College football is sending a strong message this season: weapons, even the pretend kind, have no place in the game.

The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame, in partnership with College Football Officiating (CFO), has announced the key rule changes for the upcoming season. Among the most notable is the update to the Unsportsmanlike Conduct rule: Automatic Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls: All forms of gun violence are not permitted in college football and simulating the firing of a weapon is an automatic unsportsmanlike foul. Added to the rule in 2025, if a player brandishes a weapon, it is considered an unsportsmanlike act.

This new emphasis comes after several high-profile incidents last season. In Columbia, South Carolina, freshman edge rusher Dylan Stewart sacked Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart and stood over him, pretending to fire a repeating shotgun. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and South Carolina was penalized 15 yards. A few minutes later, he repeated the gesture without drawing a flag, showing how difficult it can be for officials to consistently enforce.

“There’s a list of automatic unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. One of them in our rule book is simulating firing of a weapon,” Steve Shaw, the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials, told The Associated Press. “Gun violence is not acceptable in our game.”

Why It Matters

These incidents highlight the NCAA’s effort to remove gun-related celebrations and gestures from football altogether. It is about more than sportsmanship. It is about setting an example for players, fans, and communities that weapons are not entertainment.

Extending the Standard Beyond the Field

If the NCAA is willing to penalize players for even pretending to carry or fire a weapon, college stadiums should apply the same standard at the gates. College football stadiums attract tens of thousands of fans each week, and the presence of a real weapon could have devastating consequences.

That is why more universities are adopting modern weapons detection systems like OPENGATE. Unlike traditional metal detectors, OPENGATE quickly and accurately identifies threats such as guns and knives without slowing the flow of fans into the stadium. The focus stays on the game, not the security line.