The Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Oversight Committee has given its approval to a sweeping revision of the college football calendar, aiming to give coaches and student‑athletes more flexibility in when they can train and compete.
Under the new model, schools will be allowed to run two designated practice periods that together contain no more than 21 on‑field sessions, with the combined window capped at seven weeks and no single period exceeding five weeks. The traditional preseason will shrink from 25 practices over 25 days to 21 practices spread across 27 calendar days for the 2027 season.
A new calendar for a new era
A minimum of nine discretionary weeks will be set aside each year when athletes are free from athletically related obligations, ensuring a clearer separation between competition and academic life.
The proposal was shaped jointly by the committee and the American Football Coaches Association, with Josh Brooks, vice chair of the FBS Oversight Committee and athletics director at the University of Georgia, steering the calendar subgroup for nine months. Clark Lea, head coach at Vanderbilt and president of the AFCA board, praised the changes as a forward‑looking step for the sport, while former Michigan State player Sam Edwards highlighted the positive impact on student‑athlete development.
Starting January 1, the transfer‑notification window will be cut from 15 to 10 days, and the first contest of the season will now open on the Thursday of Week 0, concluding after Thanksgiving in the 2027 schedule. Off‑campus recruiting adjustments are slated for review by the Division I Cabinet in October 2026.
Officials say the reforms are intended to balance competitive balance with the well‑being of players, giving them more control over their schedules while preserving the core rhythm of the sport.