Change has really been the only constant in college football these past few years and 2026 is going to see some of the biggest changes of all in terms of eligibility to play. But there are also a slew of on-field rules coming to the game in 2026.
Last month the National Football Foundation, College Hall of Fame and College Football Officiating announced a series of rule changes set to take effect in all conferences this fall.
“The mission of the Rules Committee is to develop and evaluate rules changes that will enhance the sport, protect the image of the game, and enhance the student athlete’s health and safety,” Steve Shaw of the CFO said in a statement. “Player safety has been the highest priority of the committee for many years now resulting in significant changes that have improved the game in terms of mitigating injuries.”
Here are the adjusted rules, via FootballFoundation.org:
Targeting
A slight tweak in the targeting rule that will eliminate carryover disqualification for fouls that occur in the second half. However, there is a catch.
If a player receives a second targeting foul later that season, the player will be disqualified and suspended for the first half of the ensuing game.
On a third targeting foul, the player will be removed from the game and suspended for the entirety of the next game.
Offensive Pass Interference
Reduced from 15 yards to 10 yards.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
The list will be minimized to five broader actions or gestures and will be consistently penalized by all officials:
- Any form of gun violence, including brandishing a weapon.
- A slashing of the throat or a nose wipe signal.
- A player removing their helmet after the ball is dead (with exceptions for timeouts and equipment adjustments).
- Dead-ball contact fouls, such as pushing, shoving, striking, etc., that occur clearly after the ball is dead and that are not part of the game action.
- After the ball is dead, using forcible contact to push or pull an opponent off the pile.
Fair Catch Kick
A new rule to the NCAA that allows for an uncontested field goal kick to take place, but only under very specific circumstances:
- To trigger the Fair Catch Kick, a fair catch of an opponent’s scrimmage kick or free kick must be completed.
- Following the fair catch (or awarded fair catch) the ball shall be put in play by a snap by the receiving team at the spot of the catch if the ball is caught. Optionally, the ball may be put in play by a Fair Catch Kick by the receiving team at the spot of the catch.
- This selection for a Fair Catch Kick must come from the head coach before the dead ball is next ready for play and the decision is irrevocable. Following the ready for play, there is no option of selecting a Fair Catch Kick.
- If a Fair Catch Kick is selected by the receiving team, the ball is put in play at the spot of the catch or the succeeding spot after penalties.
- If the catch is in a side zone, the ball is transferred into the nearest hash mark. There is no option for Team A to otherwise relocate the ball.
- The play clock will be set to 25 seconds, and the game clock starts when the ball is legally kicked.
- If the fair catch occurs as time expires in a half, the team is allowed to make the Fair Catch Kick as an untimed down.
- The Fair Catch Kick line for the kicking team is the most forward point of the spot of the fair catch (or awarded fair catch), or the succeeding spot after penalties.
- The Fair Catch Kick line for the receiving team is the yard line 10 yards in advance of the kicking team’s Fair Catch Kick line.
- The formation requirements for a Fair Catch Kick will follow Free Kick rules.
- The kick must be a field goal place kick with a holder (no tee) or a drop kick, and if the kick passes over the crossbar and through the uprights, a field goal is scored, and three points are awarded to the kicking team.
- If the Fair Catch Kick is unsuccessful, all rules pertaining to scrimmage kicks and the Next Play provisions of an unsuccessful field goal apply.
- The receiving team may return the kick if it is possessed in the field of play or caught in the end zone. If the unsuccessful kick is untouched by the receivers, then they will take over and snap the ball at the previous spot (the spot of the kick), or the 20-yard line, in accordance with the Next Play provisions.
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Numbering Exceptions
For scrimmage kicks, the offense must have five players wearing jersey numbers 50-79 with limited exceptions.
Game Stop for Replay Challenges
Head coaches may challenge a ruling on the field much like the NFL. Coaches get two challenges per game and receive a third if they win the prior two.
Challenges may only be made if the team has a timeout remaining. Teams are not charged with a timeout if the ruling is overturned.
Play Clock After Replay Review Inside 2-Minute Timeout
“If the play clock displays less than 10 seconds when it is frozen, it will be reset to 10 seconds and started when the ball is made ready for play by the Referee’s signal. This prevents the offense from running additional time off the clock if the game is stopped for replay review with less than 25 seconds on the play clock.”
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There were other rules mostly involving the technology used, helmet attachments and uniform rules.
It’s a new era of college football. Whether or not it’s a better one remains to be seen.
