Is the start of college football's regular season ripe for a major shake-up? The world of college football is constantly evolving, and while we've seen shifts in the transfer portal windows, the very beginning of the regular season might be next on the agenda. ESPN's College GameDay Podcast recently delved into this intriguing possibility, suggesting that kicking off the season earlier, perhaps in the summer months, could offer significant advantages to the sport.
Rece Davis, the esteemed host of College GameDay, voiced his support for moving the season start up by just one week. He expressed a desire for more high-profile matchups early on, lamenting the current scarcity of "great games" in the opening week. "I am. We're doing it (already), I'd like to see more games," Davis stated. "Always kind of disappointing there aren't more great games."
The current "Week 0" slate often features a single international conference game, followed by a series of less prominent matchups. Davis envisions a future where Week 0 could host a "mega matchup" – the kind of blockbuster game we typically see in Week 1. He humorously noted the logistical considerations, such as the need for night games in warmer climates like Gainesville or Baton Rouge, and the potential impact on television scheduling, with some games inevitably kicking off at noon even in cooler locales like Ann Arbor. "If you're going to play games in Gainesville or Baton Rouge Week 0 they need to be night games," Davis mused, highlighting the complexities. "So then you come into an inventory thing, question for television. Because somebody will have to kick off at noon. And, heck, it can be hot in Ann Arbor, too."
But here's where it gets interesting: a slight calendar adjustment could genuinely boost the sport's overall momentum. With the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff now a reality, there are considerable gaps towards the end of the season. Shifting the start date earlier could help prevent college football from running too deep into NFL playoff territory, giving the sport more breathing room and potentially higher viewership. Davis elaborated, "Generally speaking I think kicking off in Week 0 would be fine. It's sort of like on the other end of it, we all like football. More games on Week 0 and just rename Week 0 to Week 1 and that's when we start. This is another topic of the whole calendar issue."
And this is the part most people miss: there's a significant benefit to playing games in Week 0 that college football currently only fully capitalizes on in the first week. ESPN insider Pete Thamel explained that an earlier start would allow college football to avoid direct competition with the NFL's Week 0. "Week 0 ratings are awesome," Thamel enthused. He pointed to the highly watched Georgia Tech-Florida State game in Dublin as an example of a Week 0 contest that garnered massive viewership due to its compelling nature, featuring two major brands and drawing from large population centers. "That Georgia Tech-Florida State game that we were at in Dublin did a monster rating because it was a great game, two big brands, big population areas. Came down to the last second. Now that you're incentivized monetarily in the ACC by your TV ratings, like those things matter."
This all presents a compelling case for rethinking the college football calendar. Of course, for any of this to materialize, major television partners would need to be on board with enhancing the Week 0 schedule. It's a complex puzzle with many moving pieces.
What are your thoughts on starting the college football season a week earlier? Do you think it would lead to better matchups and avoid conflicts with the NFL? Let us know in the comments below – we'd love to hear your take!
