College Football Rule Changes for 2025-26 Season: Crackdown on Fake Injuries and Other Updates
College football is implementing a new rule change to address teams instructing players to fake injuries. The Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved a modification to injury timeout rules for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Under the new rule, if medical personnel evaluate an injured player after the ball is spotted, the player's team will be charged a timeout. If the team has no timeouts left, a five-yard penalty will be assessed. Injured players must be cleared by their team's medical staff before returning to the game.
The NCAA Football Rules Committee proposed the rule change to combat fake injuries used to slow down games. One notable incident involved Ole Miss tailback Matt Jones falling to the ground during a game last September. Previously, there were no specific rules against fake injuries, but now teams will face penalties for such actions. College football teams will need to adjust their strategies to avoid penalties for fake injuries.
In addition to the crackdown on fake injuries, other rule changes will be implemented in the upcoming college football season. Teams will have specific timeout allowances in extra periods to maintain the pace of play. Instant replay announcements will use the term "Upheld" instead of "confirmed" or "stands." Return specialists are prohibited from making a "T" signal when receiving kicks or punts. Defensive players near the line of scrimmage cannot make abrupt movements to simulate snap action, and offensive players are held to the same standard. Players are not allowed to use disconcerting signals or words to interfere with opponents' signals.
Overall, the new rule changes aim to enhance the integrity and fairness of college football games. Teams will need to adapt to the updated regulations to ensure compliance and avoid penalties for rule violations.