Start of college football schedule could move up to Week 0 as leaders adjust to expanded calendar

In an effort to curtail additional wear and tear from an extended college football season, college leaders are considering an earlier kickoff date that would move the beginning of the year from Week 1 to what is now Week 0, CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello confirms. According to NCAA bylaw 17.11, universities wishing to play during Week 0 ahead of the more traditional Week 1 of Labor Day Weekend must be granted a waiver, but bringing back an earlier kickoff date as a permanent fixture is gaining steam as the entire college football calendar is examined. 

“Eliminating waivers across all NCAA areas” has been primary talking point in recent years, per Yahoo Sports, but that involves difficult-to-navigate bureaucratic red tape. With the expanded College Football Playoff and litany of bowl games in addition to the recruiting calendar in December, the 2025 college football season begins in late August and goes through Jan. 19, 2026 with the national championship. 

FBS teams play a 12-game regular-season schedule, followed by the opportunity of a 13th contest during conference championship weekend and then more games during the postseason. Theoretically, re-incorporating Week 0 — making it a new Week 1 — would provide more time for an additional open date during what amounts to a grueling 4.5-month schedule. The Football Champion Subdivision (FCS) is expected to formalize a proposal permitting its schools to play Week 0, adding a 12th regular season game beginning in 2026.

Not all of college football’s figureheads are down with beginning the season prior to the holiday’s extended weekend, however. 

“My view is we should have a consistent start date,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said during an interview with Yahoo Sports. “The adage is, teams make their most substantial improvement between Games 1 and 2. I think we should have a consistent start date. Labor Day weekend has been a good start date for college football.

“The fact we are taking another look at it could be interesting,” Sankey continued. “I’m not opposed to that. I want to make sure it’s a broad view of the issues and not something narrow.”