The Division I FBS and FCS Oversight Committees approved a blanket waiver for the upcoming season that excludes postseason participation (conference championship game, bowl game, FCS tournament and College Football Playoff games) from the limit of four contests a football student-athlete may participate in without using a season of competition.
According to a post on the NCAA's website, the rationale for approval includes the recent adoption of the notification-of-transfer window and the necessity of accelerated discussions and decisions for student-athletes and coaches regarding future participation opportunities and the potential impact of student-athletes opting out of participation in postseason competition.
The committees also recommended that the notification-of-transfer window in the sport be modified to one 30-day window.
Under the proposal, the window would open the Monday after FBS conference championship games and would close in early January. The window for football student-athletes to enter the Transfer Portal during the 2024-25 academic year would be Dec. 9-Jan. 7.
The proposal does not impact the five-day exception for student-athletes competing in FBS and FCS postseason games. In those scenarios, the notification-of-transfer window would also be open for five consecutive days after that team's last game.
The Division I Council, which will meet in October, must adopt the proposal for it to become effective.
Currently, Division I football student-athletes have 45 days when they can enter the Transfer Portal. The first window is a 30-day notification-of-transfer window that begins the Monday after the FBS conference championship games. There is also a 15-day notification-of-transfer window April 15-30.
The recommended change to a 30 consecutive day window allows schools and student-athletes to engage in conversations about future academic and athletics opportunities before the start of the spring academic terms.
Data from the 2024-25 academic year showed that many football student-athletes made the decision to transfer after the end of the fall football season. Further, participation in spring football is typically seen as preparatory for the subsequent season; therefore, focusing on a fall notification-of-transfer window is expected to promote roster stability for student-athletes and their programs.
