren't many snaps during the game. He remarked sarcastically that if the NCAA's goal was to reduce playing time, they had achieved it, but it seemed like they made up for it with more frequent commercial breaks. Whittingham speculated that the increase in commercials was intended to generate additional revenue for the NCAA.

Colton Denning, a user on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), conducted research on the duration of Week 0's games compared to last year's average game time of 3 hours and 27 minutes. Denning found that the seven games played during Week 0 averaged 3 hours and 23 minutes. Denning speculated that the NCAA may have replaced the extra game time with more commercials, further supporting the coaches' criticisms.

Despite the frustrations with the new clock rule, Kelly's UCLA Bruins emerged victorious with a 27-13 win over Coastal Carolina. Standout performances were seen from receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, who recorded five catches for 136 yards and a touchdown, and quarterbacks Dante Moore and Ethan Garbers, who combined for three touchdowns and three interceptions.

These criticisms from coaches like Chip Kelly and Kyle Whittingham highlight the growing concerns surrounding the new clock rule in college football. While the NCAA aims to shorten game durations, the potential increase in commercial breaks has raised questions about the true intentions behind the rule change. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen whether the NCAA will address these concerns or if they will continue to prioritize financial gains over gameplay.