Streamlining College Football Schedule: A Collaborative Solution with the NFL

College football’s calendar has gotten out of hand. Josh Pate, who’s become a pretty respected voice in the sport, thinks there’s a fix that’s both bold and, honestly, pretty obvious: work out a scheduling agreement with the NFL.

It sounds wild, but if you look at the mess that is the current playoff schedule—or the way coaches are always jumping ship mid-season—it starts to make sense. By teaming up with the NFL, maybe college football could finally get its act together and make things better for everyone.

The Problem with the Current College Football Calendar

The playoff calendar in college football is, well, kind of a disaster. Most of it comes down to the sport trying not to step on the NFL’s toes.

The NFL is a giant. Anything that goes up against it gets swallowed whole. So college football games end up on weird days and at odd times, and the season’s rhythm gets thrown off.

There’s also this awkward gap between playoff rounds—sometimes a week and a half or more. That’s bad for players, who lose their groove, and bad for fans, who just kind of… drift away.

And then there are games randomly scheduled for Tuesday nights or some other slot that makes you wonder who’s actually watching. It’s not great for excitement or viewership, to put it mildly.

The Coaching Carousel Chaos

The calendar mess doesn’t just annoy fans—it’s brutal for coaches, too. National Signing Day and the transfer portal window overlap with the playoffs, so coaches are making huge career moves right in the middle of the most important games.

Athletic directors end up scrambling to hire someone before the “good” coaches get scooped up. It’s all just a bit frantic, and you can tell it’s not working for anyone involved.

Josh Pate’s Proposal: A Scheduling Agreement with the NFL

Pate’s idea? College football should just pick up the phone and talk to the NFL. The pitch is simple: work together to carve out real, dedicated primetime windows for the college football playoffs.

No more weird start times, no more trying to dodge the NFL’s shadow. Just a schedule that makes sense for fans and teams alike.

The Benefits of Collaboration

What’s in it for college football? A lot, actually:

• Better Game Times: Playoff games in primetime would mean more people watching and more buzz.
• Reduced Gaps Between Games: A set schedule keeps fans engaged and players in rhythm.
• Smoother Coaching Transitions: Less chaos means better hires and more stability for everyone involved.

Let’s be real—college football is basically the NFL’s farm system, prepping players and hyping them up before they go pro. It’s about time the two leagues showed each other a bit more respect and figured out how to work together.

The Obstacles and the Path Forward

Of course, there are hurdles. The NFL would have to be willing to budge, and that’s never a guarantee.

Still, as Pate says, what’s the worst that happens? The NFL says no and college football is right back where it started. The upside is huge if it works out.

Taking the First Step

Somebody in college football leadership needs to actually make the call. It’ll take guts—and probably a decent reputation in the industry—to get everyone to the table.

Networks, the NFL office, and college football’s power brokers all need to buy in. But if they do, the calendar could finally make sense.

Funny thing is, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently said the NFL would be open to talks—but nobody from college football has ever asked. That’s wild. Maybe it’s time somebody did.

Addressing Legislative Concerns

There’s also this “Kiffin Rule” floating around in Congress. It’s meant to stop coaches from job-hopping before the season ends, but it’s kind of missing the point.

The real problem isn’t the coaches—it’s the calendar. If the schedule weren’t so chaotic, coaches wouldn’t be forced into these awkward moves.

Fixing the Calendar to Fix the Carousel

Simplify the calendar, and you probably don’t need a law to keep coaches in place. Transitions would happen more naturally, and teams would have a shot at real stability.

Honestly, fixing the schedule would get support from both sides of the aisle. Everyone benefits—players, coaches, fans, TV folks, you name it.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

Josh Pate’s proposal for a scheduling agreement with the NFL is interesting. It could actually change things for college football in a big way.

If college football worked with the NFL, the calendar might finally make sense. Fans wouldn’t have to deal with all the chaos that comes with the playoff schedule and the endless coaching changes.

Maybe it’s time for college football leaders to just pick up the phone and see if the NFL’s interested. Honestly, the upside feels bigger than any risk here.

Could this lead to a smoother, more exciting season for everyone? It’s worth thinking about. For more on what Josh Pate has to say, you can read the full article here.