Fair catches on kickoffs resulting in touchbacks are coming to college football as one of the new rules adopted by the NCAA for the 2018 season.
The receiving team on a kickoff will be allowed to signal for a fair catch inside its own 25-yard line, resulting in a touchback, in a rule change announced Friday afternoon by the NCAA. All other kickoff rules remain the same.
The rule change was the result of a proposal by the Football Rules Committee and approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel as part of an attempt to increase the number of touchbacks and reduce injuries.