NCAA Rule Changes for 2025-26

[OrangeXtreme]

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

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 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.

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.

 

[Ragman2000]

The "upheld" vs "confirmed" and "stands" is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Let's make it ambiguous for fans with zero transparency.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The "upheld" vs "confirmed" and "stands" is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Let's make it ambiguous for fans with zero transparency.

Better than saying your objection is sustained or overruled.

 

[JustPherU]

The "upheld" vs "confirmed" and "stands" is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Let's make it ambiguous for fans with zero transparency.

Get it right is really the only thing that matters.Can’t imagine people flying off the handle because of the wording.

 

[richmondcuse03]

Doesnt the injury timeout rule just mean guys will immediately laydown and pretend to be hurt? Am I missing something?

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.

 

[upperdeck]

SO.

if on an onside kick the team were to make the T signal that would end the play and you would not have to worry about recovery at all?

 

[upperdeck]

Doesnt the injury timeout rule just mean guys will immediately laydown and pretend to be hurt? Am I missing something?

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.

yeah. FIrst thing that went to my mind as well. They still needed to figure out what happens to the player and make them sit out for some period of time.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Get it right is really the only thing that matters.Can’t imagine people flying off the handle because of the wording.

Sure you can: it’s the internet

 

[FrancoPizza]

The "upheld" vs "confirmed" and "stands" is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Let's make it ambiguous for fans with zero transparency.

They should add in "biased" if you want transparency. "Biased overturned" would end the pretense when we get screwed.

 

[PAcuse]

Doesnt the injury timeout rule just mean guys will immediately laydown and pretend to be hurt? Am I missing something?

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.

They won't have that extra time of the medical team coiming out and treating the "injury" and then slowly walking them off the field or you get a penalty
I think is meant to speed up the time saving BS with injuries.
Now they just need to hold those players out for the rest of the drive to really discourage it.

 

[JustPherU]

They won't have that extra time of the medical team coiming out and treating the "injury" and then slowly walking them off the field or you get a penalty
I think is meant to speed up the time saving BS with injuries.
Now they just need to hold those players out for the rest of the drive to really discourage it.

I think he means guys are going to go down immediately, you are only going to be charged a timeout if you go down after the ball is spotted.Now guys will just get their fake injuries in a timely manner so they avoid the penalty or timeout.

 

[Consigliere]

I think he means guys are going to go down immediately, you are only going to be charged a timeout if you go down after the ball is spotted.Now guys will just get their fake injuries in a timely manner so they avoid the penalty or timeout.

And if a player truly gets dinged with a blow to the head, takes a few steps while the ball is spotted, then drops to a knee or worse, his team loses a timeout or is penalized five yards.

 

[PAcuse]

I think he means guys are going to go down immediately, you are only going to be charged a timeout if you go down after the ball is spotted.Now guys will just get their fake injuries in a timely manner so they avoid the penalty or timeout.

Why not just call the timeout?

 

[All4SU]

Better than saying your objection is sustained or overruled.

Can’t they just say:
“We screwed up.”
-or-
“Suck it losers!”

 

[0.2 YNdeeR]

And if a player truly gets dinged with a blow to the head, takes a few steps while the ball is spotted, then drops to a knee or worse, his team loses a timeout or is penalized five yards.

Or if a player takes a knee after the ball is spotted and the team sends out someone with water (who's "non-medical"), the player hang out as long as he wants? It'd be nice to know the name of the bar/restaurant where these rules are hatched.

 

[sufandu]

Doesnt the injury timeout rule just mean guys will immediately laydown and pretend to be hurt? Am I missing something?

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.

They won't do that because they won't want to burn timeouts or give up 5 yards.

I don't like it. It penalizes teams for having legitimate injuries. Make players sit for the rest of that drive or maybe the quarter. You can only lose so many players for a significant amount of time before it hurts you.

 

[upperdeck]

1) if the player is hurt, he should be down before ball is spotted 90% of the time
2) its an issue if a player has a concussion and cant do down
3) the ones faking injury have to get much better at the faking
4) they need to make sure any who gets looked out has to go to the tent

 

[OttosShoes]

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.

I will forever call this the Duck rule.

 

[LoveShack]

Or if a player takes a knee after the ball is spotted and the team sends out someone with water (who's "non-medical"), the player hang out as long as he wants? It'd be nice to know the name of the bar/restaurant where these rules are hatched.

Shiftys of course