2023-24 College Football Key Dates

Recruiting National Signing Day, transfer portal windows, college football dates to know

Oct 31, 2023

Below is a look at the 2023-24 college football key dates, taking you through the end of the spring transfer portal window on May 1, 2024.

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College Football Key Dates

Late July/Early August, 2023: Fall Camp.
Aug. 26, 2023: College Football Regular Season Starts.
Oct. 31, 2023: College Football Playoff Rankings.
Nov. 7, 2023: College Football Playoff Rankings.
Nov. 14, 2023: College Football Playoff Rankings.
Nov. 21, 2023: College Football Playoff Rankings.
Nov. 25, 2023: College Football Regular Season Ends.
Nov. 28, 2023: College Football Playoff Rankings.
Dec. 1, 2023: Conference Championships.
Dec. 2, 2023: Conference Championships.
Dec. 3, 2023: Selection Sunday.
Dec. 4, 2023: Transfer Portal Opens.
Dec. 9, 2023: Army-Navy Game.
Dec. 16, 2023: Bowl Season Starts.
Dec. 20, 2023: 2024 Recruiting Early Signing Period Starts.
Dec. 20, 2023: 2024 Juco Midyear Transfer Signing Period Starts.
Dec. 22, 2023: 2024 Recruiting Early Signing Period Ends.
Jan. 1, 2024: Bowl Season Ends.
Jan. 1, 2024: College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Jan. 2, 2024: Transfer Portal Window Closes.
Jan. 3, 2024: Under Armour All-America Game.
Jan. 6, 2024: U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Jan. 8, 2024: College Football Playoff National Championship.
Jan. 15, 2024: NFL Draft Early Entry Deadline.
Jan. 15, 2024: 2024 Juco Midyear Transfer Signing Period Ends.
Jan. 19, 2024: NFL Draft Early Entry List Released.
Jan. 19, 2024: Polynesian Bowl.
February-May, 2024: Spring Practices.
Feb. 1, 2024: SEC Intraconference Transfer Entry Deadline.
Feb. 7, 2024: Regular Signing Period Starts.
April. 1, 2024: Regular Signing Period Ends.
April 16, 2024: Transfer Portal Window Opens.
April 30, 2024: Transfer Portal Window Closes.
May 1, 2024: Grad Transfer Portal Entry Deadline.

Fall Camp

Teams receive 25 practice days leading up to the start of the season with most getting started in early August, though teams that play in Week 0 get things going in late July.

Regular Season

The college football season will begin Aug. 26 and run through Nov. 25 aside from the Army-Navy Game on Dec. 9.

Postseason

The College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Oct. 31, Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21 and Nov. 28 with Selection Sunday on Dec. 3.

The conference championship games are Dec. 1-2 with the Heisman Trophy Ceremony on Dec. 9. Bowl season runs from Dec. 16, 2023 through Jan. 1, 2024. The College Football Playoff semifinals are Jan. 1, 2024 with the CFP National Championship on Jan. 8, 2024.

Transfer Portal Windows

The first transfer portal window is Dec. 4, 2023-Jan. 2, 2024, and players who competed in bowl games, FCS playoffs or College Football Playoff receive an extra five days to enter the portal after their contest.

Just to make things a little more confusing, the SEC has a rule where players cannot transfer to another school within the conference unless they entered the portal by Feb. 1, 2024.

The spring transfer window is April 16-30, 2024, and graduate transfers must enter the portal by May 1, 2024. Also, players can enter the portal within 30 days after a head coaching change. These dates are only for entry, and players can choose their next school at any time.

Recruiting Signing Periods

The Early Signing Period for the 2024 recruiting class runs from Dec. 20-22, 2023 and the next signing period is Feb. 7-April 1, 2024.

Junior College Midyear Transfer Signing Period

The 2024 midyear junior college transfer signing period runs from Dec. 20, 2023 through Jan. 15, 2024.

NFL Draft Entry Deadline

Players are allowed to declare for the NFL Draft three years after high school, and the deadline for early entry is Jan. 15, 2024. A full list will be sent to NFL teams on Jan. 19.

HS All-Star Games

Jan. 3, 2024 - Under Armour All-American Game.
Jan. 6, 2024 - U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Jan. 19, 2024 - Polynesian Bowl.

Spring Practice

Teams get 15 practice days in the spring and while a few usually get started in February, most get underway in March with a ton of spring games in April.

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