The Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on Friday, August 28, 2026, adopted new proposals to modify the FBS calendar, aiming to provide greater flexibility for coaches and student-athletes. These changes, if approved by the Division I Cabinet in October, would take effect on January 1, 2027, with some modifications impacting the 2027 season.
The new framework for out-of-season activities will replace existing rules on spring practices and summer activities. FBS schools will be permitted to conduct two out-of-season practice periods, totaling 21 on-field practices. These two periods combined cannot exceed seven weeks, with neither individual period lasting more than five weeks. Additionally, schools must designate a minimum of nine discretionary or voluntary weeks where required athletically related activities are not allowed for student-athletes.
This collaborative effort involved the committee and the American Football Coaches Association, which initially recommended changes in June 2025. Josh Brooks, vice chair of the FBS Oversight Committee and director of athletics at Georgia, led the FBS Calendar Subgroup over the past nine months to develop these modifications. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea, a committee member and president of the AFCA board of trustees, expressed that the legislation improves out-of-season activities, allowing for more flexibility in team building and benefiting student-athlete development. Sam Edwards, a former Michigan State football student-athlete and committee member, emphasized the importance of the student-athlete voice in shaping these changes, noting the shift toward flexibility and program-specific scheduling will be greatly beneficial.
The preseason practice period will also see changes, effective for the 2027 season. It will consist of 27 calendar days to conduct 21 practices. This reduction from 25 practices and a four-day shorter preseason period is due to the additional practice opportunities available during the spring and summer under the new out-of-season model. Furthermore, the January notification-of-transfer period will be shortened from 15 to 10 days, beginning the first business day after January 1. Earlier this year, the FBS Calendar Subgroup also recommended a new FBS first-contest date, which will take effect in the 2027 season, starting on the Thursday of what is currently designated Week 0 and concluding on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Recommendations for off-campus recruiting model changes are also slated for review by the Division I Cabinet in October.
