NCAA Changes Football Practice, Transfer and Game Calendars

The NCAA’s revised football calendar gives FBS teams more flexibility to schedule offseason practices while reducing the length of preseason workouts. The changes take effect January 1 and apply to the 2027 season.

Teams may hold up to 21 on-field practices across two offseason sessions. Together, the sessions cannot exceed seven weeks, and neither can last longer than five weeks. Schools must also set aside at least nine weeks when required athletic activities are prohibited.

Preseason will include 21 practices over 27 days, down from 25 practices over 31 days under the current rules. The NCAA also moved the start of the regular season up by a week, to the weekend previously designated as Week 0. The expanded 14-week schedule allows teams to have two bye weeks.

The January transfer portal window will shrink from 15 days to 10, opening on the first business day after January 1. For 2027, that means January 4 through January 14. Players must enter the portal during that period if they want to transfer, but the deadline does not require them to find a new school by January 14.

Josh Brooks, vice chair of the oversight committee and Georgia’s athletic director, said the committee worked with the American Football Coaches Association on the calendar. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, who leads the association, called the changes a step forward and said they would provide more flexibility for team building in spring and summer.