The Division I Cabinet has formally approved changes to the calendar, which were first announced back in June. The changes were made in conjunction with the AFCA, who first recommended the changes in June 2025.
“The work of the calendar subcommittee in building off the American Football Coaches Association’s recommendations has been critical in establishing clarity with the college football calendar,” said FBS Oversight Committee chairman and Georgia AD Josh Brooks. “We dedicated a tremendous amount of time and energy to ensure we built a calendar that best fits the needs of our coaches and student-athletes. I am proud of this work and appreciate the efforts of our group, which included athletics directors, coaches, student-athletes and commissioners from various schools and conferences.”
Here is the quick version of what's changing.
Transfer Portal
-- Reduces from 15 day to 10 (this is to enter, not to find a new school).
-- Begins the first business day after Jan. 1, which is Jan. 4 in 2027.
Training Camp
-- Teams will have 27 days to conduct 21 practices.
-- This is a reduction from the 25-in-29 calendar, which was made because...
Spring Ball/OTAs
-- Teams can now conduct 21 off-season practices, split over two sessions.
-- Neither session can exceed five weeks, and the two combined cannot exceed seven weeks.
-- Teams must designate nine weeks in which only voluntary work can occur.
The Season
-- As was previously reported, teams can now begin playing games the Thursday of Week 0 (the final weekend before Labor Day), and the regular season will conclude the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
FCS-Only Changes
-- Teams will be able to conduct joint practices during the spring session.
-- Teams can now designate up to 17 coaches (16 assistants plus the head coach) who can recruit off campus.
“The changes to the playing and practice season and recruiting model represent significant advancements for FCS football and are the result of strong collaboration between the FCS Oversight Committee, NCAA staff, the AFCA and student-athlete groups,” former South Dakota head coach and current AFCA director of divisional football Bob Nielson said. “Input from FCS football coaches was highly valued in these discussions and played an important role in shaping these new concepts. The resulting changes will expand development opportunities for current student-athletes and help to modernize the football recruiting process.”
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.