NCAA bans 'fake slide' play made famous by Kenny Pickett's touchdown run in ACC title game

One of the season's biggest fake outs has now been permanently banned -- at least for the postseason. Reacting to Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett's dazzling scoring run in the ACC Championship Game, the NCAA sent a rules interpretation Thursday that bans the so-called "fake slide" by ball carriers.

NCAA secretary-rules editor Steve Shaw sent an email blast to officials adding language to Rule 12-3-3 that deals with dead balls and loose balls. The interpretation told officials the ball will become dead if a ballcarrier "simulates or fakes as if he will begin a feet-first slide."

Pickett's 58-yard touchdown run to open scoring in the ACC Championship Game went viral when he deked a Wake Forest defender by briefly simulating a slide. Pickett later admitted to the tactic which, until Thursday, wasn't covered by the rules.

Officials were concerned that defensive players who had been taught to let up when a quarterback slides will keep attacking knowing they could be faked out.

"From a player safety standpoint, everybody is aware of the play now," Shaw told CBS Sports. "We'll know [a fake] on the field when we see it, and we'll kill it."

The ban does not provide for a penalty to be called. Rather, it allows officials to blow the play dead at the spot. The official's call will not be reviewable.

The rule change will be in place for the Army-Navy Game on Saturday, bowl season, the College Football Playoff and postseason competition at the FCS, Division II and Division III levels.

It will be taken up for a full review next spring by the NCAA Rules Committee. A midseason interpretation or adjustment to rules is common, Shaw said.