SEC targeting rule change could shift things in a huge way for Texas A&M in 2026

The targeting penalty is a sore subject among nearly every college football fan— from the questionable way in which the call is made to the onerous drawback that it inflicts on teams, you'd be hard-pressed to find a fan of the sport who doesn't have some kind of hot take on the way this penalty works.

You understand the need for player safety, of course, and that's what the targeting penalty was designed to aid in— however, while those penalties have gone down due to how notorious this call can be, there is still an outcry to rein in what most fans have decided is a penalty run amok.

As of last season, a player who had a confirmed targeting call would sit out the rest of the game if the penalty occurred in the first half, and would be suspended for the first half of the next game if it occurred in the second half. Every targeting call is reviewed, and even the booth can initiate a targeting replay if they see something suspicious on the monitor.

That's led to some good calls and some notoriously bad ones— but on the whole, fans have not exactly loved the way this has played out. That's why the SEC's new rules surrounding the penalty are going to provide some relief— but it's still not a permanent solution.

Targeting penalty update for SEC is welcome change, but obstacles still remain

Here is what the new policy is for the targeting penalty in the Southeastern Conference:

The first offense will still require the player to sit out, but it doesn't have the carryover effect into the next game if it occurs in the second half. The second offense will, regardless of when the penalty occurs, and the third offense will be a full-game suspension. There have been no three-time offenders in five years, according to John McDaid.

This is a needed step, but the biggest change that people wanted to see— that there be a first-level and second-level penalty, akin to Flagrant I and Flagrant II penalties in basketball— is not yet implemented. This could still end up with a team losing a key player for what looks to be a routine play, as has happened too often with these reviews.

However, it will also help the Aggies some. Senior starting safety Dalton Brooks is one of the hardest hitters in the conference, and there have been more than a couple of times where the Aggie faithful have winced upon seeing him lay out an opposing player, anticipating that targeting flag coming in.

Without the worry of a second-game suspension over his head for that first flag, it could allow him to play a bit more freely than he otherwise would have been. He obviously will still aim to keep his nose clean as far as this penalty goes, but the reduction in severity could play in eventually.

Overall, it's good to see the conference taking a needed step— one that will be reviewed heading into the 2027 season. Hopefully, we see even more progress coming up at that point.

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This article was originally published on gigemgazette.com as SEC targeting rule change could shift things in a huge way for Texas A&M in 2026.