The NCAA has denied a waiver requested by the University of Colorado and Syracuse University football programs to play and practice against each other in April in lieu of respective spring game intra-squad scrimmages.
As reported by USA TODAY, the NCAA’s Division I FBS oversight committee met last week via videoconference and opposed the request, noting the late timing of it and how it would give the two schools a “competitive and recruiting advantage” to engage in activities that "no other institutions are permitted to do," according to the committee's report on the meeting.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders wanted to play Syracuse in Boulder on April 19 on ESPN2, in preseason workouts and resembling those coordinated by NFL teams. The committee’s meeting report indicated the request included a joint-contact practice session, a joint-noncontact practice session and an 11-on-11 scrimmage. The Buffaloes instead will play a traditional intra-squad game that day at Folsom Field.
The committee noted most schools already have planned their spring practice periods or completed it. The committee also noted that a spring game between two teams also would lead to players missing class time.
“The committee agreed to discuss, during a future meeting, a concept that could permit joint spring practices in future seasons,” the committee’s meeting report said.
As reported by USA TODAY'S Bret Schrotenboer, the committee includes Illinois head coach Bret Bielema. Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks, Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes, Miami (Fla.) athletic director Dan Radakovich and former Wyoming coach Craig Bohl, among others.
