Scheduling & calendar
20 entries tagged Scheduling & calendar, newest first. Open in the filterable browser.
“Having more teams in a tournament to determine a champion is not going to make it worse.”
At Big Ten media days, Riley said Big Ten coaches were unanimous in favor of a 24-team CFP. He argued expansion would bring back better nonconference games and preserve intersectional rivalries like USC-Notre Dame.
“We're not interested in finding the easiest path, we are focused on finding the right path.”
Opening SEC Media Days, Sankey pushed back on a 24-team CFP. He said there is no clear evidence of media interest, the calendar is already strained, and the sport needs to find the right path rather than the easiest one.
“I think really the second Monday in January should be the latest that we play college football.”
Bjork said the bigger issue than 24 vs. fewer playoff teams is fixing the whole calendar. He wants the season over by the second Monday in January and the postseason reimagined as bowls fade, which is why he considers 24 teams the right number.
“I don't think the portal should exist at the same time that football's being played.”
After Oregon's spring game, Lanning backed a proposal to start the season earlier. He said the portal shouldn't be open while games are still being played and that the season should end close to Jan. 1 to line up with academic terms and coaching transitions.
“Saturday should be sacred for college football, and every Saturday through the month of December should belong to college football.”
At the Orange Bowl, Lanning argued that college football has given up too many dates to the NFL. He said every December Saturday should belong to college football, with playoff games played each week so the season ends by Jan. 1.
“I think we need to have a commissioner who is over all the conferences, as well as a competition committee who defines the rules of how we're going to play the game, because that's what we don't have right now.”
On ESPN's College GameDay, while discussing the sport's calendar and in-season coaching moves, Saban called for a national commissioner over all conferences and a competition committee to define the rules.
“We need to standardize the schedule across the board if we want to have objective criteria for who should be in the playoff and who shouldn't, and we need to take the decision making off the (CFP) Committee to some degree.”
At Big Ten media days, Cignetti defended Indiana's soft nonconference schedule by saying it had adopted the SEC's scheduling philosophy. He proposed that every Power Four league play nine conference games, with automatic bids and conference play-in games (3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5) on championship weekend.
“Also, the playoff format should not function as a disincentive to schedule tough, nonconference games.”
Petitti said any postseason format should keep as many teams alive as long as possible and shouldn't discourage teams from scheduling tough nonconference games.
“We want to play Big Ten schools.”
Leaving the SEC spring meetings, Kelly said SEC coaches want nine conference games plus an annual regular-season crossover with the Big Ten, noting the Big Ten had won the last two national titles.
“There are three ways we can go — stay out of it, facilitate more of it or create a mandate.”
On SEC-Big Ten scheduling, Sankey laid out three options: stay out of it, facilitate more games, or mandate them. He called a mandate incredibly difficult.
“The NFL has tiptoed up to this rule”
Criticized the NFL for encroaching on college and high school football by scheduling Black Friday and late-season Saturday games under the Sports Broadcasting Act.
“This has resulted in the loss of traditional rivalries and has ballooned travel expenses and time away from the classroom, especially for the non-revenue sports.”
Argued that conferences competing for media deals led to coast-to-coast leagues, lost rivalries and heavy travel; pooled media rights could reset conferences along geographic lines.
“The season's not over yet, and there's a free-agency window open.”
On a Gator Bowl coaches' Zoom call, Kiffin called the calendar 'a dumb system' because the portal opens while teams are still playing, and compared it to NFL free agency opening before the playoffs.
“We're going through change, but I would rather call it a necessary reset.”
At Big 12 Media Days, Yormark called realignment a 'necessary reset' and said it makes sense to take on a private-capital partner, as long as it doesn't compromise the league's long-term future. He also floated exploring new TV windows outside crowded Saturdays.
“Can you imagine in the NBA or NFL, free agency were to start in the playoffs? I mean, it would never happen.”
On an SEC coaches' teleconference, Kiffin said the portal windows are timed before the season is over, which invites tampering, and called the whole system reactive rather than thought out.
“I think the decision-making lost its way in terms of the focus on the student-athlete and what's primarily best for them, but we are where we are.”
On The Dan Patrick Show, Swarbrick called realignment 'a complete disaster' driven by money and said decision-making had lost focus on athletes. He urged more regional scheduling and said athletes don't need to become employees.
“The game on the field has never been better. Once you walk off the field, it's never been more chaotic.”
Fitzgerald agreed with Ferentz on the portal, NIL and a never-ending recruiting calendar.
“I just think we are finally now realizing how big of a voice we have”
Co-led #WeWantToPlay with Trevor Lawrence and started a petition to reinstate the Big Ten season; said players realized how big a collective voice they have; NIL was not his top priority but 'times are changing.'
“Clearly, this can be accomplished if all involved are willing to put their egos aside.”
In a letter to UT and A&M leaders, urged keeping the rivalry as a nonconference game, citing South Carolina–Clemson and the old Texas–Oklahoma series.
“I believe the time has come for the NCAA to take control of the college football postseason.”
Reversing 20 years of opposition, Adams urged the NCAA to take control of the postseason with a four-team playoff after the major bowls, and to cut the regular season back to 11 games. He said the BCS had lost public confidence and TV networks had become too powerful.
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