Dan Lanning Doubles Down On College Football Calendar Fix

EUGENE - Oregon coach Dan Lanning did not hesitate when asked about a proposed shift that could move the college football season earlier beginning in 2027.

“Move it up,” Lanning said.

A new recommendation from the NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee backed a proposal to move the college football season to a standardized start before Labor Day weekend.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This would mean the regular season would begin on the Thursday of what is currently Week Zero and still conclude on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Teams would have 14 weeks to play 12 games, creating two open dates and providing flexibility for potential postseason changes.

While Lanning's support was emphatic, it's hardly a new topic for him. Lanning made waves during the College Football Playoff for his ideas on how to fix college football's scheduling issues that include juggling a transfer portal window and coaching changes while meaningful football is being played.

Dan Lanning Doubles Down On College Football Calendar Fix

Lanning was asked about the new proposal after Oregon's football spring game.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning watches as Indiana scores as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Move it up. I've been very clear, but I think it solves a lot of problems in college football. We have one portal window. I don't think the portal should exist at the same time that football's being played. On the same note, I think the semester should be kind of the start of a new season, a new term," Lanning said.

“And right now we'll be in the second semester of school, but still, at the same time playing football. It doesn't line up with the windows of academic calendars. The closer we get to the season ending on January 1, the better it is, I think, for all programs, coaching transitions, all things exist. So it's a really easy fix. In my opinion, we'll see if we can get closer and closer to that," Lanning continued.

In many ways, the proposal mirrors a structural fix Lanning has been advocating for: Start the season earlier, speed up the postseason and have the season end before Jan. 1.

Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning is interviewed by.ESPN’s Katie George following the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

For Lanning, this is not simply about moving kickoff up a week. It is about correcting what he sees as multiple flaws in college football’s current calendar.

Currently, the transfer portal opens while some teams are still competing for a national title. At the same time, assistants around the country are juggling bowl or playoff preparation while transitioning into head coaching opportunities elsewhere.

Lanning has seen that firsthand as both of his coordinators accepted head coaching jobs and were doing double-duty during Oregon's CFP run to the Semifinal Round.

He also thinks that playoff games should be played every week, which would also decrease the long layoff between games for playoff teams with a bye and help the season come to an end before Jan 1.

"We've given up some of our days to the NFL. We said, 'Oh, you guys get to have this day, you get to have this day, you get to have this day.' Saturday should be sacred for college football, and every Saturday through the month of December should belong to college football," Lanning said at the Orange Bowl.

Oregon Ducks Dan Lanning College Football playoff format opinions texas tech red raiders home games lubbock texas orange bowl — Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning before the Orange Bowl | Jake Bunn / Oregon Ducks on SI

Why does this matter specifically to the Ducks?

For a program like Oregon, which expects to compete in the playoff regularly, Lanning’s stance carries extra weight. His argument is not theoretical. It comes from navigating playoff preparation while managing coordinator turnover, portal timing and the realities of building a championship roster.

For Lanning, the current structure asks players and programs to manage too much at once.

Moving the start of the season up may seem like a small tweak, but it appears to be momentum building behind changes Lanning has been pushing for some time. What looks like a scheduling adjustment could end up addressing some of college football’s biggest structural headaches all at once.

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