Should College Football Adopt an NFL-Style Preseason?

Coach Dabo Swinney and Deion Sanders have been a couple that's openly voiced their opinions on a more NFL-type preseason.

Every fall, college football teams jump straight from practice into games that count. No warm-up against another team, no tune-up to knock the rust off, just straight into the fire. At every other level of the sport, from the NFL to high school, teams get some sort of preseason action. So why not college football?

An NFL-style preseason for college, whether it’s a controlled scrimmage in the spring or a true exhibition in August, has been gaining traction for years. Coaches like Dabo Swinney and Deion Sanders have been advocating for it, and the benefits for player safety, fan engagement, and recruiting are hard to ignore.

Player Safety: More Controlled Contact, Fewer Injuries

At first glance, adding a preseason game sounds like it would increase injury risk; more snaps, more chances to get hurt. But many coaches argue the opposite. Right now, every hit in practice is against a teammate. Why not go and tackle somebody else?

Dabo Swinney has been pushing for a preseason scrimmage for years, saying, “College football is the only level that doesn’t get a chance to scrimmage somebody, even the pros do.”

Back in 2023, he was asked about the possibility to do it in the Spring, and he responded, “The spring game, there’d be some interest in that, I guess. But to me, I’d rather have it in the fall, fall camp. Even if it’s just being able to practice against somebody, do some inside drill against somebody else, do some 1-on-1, do some 7-on-7, like you see in high school,” Swinney said. “They go and work against each other. They practice against each other. You see it in the pros. So maybe have a day of camp embedded with somebody. I think that’d be great.”

Think about it: if teams knew they had a real scrimmage coming up, they could scale back the full-contact portions of practice. Instead of wearing down their own players in intra-squad battles, they’d get to face an opponent in a game-speed environment that doesn’t count in the standings.

Deion Sanders has echoed this sentiment, saying, “We don’t want to play against ourselves and bang each other up.” He understands that while players need live reps, constantly going against your own teammates puts your own depth at risk. A preseason matchup would spread out that risk while providing valuable game-like experience.

And let’s be honest, injuries happen in practice anyway. A preseason scrimmage, done right, wouldn’t add to that risk. If anything, it could prevent early-season injuries by giving players a true game-speed test before the real action begins.

Fan Engagement: More Football, More Excitement

One undeniable fact: fans want more football. Every year, schools pack stadiums for intra-squad spring games, even though they’re just glorified practices. If fans are willing to show up to watch their team scrimmage itself, imagine the energy for a spring or summer exhibition against an actual opponent.

Look at what Deion Sanders did at Colorado. In 2023, their spring game drew over 47,000 fans, more than most of their regular-season games the year before. And that was just an intra-squad scrimmage. Now imagine if that game had been against Nebraska, Kansas State, or another regional opponent.

Colorado isn’t the only school where spring games have turned into must-watch events. Nebraska has drawn over 80,000 fans for spring games in the past. Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia have all packed their stadiums for these events, proving that fans are hungry for football even in the offseason.

Preseason matchups could be huge events, especially in football-crazed areas. Tailgating in April? A summer kickoff game in August? Schools could even use these games to support charities, making them community-driven events that bring fans into the fold months earlier than usual.

Fans already crave more access. A preseason game would give them a real taste of the team before the season starts, without the stress of a win-loss record.

Joint Practices and a True Spring Game

Deion Sanders has taken the idea a step further, saying he wants to structure spring practices like the NFL by having joint practices with another team, followed by a full exhibition game.

"I would like to style it like the pros. I would like to practice against someone for a few days, then you have the spring game, and I think the public will be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it's a tremendous idea," Sanders said.

And guess what? Syracuse head coach Fran Brown has already answered the bell. Shortly after Sanders made his comments, Brown took to social media and said that Syracuse wants to be Colorado’s first spring opponent.

This is exactly how the NFL does it, teams hold joint practices against each other before their preseason games. It gives teams a chance to work on different looks without the intensity of a full game, while still giving players valuable reps against unfamiliar competition.

If this model were implemented in college football, we could see regional matchups between teams that don’t normally play each other. Instead of just another spring practice, fans could see something fresh, a true game-like experience, with the added energy of seeing their team against a real opponent.

Recruiting and Player Development: A Win for Coaches and Athletes

For recruits, nothing beats seeing a game-day atmosphere in person. Right now, coaches can invite prospects to spring games, but it’s just practice. A real scrimmage would give recruits a better preview of the program, fans in the stands, real competition, and a sense of what it’s like to play there.

Deion Sanders has been vocal about this, saying, “It’s a tremendous opportunity” for players and teams alike. Early enrollees could get real game reps months before the season. Young players fighting for depth chart spots could prove themselves in a meaningful way. Coaches could evaluate talent in real-time game conditions, not just controlled practice settings.

And for the players who might transfer due to lack of playing time, a preseason game could actually help retain them. More snaps = more chances to shine. Instead of waiting until midseason for an opportunity, they’d get an early shot to prove themselves.

Addressing the Concerns

Some might worry about injuries, but as Swinney pointed out, a controlled scrimmage could reduce overall injury risk by replacing full-contact intra-squad practices. Others might argue that schools don’t want to give opponents a scouting advantage. But teams wouldn’t have to run complex schemes, just basic vanilla plays to get reps.

The logistics? Not an issue. Schools could pair up with regional teams to keep travel minimal. The NCAA already allows Division II teams to scrimmage each other in the spring, so why not Division I?

The Time Is Now for an NFL-Style Preseason

Dabo Swinney has said it, Deion Sanders has said it, and now Syracuse’s Fran Brown is already stepping up. The idea of a college football preseason isn’t some radical shift, it’s an evolution that makes sense.

More safety, more excitement, more opportunities for players.

If college football is serious about player development and fan engagement, the time has come to give teams a preseason. After all, if it works for the NFL, why wouldn’t it work in college?