Most American football games take place in the fall, when leaves crunch underfoot and turkeys are basted in their millions. For fans who just can’t wait until then, college spring games are a crucial reprieve from the long gap between January playoffs and the start of a new season in September.
Spring games represent the culmination of spring practice, a short period in which college teams can meet for a strict maximum of 15 practice sessions. The games count as one of these sessions, and due to NCAA rules about the content of practices, they are one of just 3 chances each team gets to hold a full, 11 v 11 scrimmage with contact tackling. Typically, the offense lines up against the defence, although some coaches choose more complex arrangements. Each school decides its own scoring system for the games, some going a traditional route and others assigning special points for a wide range of on-field accomplishments.
As the only practice sessions that fans can attend, spring games are an exciting preview of how teams might approach the coming season – and a chance for universities to show off their stadium atmosphere to potential new recruits. In 2016, Ohio State set a new record for attendance when more than 100,000 people filled the stands for the Buckeyes’ final practice.
Each team has its own story going into the 2022 season, and spring games will provide hints about how those stories might unfold. Georgia has already made this a year to remember, winning the College Football Playoff National Championship in January, but the Bulldogs face a new season with the weight of expectations heavy on their shoulders. Fans can get their first look at the defending champions in the G-Day Spring Game on 16 April, with tickets starting at just $5.
On the very same day, Ohio State will be looking to beat its spectacular attendance record with the LiFEsports Spring Game. Criticism has been aimed at the Buckeyes defence after the team missed out on the Big Ten title and a playoff spot last season, so head coach Ryan Day has something to prove when fans get a look at his 2022 team for the first time. Tickets start at $8.47 for unreserved general admission seats.
In Nebraska, the Huskers will take to the field for the Red-White Spring Game on 9 April. It’s been a rough few years for former Nebraska QB and current head coach Scott Frost, who has accepted a salary reduction this season after another year in which the Huskers posted a losing season and failed to reach a bowl game. The historic program is used to success, and fans will be hoping that new quarterback options Casey Thompson and Chubba Purdy can turn things around in Lincoln. Tickets to the spring game are available from $10 for adults and $3 for children in 8th grade or below.
Elsewhere, Florida Gators fans can see the Orange & Blue Spring Game for free on 14 April, when Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be open to the public for a 19:30 kick off. LSU Tigers have confirmed their own spring game for 23 April, with further information to be released closer to the date.