NCAA Modifies Targeting Rule for 2026 Football Season

College football will observe a significant change to its targeting rules in 2026, as the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee approved a one-year trial rule modifying the penalty structure for players penalized for targeting. The new rule introduces a tiered system, lessening the immediate impact of a first-time targeting penalty.

New Penalty Structure

Under the new rule, a player disqualified for targeting for the first time during a season will be allowed to participate in the next game. This is a departure from previous seasons where a targeting penalty, regardless of the half in which it occurred, often resulted in a suspension for at least a portion of the following game.

The penalty structure escalates for repeat offenses:

• First Targeting Penalty: No game suspension. Player can participate in the next game.
• Second Targeting Penalty: Player must sit out the first half of the next game.
• Third Targeting Penalty: Player must sit out the entire next game.

Appeals Process for Second Offenses

Conferences will now have the option to initiate an appeals process after a player’s second targeting offense. This appeal, which can cover both the first and second targeting offenses, would be sent to the NCAA national coordinator of football officials for video review.

Background and Controversy

The targeting rule, first implemented in 2008, has been a source of ongoing debate and frequent modifications. Concerns about player safety prompted the rule, but its application has often been criticized as inconsistent and impactful on game outcomes.

Oversight Committee Meeting

The changes were approved on Thursday, February 25, 2026, by the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee during their February meeting, which included representatives like Mark Alnutt from the University of Buffalo and the Mid-American Conference.

Looking Ahead

The one-year trial period will allow the NCAA to assess the impact of the modified penalty structure on player safety and game dynamics. Further adjustments to the targeting rule may follow based on the results of this trial.