The NCAA has decided to implement a one-year trial for changes to college football targeting penalties, allowing players to remain in the game after an initial targeting call. This decision was made by the Division I Football Bowls Subdivision Oversight Committee on March 19.
Why NCAA backed off college football targeting’s harshest punishment
The NCAA’s recent spate of college football rules changes have ranged from mundane (a proposal to force leg coverings failed), controversial to downright spooky (“ghost transfers").
Perhaps of most noteworthy this fall is a one-year trial run with changes to the sport’s targeting penalties.
Passed March 19 by the NCAA’s Division I Football Bowls Subdivision Oversight Committee, an initial targeting penalty in the coming 2026 season does not require a player to miss time in his team’s subsequent game.
The previous iteration of the targeting rule required a player who was ejected for the foul in the second half of a contest to miss the first half of his team’s following game; it even could carry over from one season to the next year.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) embraces his family on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami (FL) Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) lifts the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti holds up the trophy as the team celebrates winning the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) is interviewed by ESPN personality Rece Davis after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Lincoln Murff (45) celebrates on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti reacts after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti celebrates on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
A national champions flag is is seen after the College Football Playoff National Championship game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Devan Boykin (12), wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (13) and linebacker PJ Nelson (30) celebrate after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Indiana Hoosiers reacts against the Miami Hurricanes in the second half during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Ryland Gandy (10) reacts after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half of the CFP National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) celebrates with defensive back Louis Moore (7) after making an interception against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) reacts after getting an interception against the Miami Hurricanes in the second half during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) embraces his family on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami (FL) Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) embraces his family on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami (FL) Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) lifts the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti holds up the trophy as the team celebrates winning the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) is interviewed by ESPN personality Rece Davis after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Lincoln Murff (45) celebrates on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
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Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti reacts after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti celebrates on the field Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
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A national champions flag is is seen after the College Football Playoff National Championship game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Devan Boykin (12), wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (13) and linebacker PJ Nelson (30) celebrate after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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The Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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The Indiana Hoosiers reacts against the Miami Hurricanes in the second half during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Ryland Gandy (10) reacts after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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The Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half of the CFP National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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The Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) celebrates with defensive back Louis Moore (7) after making an interception against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) reacts after getting an interception against the Miami Hurricanes in the second half during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
However, NCAA officials and representatives from member schools studied changes to the game from previous modifications to the rule and learned no player during the 2025 season was flagged for three targeting penalties.
Overall, the NCAA said, the penalty also has declined in frequency
“I believe the discussion had been for a while the severity of this penalty, and we think the rule has demonstrated (the game) has really responded,” Greg Burks, Big 12’s Coordinator of Officials, told USA TODAY Sports. “The number of targeting penalties has gone down. The plays we saw, the head-hunting we saw in the past, you just don’t see anymore.
“The safety factor was driving the rule and was the impetus and that kind of has come to fruition.”
The NCAA’s national coordinator of officials, longtime SEC referee and officiating head Steve Shaw, shared with the group the results of the study that showed “only a very few” players received multiple targeting penalties during the 2025 season.
The Big 12, Burks noted, did not have a single player whistled twice for the foul.
If the trend-line reverses direction with these rules modifications and more players become multi-time offenders, mandatory suspension remains in the rulebook. A player would be required to sit out the first half of the team’s next game, regardless of when the penalty occurred.
“Part of this rule is if we do have a second occurrence, the original penalty comes into effect,” Burks said. “A third requires sitting out a full game.
“The most severe penalty in sports is not being able to participate.”
As the Big 12 seeks to further enhance its football officiating, the league is drilling down on its first-of-its-kind partnership with the NFL. The NFL for the first time invited Big 12 reps to sit in on the NFL’s competition and rules meetings during the annual NFL Combine held earlier this year in Indianapolis.
“They have put a lot of resources into their officiating program, how they make their rules is really important,” Big 12 Chief Football and Competition Office Scott Draper told USA TODAY Sports. “That’s something I’m focused on for college football.
“They spend a lot of time vetting rules changes so that when they get to the final stage, they’ve already gone through a lot of the necessary conversations. That’s one aspect that globally for college football I want us to learn from.”
With the NFL partnership, an ideal scenario for the conference, according to Draper, would be to elevate officials’ performances to a level it might be difficult to retain them.
“The accountability, training, recruitment measures, collectively working together with the NFL in the Big 12 to really address, not just Big 12 officiating staff,” said Draper, a former Michigan director of football operations and athletic administrator. “But recruiting younger and replacement officials going forward, the goal is to build a pipeline for young officials to get into college officiating and maybe be a pipeline to the NFL.
“This is a long-term process, something we’re viewing for more than one year.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football again changes targeting rule: How punishment changes
The NCAA introduced a one-year trial that allows players to stay in the game after an initial targeting penalty, rather than being ejected.
The new targeting penalty rules will take effect in the 2026 college football season.
The changes were approved by the NCAA's Division I Football Bowls Subdivision Oversight Committee.
The NCAA aimed to reduce the harsh consequences of targeting penalties, allowing players to remain in the game after an initial call.
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