The 2024 college football season just crowned its champion, with Ohio State edging out Notre Dame in a battle for the national title, and the sport is already looking ahead to potential rule changes for next year. One of the biggest topics on the table? A long-overdue crackdown on fake injuries—a tactic that has plagued the game for years.

For too long, defenses have used fake injuries as a way to disrupt an offense’s rhythm, slow down high-tempo attacks, and sneak in substitutions. Whether it’s a player mysteriously going down right after a big gain or an entire defense suddenly needing a breather during a crucial drive, it’s become an obvious and frustrating problem. Now, the NCAA is considering a rule that would penalize teams for abusing this loophole, and honestly, it’s a fantastic idea.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, a new proposal being discussed at the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) convention would require any injured player to sit out for the remainder of the drive. The only way to reinstate that player would be for the coach to burn a timeout. That means if a player is truly injured, they’ll get the time they need to recover. But if a team is just trying to stall, they’ll have to pay a real price for it.

This proposed rule is the latest in a series of recent changes aimed at improving game flow and reducing unnecessary stoppages. Last year, college football introduced a rule that eliminated the automatic clock stoppage after every first down (outside of the final two minutes of each half), and the game has been better for it. Now, targeting fake injuries is the next logical step in making the sport cleaner and more competitive.

And let’s be honest—college football has always been miles ahead of the NFL when it comes to rule innovation. The NFL has been slow to adapt to obvious problems, whereas college football has consistently found ways to keep the game exciting while maintaining fairness. This latest proposal is just another example of how the NCAA is willing to address issues that affect competitive balance.

The impact of this rule would be massive, especially for teams that rely on tempo offenses, like Ohio State. No longer will teams be able to conveniently “cramp up” just to buy themselves time to adjust. Defenses will actually have to game-plan properly and condition their players instead of relying on underhanded tactics to slow the game down.

Of course, some coaches and programs will likely push back against this rule, arguing that it could punish legitimately injured players. But the inclusion of a timeout option gives teams an out if a player is truly hurt. The reality is, most of these so-called “injuries” are nothing more than a stall tactic, and it’s time for the NCAA to put an end to it.

If this rule is passed, it will be a major step forward for the integrity of the game. Offenses should be able to play at their preferred pace without artificial disruptions, and teams should have to earn their stops the right way. College football continues to be ahead of the curve with smart rule changes, and this one would be another win for the sport.