NCAA rejects the proposal for a spring scrimmage between Colorado and Syracuse.

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Colorado and Syracuse will have to postpone their plans for joint practices and a scrimmage until at least next year, following the denial of their request by an NCAA committee this week. During a video conference on Thursday, the Football Bowl Subdivision oversight committee rejected the legislative relief waiver sought by Colorado and Syracuse, which aimed to lift the prohibition on spring scrimmages. Colorado's head coach, Deion Sanders, initially proposed the idea, inspired by the NFL's practice of conducting joint sessions before preseason games. Syracuse's coach, Fran Brown, expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to compete against Colorado, highlighting his respect for Sanders and noting that many institutions have moved away from holding intrasquad spring games.

The oversight committee cited three main reasons for opposing the waiver: the timing of the request, as most teams had already organized their spring practices and some had even completed them; the competitive edge that Colorado and Syracuse would gain while other teams would be unable to conduct similar scrimmages this spring; and the potential academic repercussions for student-athletes who might miss classes to participate in these practices and scrimmages. Sanders remarked earlier this month on the uncertainty surrounding the future of spring games, stating, "I don't believe in that, and I don't really want to condone that. ... Competing against your own players can become somewhat repetitive, making it difficult to assess the true capabilities of your team."

The committee's report indicated that discussions would continue regarding a framework that might allow for joint spring practices in subsequent seasons, with the next meeting scheduled for April 10. The committee is primarily composed of athletic directors and conference administrators, along with Illinois coach Bret Bielema and College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark. Additionally, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy recently expressed interest in organizing practices or scrimmages against in-state rival Oklahoma, rather than conducting separate spring games, following the suspension of their annual Bedlam series.