The NCAA has approved significant changes to the Football Bowl Subdivision calendar, including a shortened January transfer portal window, an earlier start to the regular season, and a restructured offseason practice model that introduces NFL-style voluntary workouts. The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, pending final approval by the Division I Cabinet at its October 6-7 meeting.
Under the new calendar, the FBS season will begin one week earlier, moving Week 1 to what is currently designated as Week 0. Each team will receive a second bye week during the season. The transfer portal window in January will be reduced from 15 days to 10 days, opening on the first business day after January 1. This follows the elimination of the spring transfer portal window, further limiting the time players have to enter the transfer market.
The offseason practice structure has been overhauled. Teams will be permitted 21 on-field practices across two sessions, with the combined sessions not exceeding seven weeks and no single session lasting more than five weeks. Schools must also designate a minimum of nine discretionary or voluntary weeks during which no athletic activities are permitted. Preseason camp will consist of 21 practices over 27 calendar days, down from the current 25 practices over 31 days.
Josh Brooks, vice chair of the NCAA oversight committee and athletic director at Georgia, said the committee worked closely with the American Football Coaches Association to build a calendar that best fits the needs of coaches and student-athletes. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, a committee member and AFCA president, called the new schedule a "great step forward for our game" that allows more flexibility for team building in the spring and summer.
