The Southeastern Conference is set to trial a series of rule adjustments for the upcoming 2026 football season, all aimed at curbing dangerous contact and sharpening the game’s flow. These changes, approved in March, will be experimental and will be reassessed after the season concludes.
Targeting Penalties Get a New Look
Under the new framework, a second targeting foul will trigger a one‑half game suspension, while three or more infractions in a season will lead to a full‑game ban. The previous half‑game penalty for a second offense has been dropped, making the sanction more severe. Data from recent seasons show an average of 5.8 players per year have been flagged with two targeting calls since 2021, and no player has reached three penalties in a single season since 2021.
Targeting has been a penalty in college football since 2008, originally designed to limit high‑speed hits to the head or neck area. Over the years, defensive players have altered their tackling mechanics, often keeping their heads out of the quarterback’s sightline when making contact. Former Texas A&M safety Donovan Wilson incurred three targeting calls during the 2018 season, a scenario that under the old rules would have resulted in an ejection from the game in which the foul occurred.
Offensive Pass Interference and Special‑Teams Tweaks
In addition, offensive pass interference will be reduced from a 15‑yard penalty to 10 yards, a change intended to increase the likelihood of successful first downs. The rulebook also introduces new provisions governing eligible receivers on punt coverage, further refining special‑teams strategy.
The NCAA’s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee will evaluate the impact of these measures after the 2026 season, deciding whether to make them permanent. If the data shows a continued decline in targeting fouls and a positive effect on game dynamics, the experimental rules could become a permanent fixture of college football.