The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved a new rule aimed at preventing football players from faking injuries to manipulate game clock stoppages. Starting this season, if medical staff attends to a player after the ball is spotted, the player's team will be charged a timeout, with a delay-of-game penalty imposed if no timeouts remain.
Feigned injuries have been used strategically in college football, prompting the NCAA to address the issue. Teams engaging in such tactics may face postgame video reviews for disciplinary action. Additional changes include revised overtime timeout rules and alterations to kick and punt formations to ensure fair play and sportsmanship on the field.