On Thursday, April 16, 2026, the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Oversight Committee recommended eliminating “Week 0” and moving the start of the college football season one week earlier, beginning with the 2027 season. This proposal aims to standardize schedules and remove the patchwork of waivers that has defined the early season for years.
The recommendation would set the FBS regular season to 14 weeks, with two bye weeks in a 12-game schedule. The season would open on the Thursday of what is currently designated Week 0 in late August and conclude on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This change would preserve conference championship games and the exclusive window for the Army-Navy game in early December.
Player health is cited as the primary driver for the changes, with coaches and athletic directors advocating for an earlier start to allow more flexibility in scheduling and recovery time. The committee noted that the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) implemented a similar rule change in 2026, allowing all FCS programs to open in Week 0, and the FBS is following this path one year later.
The proposal also addresses potential postseason changes, providing flexibility for an expanded College Football Playoff although maintaining standalone weekends for conference championships and the Army-Navy game. The recommendation must be approved by the Division I Cabinet in June 2026 to be ratified.
In 2026, Notice eight games scheduled for Saturday, August 29, including North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin and NC State vs. Virginia in Rio de Janeiro, as part of the current Week 0 format. Under the proposed change, Week 1 would begin on the Thursday of what is now designated Week 0, shifting the traditional start of the season.
The NCAA is pushing to streamline its rules, with one of its goals being to change player eligibility to an age-based system limited to five years, with zero waivers and “redshirt” seasons. This broader initiative aims to reduce complexity across multiple regulations.
Understanding the Current Week 0 Structure
Week 0, also known as Week Zero, refers to the opening weekend of college football games in the NCAA Division I FBS, where a small number of games are played to begin the regular season, a week before the majority of teams start in “Week 1”. Historically, the FBS football season began on the first Saturday before Labor Day, but the NCAA has awarded waivers for games to be played earlier to reach national television audiences or as part of the “Hawaii Rule”.
The Hawaii Rule grants teams that play a game in Hawaii, typically away games against the Rainbow Warriors, an extra regular season home game to offset travel costs. Games in Alaska, Puerto Rico and other outlying territories would nominally count towards this rule, but those locales do not field FBS programs or have venues meeting NCAA minimum attendance guidelines before those were abolished in 2023.
The first Week 0 game was the 1983 Kickoff Classic, in which No. 1 Nebraska defeated No. 4 Penn State, 44–6, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. For the 2020 season, the NCAA issued a blanket waiver for Week 0 games by any team to allow scheduling flexibility amid the COVID-19 pandemic, though no Division I FBS members played in a Week 0 game that year.
Impact on Scheduling and Player Welfare
By moving the season start one week earlier, the proposal seeks to address concerns about player fatigue and recovery. Coaches and athletic directors have long argued that an earlier start allows for better scheduling flexibility and more recovery time between games, particularly with the inclusion of two bye weeks in the 14-week season.
The change would also impact training camp schedules, potentially moving them back into July, which has traditionally been treated as partial downtime for coaching staff. This shift could affect preparation routines and require adjustments to preseason planning.
For student-athletes, the earlier start may provide a more balanced academic and athletic schedule, reducing the concentration of games in late November and December when final exams and holidays occur. However, the proposal does not specify adjustments to academic calendars or travel policies.
Next Steps and Approval Process
The recommendation from the FBS Oversight Committee must be approved by the Division I Cabinet in June 2026 to be ratified. If approved, the change would take effect for the 2027 season, standardizing the start of the college football season across all FBS programs.
The NCAA continues to evaluate potential expansions of the College Football Playoff beyond its current 12-team format. The committee’s recommendation includes provisions to preserve flexibility for postseason changes while maintaining key traditions like the Army-Navy game, which is typically played after the regular season concludes for most college football teams.
As the proposal moves through the approval process, stakeholders including coaches, athletic directors, conference commissioners, and student-athlete representatives will have opportunities to provide feedback before the final decision is made.
For the latest updates on NCAA rule changes and college football scheduling, fans and stakeholders can follow official announcements from the NCAA and its governing bodies.
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