College Football Key Dates
CFB Recruiting Calendar, Transfer Portal Windows, Playoffs & More
College Football Key Dates
The College Football Key Dates tracker shows the most important parts of the season and offseason with notes on the playoffs, recruiting calendar, transfer portal window and more. This page is updated daily with the latest FBS, FCS, D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO college football key dates.
Email GunslingerBuzz@gmail.com or DM on Twitter with news tips to help keep this site as informed and accurate as possible.
This post is free, but complete access to The Gunslinger Buzz content requires a paid subscription, which costs $10/month or $100/year.
➡️ Check out everything that comes with a subscription.
CFB Calendar
Feb. 5-Dec. 31, 2026 - D2 Contact Period
April 1-June 21, 2026 - FBS/FCS 2027 Recruits can take Official Visits
April 15-May 23, 2026 - FBS/FCS Contact Period
May 22, 2026 - Division I Cabinet will discuss FBS/FCS players potentially getting five years of eligibility beginning after they turn 19 or graduate from high school, whichever happens earlier.
May 24-27, 2026 - FBS/FCS Dead Period
May 28-June 21, 2026 - FBS Quiet Period
May 28-July 31, 2026 - FCS Quiet Period
June 1, 2026 - D2 Transfer Portal Window Closes
June 15, 2026 - FBS/FCS 2028 Recruits can Receive Verbal Offers
June 15, 2026 - D2 2028 Recruiting Off-Campus Contact and Official Visits Begin
June 22-July 31, 2026 - FBS Dead Period
Aug. 27, 2026 - FCS Regular Season Starts
Aug. 29, 2026 - FBS Regular Season Starts
Sept. 1, 2026 - FBS/FCS 2027 Recruits can be Called once per week with Unlimited Calls during Contact Period
Sept. 1, 2026 - FBS/FCS 2028 Recruits can Receive any Communication (Emails, Recruiting Materials, Texts, Direct Messages, etc.)
Nov. 21, 2026 - FCS Regular Season Ends
Nov. 28, 2026 - FBS Regular Season Ends
Nov. 28, 2026 - FCS Playoffs First Round
Dec. 1, 2026 - ESPN’s deadline for the CFP to decide the 2027-28 format
Dec. 4-5, 2026 - FBS Conference Championships
Dec. 5, 2026 - FCS Playoffs Second Round
Dec. 11-12, 2026 - FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals
Dec. 12, 2026 - Army-Navy Game
Dec. 18-19, 2026 - CFP First Round
Dec. 19, 2026 - FCS Playoffs Semifinals
Dec. 30, 2026 - CFP Quarterfinals
Jan. 1, 2027 - CFP Quarterfinals
Jan. 2-16, 2027 - FBS/FCS/D2 Transfer Portal Window
Jan. 4, 2027 - FCS Playoffs Championship
Jan. 14-15, 2027 - CFP Semifinals
Jan. 25, 2027 - CFP National Championship
Notes
Recruiting is always live in D3, NAIA and JUCO football recruiting with no such thing as quiet periods, dead periods, etc. Those three levels also do not have a transfer portal window.
Transfer Portal - Players have 15 days to enter the transfer portal and are immediately eligible assuming they’re academically eligible. There’s no limit on how many times they can transfer, and they may join their next school at any time based on the academic calendar. Players also get a 15-day window to enter the transfer portal that opens five days after the school hires or announces its next head coach.
Contact Period - A contact period is that period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.
Evaluation Period - An evaluation period is that period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during an evaluation period.
Quiet Period - A quiet period is that period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.
Dead Period - A dead period is that period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the member institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus.
Signing Date Dead Period - A signing date dead period is that period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the member institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus.