The NCAA is instituting a number of rule changes for the upcoming college football season, including some that deal with targeting, the faking of injuries to stop the clock and slow no-huddle offenses.

The Associated Press shared the changes:

• Players ejected in the second halves of games for targeting might not be suspended for the first half of the next game, depending on the results of an appeal.
• Schools and conferences can report the potential faking of injuries to the national coordinator of officials, which could lead to penalties for the school involved.
• Only linemen and stationary backs inside the tackle box can block below the waist.
• Ball-carriers who simulate a feet-first slide, like then-Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett famously did in the ACC Championship Game, will be ruled down at the spot.
• Defensive holding is an automatic first down in addition to the 10-yard penalty.
• Replay officials can adjust the clock if a ruling is overturned with less than two minutes remaining in the game or first half.
• Illegal touching by an ineligible player is a loss of down in addition to the five-yard penalty.

Perhaps the most notable change is the targeting one, as few things in college football draw more scrutiny and ire from fans, coaches and even broadcasters than the flag that leads to a 15-yard penalty and the automatic ejection of the infringing player.

There may not be a single penalty that can more drastically alter the outcome of a game, as all it takes is one star player to be ejected for it in the early going to leave a team fighting an uphill battle.