End Season by New Year's? Fitzgerald's Bold Ideas

New Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald has outlined a vision for a significantly restructured college football season. He proposes concluding the national championship game by New Year's Day, necessitating an earlier start to the season. This shift aims to address perceived issues with the current late-January championship date and the lengthy gap before the College Football Playoff.

Fitzgerald's plan also includes eliminating conference championship games, arguing their relevance has diminished with expanded playoffs. He suggests initiating the playoffs directly after the regular season and moving all non-CFP bowl games up to potentially reduce opt-outs. Furthermore, Fitzgerald favors a playoff format where higher seeds host games until at least the semifinal round, mirroring NFL and high school structures.