Rule Changes for College Football in 2025

[BigJCy]

One of the main ones is addressing the faking of the injuries to delay the offense:

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved modifications to the injury timeout rules in football, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

Under the new rule, if medical personnel enter the field to evaluate an injured player after the ball is spotted by the officiating crew for the next play, that player's team will be charged a timeout.

If the team does not have any timeouts remaining, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty will be assessed.

The injury timeout proposal was made by the NCAA Football Rules Committee after many in the college football community raised concerns about strategies in which players fake an injury to stop the opposition's momentum or to avoid using an allotted timeout.

This has been a topic of discussion for the NCAA Football Rules Committee in recent years. Before the 2021 season, a framework was instituted that allows a school or conference to request a postgame video review headed by Steve Shaw, the NCAA secretary-rules editor/national coordinator of officials, regarding questionable actions involving injuries.

If it was determined that a player faked an injury to manipulate the rules, the offending team's conference was notified, and any possible disciplinary action could be made by the conference office.

The impetus for the rule change next season is to provide an in-game mechanism that can curtail the faking of injuries because Football Rules Committee members think these actions negatively affect the overall perception of the game.

Overtime timeouts​

The panel also approved a rule change regarding overtime timeouts. If a game reaches a third overtime, each team will have one timeout beginning with the third overtime until a winner is determined.

Previously, teams were allotted one timeout for each overtime period. At the start of the third overtime, teams alternate running 2-point plays until a winner is decided.

Football Rules Committee members want to keep the action moving once a game reaches a third extra period.

Other rule changes​

The panel approved:

• When the decision on instant replay is announced, the referee will only say that the call on the field is "upheld" or "overturned." The terms "confirmed" and "stands" will not be used.
• No offensive player can be in the direct line of the snap to the potential kicker or within the frame of the snapper on punts for the formation to qualify as a scrimmage kick formation. If a team is not in scrimmage kick formation, it must have five players numbered 50 through 79 on the line of scrimmage. Additionally, if the snapper is on the end of the line by formation, the snapper will lose scrimmage kick protection, and the opposition can line a player over the snapper.
• If any player on a kickoff-return team makes a "T" signal with his arms during the kick, the team gives up the right to return the kick, and the play will be whistled dead.
• Enhanced rules regarding simulating action at the snap and words or signals that distract opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play will also be effective next season. No player can call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of the offensive signals. The defensive terms "move" and "stem" would be reserved for players on that side of the ball and could not be used by the offense.
• After the two-minute timeout in either half, if the defense commits a foul with 12 or more players on the field and all the players participate in the play, the officials will administer a 5-yard penalty. The offensive team would have the option to reset the game clock back to the time at the start of the play. If the 12th player is attempting to leave the field and has no influence on the play, the defensive team will be penalized 5 yards with no adjustment to the game clock.
• Coach-to-player communication, similar to technology implemented for the Football Bowl Subdivision last year, will be a permissive option for teams that compete in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Changes to injury timeouts approved in football - NCAA.org

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved modifications to the injury timeout rules in football, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

www.ncaa.org

 

[VeloClone]

So if you go down with an injury right away and the officials stop the clock before spotting the ball you are good to go but if they don't see you and spot the ball it costs you a time out?

I'm all for getting rid of free timeouts with fake injuries but this solution seems half baked.

Simulating snap additional rules were long overdue. Iowa has been making hay for years waiting until a key 3rd down to simulate a snap and draw a cheap false start. Have rarely seen it called.

 

[TitanClone]

So if you go down with an injury right away and the officials stop the clock before spotting the ball you are good to go but if they don't see you and spot the ball it costs you a time out?

I'm all for getting rid of free timeouts with fake injuries but this solution seems half baked.

Agree but can't think of a better solution that doesn't introduce subjective reffing.

 

[VeloClone]

Agree but can't think of a better solution that doesn't introduce subjective reffing.

I remember one game when ISU was hosting Misery. ISU was up less than a minute left. Misery drove down and got into field goal range without time outs and with the clock still moving. A player went down and feigned injury so the Misery field goal unit could get on the field.

I often thought that disallowing substitutions until the ball is ready for play and the clock is started would be a good solution to prevent offensive shenanigans. If the player was helped off and his replacement had to sprint on after the game clock was wound it would be huge. That doesn't help stop defensive "injuries". I would have to think about that more.

 

[cyclones500]

When the decision on instant replay is announced, the referee will only say that the call on the field is "upheld" or "overturned." The terms "confirmed" and "stands" will not be used.

Although it has no "relevant" effect on replay process, I welcome this change, I've been harping for years, "confirmed" annoys me. It suggests the call on field is beyond dispute, instead of simply not enough evidence to overturn.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I like the punt formation rules changes. Some of those formations were well past the point of unfair to the receiving team and putting them in a spot where they by rule couldn't block people.

 

[TitanClone]

I remember one game when ISU was hosting Misery. ISU was up less than a minute left. Misery drove down and got into field goal range without time outs and with the clock still moving. A player went down and feigned injury so the Misery field goal unit could get on the field.

I often thought that disallowing substitutions until the ball is ready for play and the clock is started would be a good solution to prevent offensive shenanigans. If the player was helped off and his replacement had to sprint on after the game clock was wound it would be huge. That doesn't help stop defensive "injuries". I would have to think about that more.

