NCAA Wants Bigger Week 0. Here's Why Every FBS vs FCS Game Should Be There

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My college football scheduling dream is one step closer to coming true.

The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee wants to start the 2027 regular season in Week 0 with a bigger slate of games.

The idea is to give teams a second week off in the middle of a 14-week season and spread things out a little more. You’re close, NCAA. Now take it a step further.

NCAA, make Week 0 the college football version of the preseason. 

Make Week 0 all FBS vs FCS games. 

Why College Football Should Move All FBS vs FCS Games to Week 0

I have been preaching for over 20 years that all of the FBS vs FCS games should be played in the first week of the season, and that’s it. Get them out of the way.

No Alabama vs Tennessee-Chattanooga in November.

No Wagner going to Cal in a Week 3 showdown that’s certain to be seen by dozens.

No Florida State easing its Alabama rematch pain with a visit from Central Arkansas in late September. 

Ditch the paycheck-game Week 2, with Miami playing Florida A&M this season, South Carolina taking on Towson, Baylor playing Prairie View A&M, and on and on and on.

– 2026 College Football Strength of Schedule Rankings

FBS Oversight Committee recommends standardized start to regular season.https://t.co/vcbqMMiOTT

— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) April 16, 2026

Make it a celebration on a warm late August day, when as many FBS teams as possible get the tune-up out of the way.

Last year, what would’ve happened if Notre Dame had given CJ Carr a full game of work before facing Miami?

Would Texas have had a sharper offense if Arch Manning didn’t start his era at Ohio State right out of the gate?

This should be a no-brainer.

Seriously, why should the NCAA make this happen – even though schedules are made by the schools and conferences, but maybe there’s a rule that FCS games don’t count after Week 0 … 

Why a Week 0 FBS vs FCS schedule would work

– Everyone gets paid.

The FCS programs would get their paycheck game in right away, the FBS college towns would get off to a great start, and the fans would show up.

It’s sometimes hard to get a full house for Central Directional Tech in the middle of the season. In Week 0, when it’s nice out, people would come.

And for the networks, a full slate of FBS vs FCS games would actually be a draw for all of us starved and desperate fans who normally wouldn’t watch Florida vs Campbell if they were paid to.

– The tune-up factor.

Again, and especially considering it’s a transfer portal world, getting all the teams an easy live game to start the season would do wonders.

For most, it’s a chance to test out several players and create a better depth chart. Every year, it’s obvious who needed a week or two to get the timing down – (cough) Alabama … (cough).

– Week 0 would be a national holiday.

It would be college football’s way of getting the season up to speed.

Everyone would be in a good mood, the FBS teams would put up astronomical stats to hype up what’s coming, and I can’t stress this enough …

It would be when everyone gets the game out of the way. And then it’s on, with a 13-game sprint of all FBS vs FBS games. 

It really wouldn’t be that hard to do. What would it look like if college football played all of its FCS games in Week 0 this year?

Here’s how a full 2026 Week 0 would look across college football, with all the FCS games kicking things off.

Related: College Football Strength of Schedule Rankings 2026: Spring

This story was originally published by College Football News on Apr 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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