Elimination of April Transfer Window Causing Return of Spring Football Games?

The disappearance of the spring transfer portal window creates the opportunity for a reappearance of spring football games on campuses across the country.

Playing a game in front of fans to end spring practice had become a fading tradition in the age of conference networks and the transfer portal. Coaches feared the possibility that rival staffs could watch televised spring games and turn them into scouting opportunities.

"It just didn’t incentivize us to be out there playing when people could watch that tape on national TV and call a kid," said Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, who did away with the spring game last year.

That’s not as much of a concern now that college football no longer has a second transfer portal window in April. Nebraska responded to the change by bringing back its spring game.

"We missed it," Rhule said. "We wanted to do it. … It’s a great thing for the fans. It’s a great thing for people who want to come watch us play. Once they kind of changed the calendar, we went back to a more traditional setting."

Nebraska is holding spring practice earlier than most schools, as it held its first workout on Feb. 21 and will conduct its spring game on March 28. Most schools won’t finish spring practice until April.

At least a handful of Football Bowl Subdivision programs that responded to a survey from The Associated Press have decided to hold traditional spring games this year after not having them in 2025. That list also includes Auburn, UConn, North Texas and San Diego State, among others.

Auburn, UConn and North Texas made their decisions following coaching changes. New staffs decided to go with new approaches that included going back to college football’s past.

Spring football games were once an offseason