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Colorado and Syracuse won’t be squaring off this spring after all, despite the social media buzz their potential matchup created.
The Division I FBS oversight committee shot down the proposal Friday, crushing the hopes of fans who were excited by Deion Sanders’ pitch and Fran Brown’s quick acceptance on Twitter. This denial hits hard at a time when traditional spring games are losing their luster across college football.
Why the rejection? Timing was the main issue. Most programs have already locked in their spring schedules, and the committee felt Colorado would gain an unfair recruiting edge with this unique showcase. They also cited academic concerns — which feels a bit rich in today’s NIL and revenue-sharing landscape.
The good news? This isn’t a permanent “no.”
The committee has promised to revisit the concept in a future meeting, according to a memo obtained by The Athletic. “The committee agreed to discuss, during a future meeting, a concept that could permit joint practices.”
Support for these spring matchups seems to be building across the coaching ranks. Houston‘s Willie Fritz told CBS Sports he’s been pushing for this idea “for years.”
“You’ve got a 50% less chance of guys getting injured,” Fritz explained. “I think it’d be something that’s neat for the crowd to see. You could probably use to help your collective as well. I think it’d be awesome, good for both teams.”
Fritz envisions a home-and-home arrangement that would boost attendance and create more excitement than traditional intrasquad scrimmages.
He’s not alone. Oklahoma State‘s Mike Gundy recently floated the idea of a Bedlam spring showdown with Oklahoma, while Texas Tech‘s Joey McGuire has suggested scrimmages against regional powers like Texas, Texas A&M, or Oklahoma.
But not everyone’s on board with the concept.
Behind closed doors, some coaches worry about increased injury risks in more competitive settings. Others fear these showcases could become hunting grounds for transfer portal poachers — the same concern that led Nebraska‘s Matt Rhule to cancel his spring game entirely.
Then there’s the money issue.
These joint scrimmages would almost certainly be televised events that generate revenue. In today’s college football landscape, players will rightfully want their cut. While spring practice participation is included in many NIL and revenue sharing agreements, adding what amounts to a 13th game could trigger renegotiations, player sit-outs, or even lawsuits in a sport with no collective bargaining.
The current spring game format is clearly losing steam nationwide. Many major programs have scaled back or completely abandoned traditional spring games, with coaches prioritizing injury prevention and roster retention over fan entertainment.
Joint scrimmages could breathe new life into spring football — if the NCAA and conferences can work through these hurdles by next spring. For now, Colorado-Syracuse remains just an intriguing “what if” rather than the start of a new tradition.
