No sport evolves quite like college football, where the only constant seems to be change itself. The game on the field and the path to a championship look almost nothing like they did just a decade ago.
During the 2013 season, only two teams had a shot at the national title, decided by the controversial Bowl Championship Series (BCS). That system, a mix of polls and computer rankings, often left deserving teams on the outside looking in. In 2014, the four-team playoff began, but that format created its own controversies.
With the college football season beginning today, let’s take a look at the major rule changes.
What Are the New Rule Changes for the 2025-26 College Football Season?
Much like the postseason and conference alignments, college football’s on-field rules are constantly being adjusted. Chris Vannini of The Athletic recently outlined several new changes that will take effect for the 2025-26 season.
Reminder of the new CFB rules this year:
– Faking injuries will cost you a timeout or delay of game
– Just one timeout for 3OT and beyond
– Replays will either be “upheld” or not. No more confirmed/stands difference. https://t.co/Y0dofh9Tvq
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 23, 2025
Vannini specifically pointed out three key changes that fans will notice right away.
- Faking an injury will now cost a team a timeout or result in a delay of game penalty.
- In overtime, teams will only have one timeout starting in the third overtime period.
- Instant replays will now only be “upheld” or overturned, getting rid of the confusing “confirmed” and “stands” language.
The crackdown on faking injuries has been a long time coming. As more offenses use up-tempo, no-huddle attacks, defenses have often resorted to having players go down with mysterious injuries to slow the game down and get a breather.
This tactic has frustrated offenses trying to catch defenses off guard and wear them out. Now, teams will have to either use a valuable timeout or take a penalty for trying to game the system.
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The overtime adjustment is another tweak designed to shorten games. College football recently overhauled its overtime rules, requiring two-point conversion attempts after touchdowns in the second overtime and alternating two-point plays starting in the third. Limiting timeouts is the next logical step to prevent the seven-overtime marathons of the past.
Finally, simplifying the replay process aims to eliminate confusion for everyone. Instead of officials announcing that a call is “confirmed” or “stands,” the verdict will be simple: the play is either overturned, or the call on the field is upheld.
While these rule changes aren’t as dramatic as adding more teams to the College Football Playoff, they are designed to improve the flow of the game and create a better product for the fans.
