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Texas football won’t be rolling out the traditional spring game this year, and they’re not alone in this growing trend across college football. The Longhorns — one of just three teams I consider locks for next season’s College Football Playoff alongside Ohio State and Penn State — are changing their approach under head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Sark dropped this news during a recent appearance on Up & Adams, explaining that he’s looking for better ways to maximize those precious 15 spring practices. Florida State, Nebraska, USC, and Missouri have all made similar moves, ditching the traditional spring scrimmage format.
“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,” Sarkisian explained. “So it’s going to be a little bit of a different approach, but I think college football’s changing right now and we need to do a great job, as coaches, of adapting to college football, and that’s what we’re trying to do. I think it’s going to be good for our team.”
At least Sark’s reasoning makes sense — unlike Matt Rhule’s paranoia about Nebraska players getting poached if their spring game is televised.
.@CoachSark announces that @TexasFootball won't be having a Spring game this year 🚨@heykayadams | #HookEm pic.twitter.com/KzONTjxYiQ
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 20, 2025
Is this the right call for the Longhorns?
Let’s be real — Texas sits at the pinnacle of college football right now. Sarkisian has consistently made smart decisions since taking over in Austin, and he’s positioned himself to potentially win his first national championship as a Power Four coach. With the Longhorns needing to break in a new starting quarterback, his focus on maximizing practice efficiency makes sense.
Some cancellations have obvious reasons behind them. Florida State’s decision is straightforward — Doak Campbell Stadium is undergoing renovations.
But this trend raises questions about fan access to the sport.
For programs in major metros like Austin, there’s plenty for fans to do instead. The city doesn’t revolve around a spring scrimmage. But what about schools in smaller college towns? Those spring games are often economic lifelines for local businesses and affordable entry points for new fans. They’ll likely never abandon this tradition.
This hits personally for me. As a Georgia undergrad, G-Day gave me the chance to bring my dad to a game without taking out a loan. We could experience Sanford Stadium together without the mortgage-payment-sized expense of regular season tickets. It created memories and new fans in ways regular games can’t.
While Sarkisian’s football-focused reasoning makes sense — he’s won 20 games over the past two seasons and reached the playoff — there’s something valuable being lost. Spring games create accessibility in a sport that’s becoming increasingly expensive to experience firsthand.
The Longhorns have built tremendous momentum under Sark. They’re two decades removed from their last national title but firmly back in the conversation of elite programs. They’re among just eight teams with realistic championship aspirations.
But as more programs follow Texas’s lead, I worry we’re trading fan engagement for coaching convenience. In a sport increasingly dominated by TV contracts and transfer portals, spring games remain one of the few affordable, accessible traditions left.
For the sake of college football’s future, I hope this doesn’t become the new normal.
