Welcome to the CFFinsider League set-up tips.  Below provides a guide to running a college fantasy football league.  Just as the college and pro game are different, so are the fantasy leagues so league set-up should be treated as such.

Basic Rules
Teams Allowed - There are 117 Division I football teams.  Keep it simple by only using teams from the BCS conference or make it a single conference only league.  This makes things more enjoyable for the majority of teams.  Scouting all 117 teams would be a bear.  This also maximizes the TV exposure for your players.  We can hear the screams from Fresno St, Boise St, etc fans.  No offense, we love watching every D-I game available.  But we're also in the minority.  If your a fan of the Mountain West, Conference USA, etc there are still plenty of options.  Add your conference in with the 6 other BCS conferences or consider either a single conference only league.

# of Teams - 6 to 10 teams is a good rule of thumb for BCS leagues.  5-8 is a good number for a single conference only leagues.  Talent will start to get thin in the single conference only leagues past these numbers.

Scoring - See the suggested point modifiers below.  Keep in mind more TD's will be scored in college leagues then in the pros.  To keep it from being a TD only league, make the yardage worth something.  Individual fumble stats are nearly impossible to find, so we suggest that you do not count fumbles in your scoring system.  We do recommend using them (turnovers) for defensive scoring though.

Determining a Winner - There are 2 ways to determine a winner.  The first is total pts for the entire season.  This rewards the best team throughout the year and eliminates the need for a playoff.  The second is to have weekly head-to-head match-ups  with win/lose records.  This more closely mimics real football and keeps the bottom feeders alive a bit longer.  We've found though that even a total pts system will come down to the wire.  

Scheduling - College football always has scheduling quirks where less than half of the teams play.  This happens at the beginning and end of many seasons.  The easy solution is to combine these weeks with the week before or after into a "Mega" week.  Throw out the conference Championship games.  It's an extra game on the schedule and give certain players an unfair advantage.

Roster Limits - Limit the # of players on each team to 22-24 players for BCS leagues and 16-18 for single conference only leagues.  In general you want to have a few more players on each team then in your pro league since the players are not as well known.  But you don't want player hording.

Formations - Use realistic a starting line-ups.  I hate pro leagues where you have to start 2 running backs, 3 wide receivers, 1 tight end, a float player, and your grandma.  Best bet is to keep it simple, 1 QB, 2 RB's, 2 WR's, 1 TE, 1 K, & 1 D.

Trade Deadlines - Must have for any league.  Nothing worse then the bottom dwellers player dumping.

Advanced Rules
Keeper Leagues - There is nothing worse then scouting out a player as a freshman or sophomore only to watch him tear it up for someone else as a junior or senior.  Allowing a fixed number of keepers per team is an easy solution to this dilemma.  Limiting the number of keepers to 2 and/or taking way draft picks for additional keepers is the way to go.

Limit Waiver Pick-ups - Limiting the number of post-draft pick-ups puts a premium on drafting well and doing research.  It also keeps from having a mad scramble for the freshman and sophomores that have one good week.  By limiting the number of pick-ups, you need to think if it worth burning one of your waiver picks to pick-up this rising star.  

Multiple Formations - One of the best things about college football is the offenses are not stale and predictable like the pros.  Carry this over to your college fantasy league.  Allow the bone offense or the spread.  But you need balance.  We've found that you can do this with the use of TE's.  If you want to go with the bone, you have to start 2 TE's.  If you want to eliminate the TE's and go with the spread, you can only start 1 RB.  Suggested advanced formations:

3 RB's, 2 TE's
2 RB's, 2 WR's, 1 TE
2 RB's, 1 WR, 2 TE's
1 RB, 4 WR's
1 RB, any combo of WR/TE
5 WR's
any combo WR/TE

How to Handle the Bowls - Simple, keep on playing!  There are 2 options for the bowl games.  If your in a head-to-head league, make the bowl games your Championship game.  Most of the top fantasy players will be playing in a bowl game so this makes for the perfect senario.  No worrying about players taking the week off to rest like the NFL.  If your in a total points league or you don't want your Championship game during the bowl week(s), have a 2nd season.  No need to redraft, use the same players on the same teams.  Take the top performing QB, 5 skill positions, K, and D from each team.  The highest number of fantasy pts wins.

Point Modifiers