New College Football Rules for 2025: Player Safety, Sportsmanship, and Pace of Play Lead the Way

College football fans, get ready — the 2025 season is coming in with some notable rule changes aimed at cleaning up the game and protecting players. From cracking down on fake injuries to banning questionable celebrations, the NCAA has rolled out a list of updates that will be in play starting with Saturday’s opener in Dublin between Iowa State and Kansas State.

Steve Shaw, NCAA secretary-rules editor, emphasized that the priority remains the health and image of the sport.

“The mission of the Rules Committee is to develop and evaluate rules changes that will enhance the sport, protect the image of the game, and enhance the student athlete’s health and safety,” Shaw said.

“Player safety has been the highest priority of the committee for many years now resulting in significant changes that have improved the game in terms of mitigating injuries.”

Here’s what fans need to know heading into 2025:

Simulated Gunplay Celebrations Banned

One of the biggest headlines will surely be that mimicking the firing of a weapon is now an automatic 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. The move comes after South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart drew national attention for pretending to fire a gun over Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart last season. Even though Stewart called the moment “blown out of proportion,” his coach, Shane Beamer, disciplined him and the NCAA took notice.

Fake Injuries Will Cost You

For years, fans and coaches have complained about defenders “flopping” to slow down hurry-up offenses. Starting this fall, if a player goes down after the ball is spotted, the team will be charged a timeout. No timeouts left? That’s a delay of game penalty. Either way, the player must miss at least one play and can’t return until cleared by school medical staff.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey pushed hard for this fix last year — and now it’s here.

Overtime Timeout Limits

Games that go deep into overtime will look different, too. Teams will get one timeout each in the first two OTs. Starting with the third extra period, it’s just one total timeout per team until the game ends. Also, no media timeouts will be allowed in the first two overtimes, keeping things moving.

Kickoff Signals Clarified

Returners flashing a “T” with their arms? That’s now an automatic dead ball. No return, no questions asked. The NCAA added the rule after confusion in last year’s South Carolina–Illinois bowl game, when players used the gesture in a way that wasn’t technically covered.

No Mimicking the Snap Count

Defenses can no longer use claps, words, or movements that simulate a quarterback’s cadence. Likewise, abrupt pre-snap movement meant to draw a false start is now a penalty — for both defenses and offenses trying to bait each other.

Substitution Loophole Closed

Remember Oregon coach Dan Lanning intentionally leaving too many men on the field to drain clock against Ohio State? That strategy is dead. Substitution infractions are now live-ball fouls. And if it happens in the final two minutes of a half, the offense can reset the clock back to the snap time, in addition to getting five yards.

Tech, Visors, and Defenseless Player Protections

• Tablets: Coaches can still use them on the sideline, but with tighter restrictions. No uploading play sheets or analytics — and devices can only connect to larger screens at halftime or during weather delays.
• Visors: Only clear shields are allowed going forward. The tinted look is officially outlawed. Approved clear versions from Nike and Oakley are already circulating.
• Defenseless players: The definition has expanded. Now, anyone chasing a loose ball is protected. Defenders must go after the ball — not take out the player — or risk a 15-yard penalty.

The Bottom Line

The NCAA says these adjustments are about safety, fairness, and keeping the game moving. Some rules, like the fake injury crackdown, will directly impact the pace of play, while others, like banning weapon-mimicking celebrations, are more about optics and sportsmanship.

One thing’s certain: when the season kicks off, fans will notice the difference — and players will need to adjust quickly.