The University Interscholastic League Legislative Council met Oct. 19-20 and approved multiple rule changes for Texas high school sports, including a 35-second shot clock for basketball, home-field advantage for first-round playoffs, and a girls flag football pilot program.
Where
Statewide
When
Oct. 19-20, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
University Interscholastic League Legislative Councilbody voting on rule changes
The facts
Council approved 35-second shot clock for boys and girls varsity basketball.12Stated by 2 sources
35-second shot clock implementation: Classes 5A & 6A no earlier than 2028-29; Classes 3A & 4A no earlier than 2030-31; Classes 1A & 2A no earlier than 2032-33.1
Council approved home-field advantage for first-round playoffs in all team sports beginning 2027-28 school year.12Stated by 2 sources
Girls flag football will be a pilot program with no more than two classifications, beginning no earlier than 2028-29.12Stated by 2 sources
Class 4A girls cross country race distance increases to 5,000 meters beginning 2028-29.12Stated by 2 sources
UIL will monitor each rule change stage and may modify according to schedule.1
Conferences 1A and 2A are allowed to compete in Conference 4A team tennis beginning next school year.2
Schools can now mutually agree to allow linear broadcasts of regular-season Friday night football games.2
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Texas UIL makes decision on rule changes in basketball, flag football
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
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