The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved a rule aimed at deterring football players from faking injuries to manipulate the game clock. Starting this season, if a player is evaluated for an apparent injury after the ball is spotted for the next play, their team will be charged a timeout or face a delay-of-game penalty if timeouts are exhausted.
Feigning injuries has been a concern for the NCAA Football Rules Committee due to its use as a tactic to disrupt tempo offenses. The new rule also allows for postgame video reviews of questionable injury incidents, with possible disciplinary action if a player is found to have faked an injury. Additionally, changes to overtime timeouts and modifications to kick and punt formations have been approved to enhance game integrity and fairness.