Didn't the refs incorrectly award them an extra timeout in that game? Or was that Colorado?

 

[VeloClone]

Didn't the refs incorrectly award them an extra timeout in that game? Or was that Colorado?

Not sure.

What made it even worse was the player with the "injury" was up and getting high fived and back slaps on the sideline for saving the game. There was absolutley no question what had happened there.

 

[Jer]

Anything to address it so the defense can't be so aggressive in trying to draw offsides with lunges, fake calls, etc is a good move in my book. Not fair a OL can't fart while the defense is running, lunging, and jumping, and making fake ball sounds.

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

Although it has no "relevant" effect on replay process, I welcome this change, I've been harping for years, "confirmed" annoys me. It suggests the call on field is beyond dispute, instead of simply not enough evidence to overturn.

This is the exact reason I'm in favor of retaining the confirmed language. I want to know if they think the right call was made rather than not enough video evidence. Now we will never know.

 

[intrepid27]

While l'm glad they are trying opt fix the fake injury issue I can see a lot of human error here. First the ref has to "notice a potential injury before spotting the ball. Even if it is not intentional there are times when teams are trying to run at a fast pace and the officials are focused on getting ball placed ASAP. Secondly the rule states "Medical Personal". Are these people identified ahead of time or what happens if you send out two random assistants instead of a trainer?

 

[cyclones500]

This is the exact reason I'm in favor of retaining the confirmed language. I want to know if they think the right call was made rather than not enough video evidence. Now we will never know.

I could understand maintining the language for the reason you state, but I think "confirmed" and "stands" have been used interchangeably, so I'm not sure if we've ever known if a call is "absolutely correct."

Additional/edit: I could be wrong, of course, just my general intepretation over the years.

 

[clone52]

Anything to address it so the defense can't be so aggressive in trying to draw offsides with lunges, fake calls, etc is a good move in my book. Not fair a OL can't fart while the defense is running, lunging, and jumping, and making fake ball sounds.

Would you also penalize hard counts on the offense? If its not acceptable for the defense to trick the offense, why is it acceptable for the offense to trick the defense?

I agree with preventing the defense from simulating the snap verbally, but anything else should be fair game. The Offense can be staring at the ball if they are that worried about a false start, so there is an easy fix for the offense to work around physical stuff from the defense. I could probably make the same argument that looking at the ball would also prevent false starts on fake verbal calls.

 

[heitclone]

All the injury rule does is teach them how to do it without getting a penalty or coaches will just not let the medical staff on the field.

 

[brother bob]

Agree but can't think of a better solution that doesn't introduce subjective reffing.

Here's a crazy idea for that rule: If a player goes down after the spot of the ball/start of the play clock that player is no longer eligible for the remaining time of the first half or second half.

A lot of times you see said player going down with an injury only to come bopping back in on the next play as if nothing ever happened. It may make a lot of players and/or coaches think twice about allowing this to happen.

I would however put in an exception - like a player going down after the spot of the ball and is considered to be medically unable to continue playing and have to be helped off or carted off the field, which should not result in a penalty or use of a time out as safety for said player should be the number one priority. But that player is also not eligible to reenter the game of said half.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

This one is gonna be a gut punch for Iowa. It's well know that they do this, especially at home on 3rd downs when the stadium is really loud.

• Enhanced rules regarding simulating action at the snap and words or signals that distract opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play will also be effective next season. No player can call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of the offensive signals. The defensive terms "move" and "stem" would be reserved for players on that side of the ball and could not be used by the offense.

 

[cyclones500]

All the injury rule does is teach them how to do it without getting a penalty or coaches will just not let the medical staff on the field.

Definitely has potential of manipulation within the new rule, or inadvertently could compromise player welfare in a case of legit injury.

Maybe there's no perfect way to resolve the focus: reducing fakery for clock stoppage.

 

[Clonehomer]

Agree but can't think of a better solution that doesn't introduce subjective reffing.

Disregard the TO and just have the injured player sit out for longer than one play, probably the rest of the possession. If they’re cramping, give them time to hydrate. If they’re hurt, give them time for the medical staff to examine them. You may still get fake injuries, but at least it won’t be a matter of a player immediately returning to the game.

Or maybe do like icing in hockey and don’t let the defense substitute with an injured player?

 

[theshadow]

So if you go down with an injury right away and the officials stop the clock before spotting the ball you are good to go but if they don't see you and spot the ball it costs you a time out?

I'm all for getting rid of free timeouts with fake injuries but this solution seems half baked.

I'm not sure I've seen an official miss that a player is down/injured.

This change is 99% for the guys who get a signal from the sideline while lining up for the next play, and then are suddenly "injured."

Taking a timeout may feel a little heavy-handed initially, but if that's what is necessary to rein in the acting, I'm all for it.

 

[VeloClone]

Would you also penalize hard counts on the offense? If its not acceptable for the defense to trick the offense, why is it acceptable for the offense to trick the defense?

I agree with preventing the defense from simulating the snap verbally, but anything else should be fair game. The Offense can be staring at the ball if they are that worried about a false start, so there is an easy fix for the offense to work around physical stuff from the defense. I could probably make the same argument that looking at the ball would also prevent false starts on fake verbal calls.

Because the defense can be fooled and move but as long as they don't enter the neutral zone at the very least it isn't a penalty. For an offensive player any movement is a penalty.