Before the 2025-2026 college football season kicks off this month, the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame partnered with College Football Officiating (CFO) to announce key rule changes coming this season.
The rule changes were made in an attempt to "enhance the sport, protect the image of the game, and enhance the student athletes' health and safety."
Since 2011, the two entities have partnered together to draw awareness to rule changes, with player safety being the main focus.
The full list of rule changes was announced in a press release this week, but here are two main categories of rule changes that stood out for next season.
Faking injuries
We all know a team in each major college football conference who have had players fake injuries to slow down an opposing team's momentum (Penn State and Ole Miss, we are looking in your direction).
Of course, the programs would never admit to intentionally faking injuries, but now the league will crack down on those attempting to feign an injury.
To combat teams feigning injuries, a rule was passed stating that if the official has spotted the ball, a player cannot present an injury; otherwise, the team will be charged a team timeout or assessed a delay of game penalty if they do not have any timeouts remaining.
Formations and movement
Multiple rule changes focused on pre-snap movements and formations, including banning the use of signals or sounds that are intentionally used to throw off the opposing team.
Players cannot use disconcerting signals or mimic calls from the offense or defense in an attempt to intentionally confuse opposing players.
That also includes making a quick, abrupt, or exaggerated action that simulates actions that are not a normal player movement.
Included in the ban are any celebrations that insinuate a gun being used. If a gun motion is made, the player is assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
All the changes that were put in place were described at length in the press release and are intended to focus on player safety above all else.