The NCAA has rejected a request from Colorado and Syracuse – for the second consecutive year – to hold a joint spring practice.

USA Today reported the news.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and Syracuse’s Fran Brown asked the NCAA in March 2025 to waive the rule that prohibits spring football practices or games between two schools. The request was rejected by the Division I FBS oversight committee because it was made too close to the spring schedule, according to USA Today.

The reason? Some teams already were done with spring practice or were well into it, and it wouldn’t be right that all schools didn’t have the opportunity to work with another team, per the report.

In 2026, with the application for a waiver submitted well in advance, the NCAA again said no to the schools. USA Today said the decision was made Jan. 22 but not announced until this week, with the NCAA stating “circumstances do not warrant relief of the legislation” that addresses joint spring practices.

In addition, USA Today reviewed documents that indicated an NCAA subcommittee has the entire football calendar under review, and with alterations possible, the group didn’t want to make any changes to procedures now for just two schools. The calendar is being looked at to see if it’s the most efficient, given conference realignment and long travel now required for some teams.

“If two teams are doing it, what that would lead to is, ‘Gosh, if Syracuse and Colorado are doing this, why can’t Florida State and name-a-school,’” committee chair Mark Alnutt, the athletic director at Buffalo, told USA Today.

Alnutt said the review could result in a recommendation concerning spring football protocols.

Syracuse announced Tuesday that its spring intrasquad game will be played April 11.

Syracuse is staging a tripleheader that day. Festivities begin at the JMA Wireless Dome at noon when the women’s lacrosse team meets Notre Dame.

At 4 p.m., the men’s lacrosse team, ranked No. 1 this week after defeating previous No. 1 Maryland, will host Virginia at 4 p.m. John Desko will be inducted into the Ring of Honor. Desko was an All-American at Syracuse as a player. He returned as head coach from 1999 to 2021.

Syracuse football will end the jam-packed day with the spring game at 7:30 p.m. You can find ticket information here.

While there is a cost for tickets to the lacrosse games, they are free for the football game. Tickets must be claimed at the link above.

For the football nightcap, free parking and shuttle will be available at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. 

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