College football spring games are starting to become a thing of the past. For now, many programs around the nation will still hold a traditional showcase to wrap up their spring practice slates, but there is a growing list of prominent schools that have decided to do away with the game day format in favor of different plans – or, so far, nothing at all.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule got the ball rolling when he announced his team would not play its spring game, which routinely attracts over 60,000 fans.

“I think it’s really, fundamentally – I hate to say it like this – it’s really because last year we were one of the more televised spring games, and I dealt with a lot of people offering our players a lot of opportunities after that,” Rhule said in February. “To go out and bring in a bunch of new players and showcase them for all to watch, that doesn’t make much sense to me.”

Since then, schools like Ohio State and Texas have followed suit, announcing they will do away with the traditional spring game format.

While some schools have chosen not to play spring games in the past, the adjusted college football calendar has undoubtedly played a role in increasing cancellations.

Oklahoma will move away from a spring game event and shift to a new format called “Crimson Combine,” set for April 12.

Texas will adopt an NFL-style spring with organized team activities instead of a spring game.

Florida State will not host a spring game due to renovations at its stadium.

Every school’s rationale for canceling its spring game varies, but the trend suggests a significant shift within college football traditions, prioritizing efficiency and safety over the spectacle of a spring game.