Last season, Steve Sarkisian scrapped Texas’ spring game altogether. But he had a practical reason saying the grind had gotten out of hand between a 12-team playoff, expanded conference schedules, and bowl obligations. That’s why the NCAA tried to step in during summer with a proposal regarding Week 0. Fast forward to March 2026, a new report suggests that change could be closer than you expect. 

According to a report from The Athletic’s Seth Emerson and Ralph D. Russo, the 2027 season could kick off a full week earlier than usual. Week 0 could become a regular thing as there’s real momentum building behind the scenes, with administrators and coaches aligning on the recommendation. 

By shifting the start date up, teams would gain an extra idle week during the season. In a 12-game slate that now includes conference title races and playoff positioning, that extra bye week is like a breather. That break might be what’s needed to maintain the quality of football but again, it’s also about redistributing the chaos.

Right now, the season runs from late August to mid-January, when the national championship is played. It’s almost a five-month season of weekly competition, travel, and emotional pressure. And among 12 games, there are nine conference matchups which has become a standard now. The NCAA can’t trim down on the number of games played but this calendar hack might be the only way for teams to relax a little with an extra bye week if they start early. 

If there’s no change, programs could follow in the footsteps of what Texas and some other programs did last season. 

“I just don’t know if rolling the ball out, playing the game, when we only get 15 practices, is the best for us to maximize the opportunities that we get,” Steve Sarkisian said of cancelling spring football. 

The proposed change doesn’t come without stakes, though. It still needs approval from the NCAA football oversight committee, which meets on April 16. Even then, sources believe this could drag into May or June and that could be a concern for scheduling. 2027 may still sound far but scheduling isn’t. 

Week 0 is already prevalent. This season alone features international matchups including North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin and NC State vs. Virginia in Rio. If the proposal goes through, it would normalize Week 0 with no more waivers and exceptions. But what else comes with this proposed calendar change?

A permanent fix or a temporary trial?

It’s clear that the Week 0 proposal won’t solve the overload. But at least, it helps programs manage the load better. The regular season would still end on Thanksgiving weekend, preserving rivalry games and TV gold. The CFP timeline also remains unchanged as January football is here to stay. What changes is the spacing.

By counting 14 weeks back from Thanksgiving, the NCAA can ensure enough room for a couple of bye weeks but the calendar isn’t always consistent. In years where there are only 13 weeks between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, the season would automatically slide earlier into that Week 0 slot. In fact, three of the next five seasons fall into that category. So this may not be a one-time adjustment. It could become a flexible framework that bends based on the calendar. There’s also another ripple effect worth watching.

With the SEC and ACC moving to nine-game conference schedules, the inventory problem actually solves itself. More quality matchups mean networks won’t feel the pinch of spreading games across an extra week. But the main difference is they might finally get a chance to catch their breath. And that might be the most valuable win of all.