The NCAA has denied a proposal from Colorado head coach Deion Sanders that would have allowed the Buffaloes to conduct spring practices and a spring game against Syracuse.
Sanders proposed the idea several weeks ago, and Syracuse head coach Fran Brown quickly accepted the challenge on social media.
Brown expressed frustration with the NCAA’s decision earlier this week.
“We should have just told Coach Belichick and Bill O’Brien to come up with it. You know damn well they weren’t about to allow Coach Prime and Fran Brown to be the first two guys to do it… I’m just messing with you NCAA,” Brown said, via reporter Ashley Wenskoski.
College football personality J.D. PicKell questioned the NCAA’s authority to prevent such an event.
“Honest question. What happens if they both just said ‘Nah. We’re still going to play each other this spring’? Can the NCAA actually do anything? Haven’t seen them catch a W in a minute. ‘People are starting to murmur,'” PicKell posted on X.
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According to Yahoo Sports, the NCAA cited timing issues, potential recruiting advantages, and academic impact from travel as reasons for denying the waiver.
CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello addressed whether the schools should defy the ruling in his recent newsletter.
“They could schedule a joint spring scrimmage and not suffer harsh penalties from the NCAA, but it’s not worth the risk this late in the spring semester,” Marcello wrote.
Marcello believes Sanders’ proposal could still impact future spring football formats.
“What Deion Sanders did by inviting Syracuse to Boulder is open the door for joint spring practices/games in 2026 for every FBS program,” Marcello wrote. “Many leaders already want to conduct NFL-type official team activities on dates of their choosing during the spring and summer semesters. Including another program for a round of practices or a scrimmage is just the next step in that evolution.”
He noted that such events could fill stadiums and potentially revive dormant rivalries like Oklahoma-Oklahoma State, even if just for spring showcases.
Marcello also highlighted how joint practices or televised spring games might affect revenue-sharing and athlete compensation under the pending House v. NCAA settlement.
Despite PicKell’s suggestion to ignore the ruling, it’s unlikely Sanders or Brown will defy the NCAA decision this year. Sanders has already succeeded in bringing the concept into the national conversation.
