After a one-year hiatus, the NCAA Football series makes its second appearance on PSP with a new playcalling system designed to appeal to those new to football video games. Selecting "Freshman Mode" strips down the playbooks and control schemes to make the on-field action more accessible to an audience that may have shied away from sports titles in the past. A revamped graphics engine allows players to freely break in or out of moves instead of having to wait until each spin, juke, or stiff-arm finishes its animation cycle. Ad-hoc wireless support is also included, allowing PSP owners to challenge a friend instead of the computer AI.
To further acclimate new users to the gridiron, various "action icons" will appear to notify players precisely when to evade defenders, tackle the ball carrier, bat down the ball, and more. Both a full playbook and an abbreviated version are available, with the option of letting the "head coach" call plays for those who would rather focus on the on-field action. For a more whimsical approach to college football, fans can select the Battle of the Mascots mode, an arcade-style game featuring an entire team of such favorites as Sparty the Spartan, Sparky the Sun Devil, and Harry the Husky.