Dan Lanning Advocates for Early Start to College Football Season
Oregon coach Dan Lanning is stirring things up in college football with his bold support for starting the season earlier, possibly as soon as 2027. The NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee is behind this idea, aiming to standardize the season’s kickoff before Labor Day weekend.
Lanning isn’t just interested in moving things up a week for the sake of it. He sees this as a way to untangle a bunch of structural headaches in the current college football calendar.
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Why Dan Lanning Supports Moving the College Football Season Earlier
Lanning, the Oregon Ducks’ head coach, has been pretty outspoken about wanting the season to start sooner. He argues this shift could patch up several flaws in how things are scheduled right now.
If the change goes through, the regular season would start on the Thursday of what’s currently called Week Zero and wrap up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That’d give teams 14 weeks to play 12 games, meaning two open dates and a little breathing room for any postseason curveballs.
Addressing Scheduling Conflicts
One big issue Lanning points to is the messy overlap between the transfer portal window and the end of the season. Right now, the portal opens while some teams are still fighting for a national title, which sounds chaotic for everyone involved.
Lanning thinks shifting the season up could let the transfer portal line up better with the academic calendar. Maybe then, the whole process wouldn’t feel quite so frantic and disruptive.
Coaching Transitions and Academic Calendars
Another headache? Coaches juggling bowl or playoff prep while also stepping into new head coaching jobs. That’s a lot to handle at once, and probably not great for either the old team or the new one.
If the season ended earlier—closer to January 1—coaching transitions might go a lot smoother. Plus, the academic calendar would sync up a bit better with football’s rhythm.
The Impact on Playoff Preparation
For a program like Oregon, expecting to be in the playoff mix most years, Lanning’s opinion actually matters. He’s lived through the scramble of playoff prep, staff changes, and portal madness all at once.
The current setup just piles on too much at the same time, and Lanning’s convinced that starting the season earlier could ease some of that pressure.
Weekly Playoff Games
He’s also in favor of holding playoff games every week, instead of dragging things out with big gaps. That’d cut down on the long layoff for teams that get a bye and keep the momentum going.
Lanning’s got a point: *Saturday should be sacred for college football, and every Saturday through the month of December should belong to college football.*
Competing with the NFL
There’s also the battle for viewers. *We’ve given up some of our days to the NFL,* Lanning said, and he’s not wrong—Saturdays in December have started to feel less like college football’s turf.
By shifting the season up and wrapping it before the NFL playoffs hit full swing, college football could reclaim its Saturdays and probably boost fan engagement, too.
The Broader Implications for College Football
Moving the college football season earlier might sound like a minor tweak, but it could actually solve some of the sport’s most stubborn problems. Lining up the season with the academic calendar, making coaching changes less messy, and reducing scheduling headaches—these are big wins.
Flexibility for Postseason Changes
The new 14-week schedule would mean two open dates, which is pretty rare. That flexibility could let the postseason adapt to whatever comes up, and give top teams a fairer shot at the title.
Building Momentum for Change
There’s a sense that more folks in the sport are warming up to what Lanning’s pitching. What looks like a simple scheduling tweak could actually fix a bunch of issues that have been festering for years.
Conclusion
Dan Lanning wants to move the college football season up on the calendar. He’s seen the sport’s quirks up close and isn’t shy about pointing out the things that just don’t make sense.
He talks about scheduling headaches, the awkward fit with the academic year, and how Saturdays just don’t feel the same anymore. Shifting the season could shake things up in a good way, at least in his view.
For Oregon, this isn’t just talk. Competing at the top level means looking for every possible edge, and Lanning seems convinced this change matters.
If you’re curious about his full perspective, check out the article here.
