College Football Calendar Overhaul: AFCA Proposes Four Major Changes

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has pitched some big changes to the college football calendar. They’re pushing to wrap up the season by the second Monday in January and to open up more spots in the College Football Playoff (CFP).

These ideas include ending conference championship games and cutting back on open weeks in the season. The AFCA is reacting to the longer college season brought on by the new 12-team CFP and talk of even more expansion.

They’re hoping to get the football season more in sync with the academic calendar and the single transfer portal window. There’s also concern about the awkward lag time between postseason games—something they’re looking to fix.

Proposed Changes to the College Football Calendar

The AFCA board has laid out four main changes:

• Ending conference championship games
• Reducing open weeks in the season from two to one
• Preserving an exclusive window for the Army-Navy game in December but allowing postseason games to be played on the same day
• Reducing the minimum number of days between games to no fewer than six

The goal? Streamline the season, keep things moving, and avoid losing momentum at the most crucial time. This comes just after the NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee suggested starting the regular season earlier, on the Thursday of what we now call Week Zero, starting in 2027.

Impact on the College Football Playoff

The AFCA’s plan tries to tackle the headaches from a longer season with the expanded CFP. The last CFP championship between Indiana and Miami happened on January 19, and upcoming title games are set for January 25 and 24 in 2027 and 2028.

The AFCA says finishing by the second Monday in January would be better for student-athletes and line up with the school year. Craig Bohl, the AFCA’s executive director, says there’s a need for more CFP access, though they haven’t picked a favorite number of teams just yet.

There’s talk about 16- and 24-team playoff models among league commissioners. Bohl pointed out that even a 24-team playoff could end earlier, but there’s always been a push to keep quarterfinals on New Year’s Day because, well, the ratings are just too good.

Motivations Behind the Proposed Changes

What’s driving all this? The transfer portal, for starters. It runs from January 2 to January 16, so ending the season earlier would let players transfer and settle in sooner.

Another biggie is the long wait between postseason games. Indiana, for example, had a 27-day gap between the Big Ten championship and the CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, then another 10 days before facing Oregon in the semifinal.

Shortening that downtime could help teams stay sharp and keep the games exciting when it matters most.

Eliminating Conference Championship Games

The boldest suggestion here is scrapping conference championship games entirely. These have been around since the SEC started them in 1992, followed by the Big 12 in 1996, the ACC in 2005, and the Big Ten in 2011.

Bohl and the AFCA board think these games have served their purpose and aren’t really needed anymore. The AFCA can’t make the final call on the calendar, but Bohl says the board includes coaches from all over, so their opinion should carry some weight with the people who do make the decisions.

Benefits for Student-Athletes and Universities

The changes are supposed to help both players and schools. Ending the season earlier means players who want to transfer can do it faster and get started with their new teams right away.

This fits better with the academic calendar and the transfer portal window. For schools, shortening the season and cutting down on the wait between games could boost viewership and keep fans more engaged.

Plus, a bigger CFP would probably mean more revenue and excitement for everyone involved.

Potential Challenges and Considerations

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. Some conferences might not be thrilled about losing their championship games, especially since those bring in money and attention.

Making the calendar work will take some teamwork between conferences, schools, and the NCAA. And if the CFP grows to 16 or even 24 teams, they’ll have to figure out a schedule that wraps up by the new deadline.

There’s a lot to sort out—balancing playoff timing, academics, and all the moving parts of a busy college football season. But if they can pull it off, it could be a big win for the sport.

Conclusion

The AFCA’s proposed changes to the college football calendar could shake up the season in a big way. Ending the season earlier, cutting down on open weeks, and getting rid of conference championship games—it’s a lot to take in.

The idea is to support student-athletes more and sync football with the academic calendar. There’s also a nod to the headaches that come with a longer season and the looming expansion of the College Football Playoff.

If you’re curious about the details or want to dig deeper, check out the original article on ESPN.