It had become a popular strategy in college football over the past few years to “go down” with an injury before the offensive team could snap the ball. The injuries have were an attempt to slow down today's new age high powered offenses. The issue was that referees had to stop games in order to maintain player safety, but in doing so, were enabling defenses to get a free timeout. The new rule in place will fully eliminate this issue.
IRVING, Texas (Aug. 13, 2025) – As the 2025 college football season approaches, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame has again partnered with the College Football Officiating (CFO) to highlight the key rule changes that will take effect this fall.