Report: NCAA Considering College Football Uniform Punishment

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The NCAA is reportedly planning on enforcing strict college football uniform punishment in 2026.

College football players will often tweak their uniforms to the point where it's actually in violation of NCAA rules. You'll have players doing the Ezekiel Elliott, turning their jersey into a crop-top. You'll have other players wearing pants that are essentially shorts because of how much they are rolled up.

The NCAA wants that to stop in 2026.

According to a report from The Athletic, the NCAA is planning on enforcing strict college football uniform punishment in 2026.

The NCAA has very much noticed.

“It’s embarrassing,” a person briefed on the discussions said, per The Athletic. “It’s been degrading every year. I don’t know how much higher his pants can go.”

Punishment is expected to be coming for players who violate the rules

"The other big point of focus at the meeting will be seldom-enforced equipment rules for which the rules committee might propose the threat of an actual game penalty. One possibility is a warning for a first offense, followed by a charged timeout or a delay-of-game penalty if the offending team has no timeouts remaining," The Athletic reported.

"The pants rule hasn’t been enforced because nobody has cared to do it. Game officials have said they have too many other things to worry about. Coaches, too. Conferences haven’t stepped up to help with enforcement, either. The NFL has a specific official at games to monitor equipment violations before the game, and fines can be issued. College football does not have that."

Deion Sanders has pushed for it, too.

“Let’s do something about the uniforms,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said last summer. “We’ve got guys in biker shorts. That makes me sick because I’m a football guy — I played this game at a high level, and I have so much respect for this game. How can we allow guys out there in biker shorts, no knee pads, no nothing, literally pants up under their thighs, and that’s cool?”

This story was originally published by The Spun on Feb 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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