NCAA Recommends College Football Season Start Week Earlier in 2027
An NCAA committee recommended Thursday that college football teams start their season a week earlier beginning in 2027. The new schedule would have Football Bowl Subdivision teams play 12 games over 14 weeks, starting on what is currently called Week 0.
The NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee made the recommendation Thursday to move up the college football calendar starting in 2027.
Under the new plan, all teams would begin play during what is currently designated as Week 0 in late August. This would eliminate the current system where only some teams can play during Week 0 while others wait until Week 1.
Teams would still play 12 regular season games, but they would be spread over 14 weeks instead of the current 13. This gives every team two bye weeks during the season instead of just one.
The extra bye week could help reduce player injuries by giving athletes more time to recover. It also provides coaches more flexibility in preparing for tough opponents and managing player workloads throughout the season.
Several sources indicated that college football leaders have been discussing this change for months. The recommendation comes as the sport continues to evolve with conference realignment and expanded playoffs putting more demands on players and programs.
College football fans would get an extra week of games starting earlier in late August. The change would also give teams two bye weeks during the season, which could help reduce player injuries and improve game quality.
The recommendation needs approval from NCAA leadership before becoming official for the 2027 season.
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