From the 1970s to first generation field turf programs in the Big 8, SWC, and SEC wanted a hard fast surface because speed on the tripple option gave them an advantage. B1G and PAC 12 schools did it to save money.

From the early 2000s to now it has been about cost. Although field turf has massively improved it will never have the same give grass has without sacrificing speed. Bermuda grass is the best surface for football but current versions of it only grow decently in the sunbelt. Kentucky bluegrass is more expensive to maintain in cold or wet climates and doesn’t offer the same speed Bermuda grass does.

I had a conversation with the gentleman who advised on BYU’s new field. Although BYU’s is Kentucky blue grass, he mentioned he has had success with developing new variants of Bermuda grass that are more durable in colder and wetter climates. Hopefully that reaches its full potential so we can see more schools move towards that.