Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you livid over a college football targeting call or don’t quite understand the penalty? If so, we’re here to help.
It’s no secret that one of college football’s most controversial rules — maybe THE most controversial rule — is targeting, which, if called, results in the ejection of the player who committed the foul.
Some fans hate the rule entirely, some want adjustments made to the rule and others simply just don’t understand what exactly targeting is in college football.
There are essentially two variations of targeting: one that focuses on the crown of a player’s helmet and one that focuses on a defenseless player. We’ll break down both.
As the NCAA continues regularly updating its rulebook, keeping track of what is targeting and the details of that penalty can be challenging. That’s OK because we’re simplifying it and breaking it all down.