On March 28, the NCAA rejected a waiver that would have allowed Colorado and Syracuse to hold a competitive spring game, which was favored by Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

Sanders wished to forego the conventional intrasquad scrimmage in favor of a real game, augmented by practices that are split in a way to toughen both teams. It was a creative spin on an old tradition, but the NCAA shut it down, and with schools such as Texas dropping their spring games altogether, you can’t help but wonder if this tradition is in decline.

A Brief History of Spring Games and Their Popularity

Spring games have a long history, dating back to the early days of the college football league. They were initially nothing more than scrimmages where coaches were trying out plays and providing backups a chance.

By the 1950s and ’60s, teams like Alabama and Ohio State opened them up to the public, attracting fans starving for a fix following the lengthy off-season. They became a showcase for freshmen and a low-stakes chance to cheer. Spring games evolved over the years into a strange ritual, a bridge between seasons that helped the sport flourish in April.

For the die-hards, spring games hold a particular allure. They’re a look ahead, new recruits, walk-ons getting their chance, and a sneak peek at next year’s stars. Nebraska attracted 92,000 to its spring game a year ago, evidence of the event’s popularity in certain places.

Even outside of the U.S, college games enjoy quite a large following and popularity, like in Canada, for example, where an estimated audience of 8 million follow the NCAA, while 37 Canadians are in the Power Five NCAA football rosters. For those up north that enjoy placing a bet on their favorite team, CanadaSportsBetting has a list of 31 sports betting ontario sportsbooks with all kinds of welcome bonuses and sports to choose from.

Overall, it’s easy to see why it’s popular, it’s football with simplicity, no standings, no pressure, just the game, along with a reason to fire up the grill a little early.

Signs of Decline

However, some claim that fissures are starting to appear. Texas, a behemoth program, canceled its 2025 spring game without a second thought. The Longhorns have more important things to do, managing transfers and SEC hype, than worry about an exhibition game.

They’re not alone in this; programs around the nation are eliminating or scaling back spring games. The NCAA’s rejection of Colorado-Syracuse only underscores the trend. Sanders tried to make spring practical, rather than ceremonial, but the rules wouldn’t allow it.

And from one standpoint, Sanders was correct. Contemporary college football is ruthless, with transfer portal chaos, playoff expansion, and NIL deals all part of it. A real opponent in spring would be more informative than any scripted scrimmage. Joint practices would sharpen skills and expose weaknesses, all before the onset of summer.

The NCAA, nevertheless, stuck to its script, barring intercollegiate competition out of season. For fans who’d been teased with a Colorado-Syracuse matchup, it’s a letdown; for coaches, it’s a missed opportunity.

The Bigger Picture

However, this whole ordeal is nothing new. When we look back, in the 2000s, some coaches shut down spring practices to hide strategies, turning public games into boring teasers.

Injuries were also a huge concern. Why risk a key player for nothing? Nowadays, with the sport’s calendar congested, the traditional format feels antiquated. Texas opting out of its game shows where the priorities lie: installing systems behind closed doors beats a fan- friendly show.

USC and Florida have hinted at smaller spring events, suggesting a broader trend.

Pockets of Resistance

But not everyone’s ready to just let go of the tradition. Alabama‘s A-Day attracted 72,000 last season, and Ohio State‘s spring game attendance rarely dips below 60,000. To them, it’s a recruiting flex and party for the fans.

Smaller schools like Liberty or UCF use spring games to build momentum. But the big boys, the SEC and Big Ten, obsessed with playoff dominance, seem less concerned. Preparation now is more important than tradition in their world.

So, what’s next for spring games? The Colorado-Syracuse idea would’ve been a good point against the candellation trend, a spring football modernization. Instead, the NCAA’s decision ties it to the past.

Those fans who crave that April fix may be left unsatisfied, but the sport’s powers that be aren’t losing any sleep. If other schools follow Texas in canceling its spring game, they may dwindle down to a few holdout diehards, a relic of a less hectic era. Tradition isn’t dead yet but it’s wobbling.