The College Football Playoff is set to expand to 24 teams in 2027, a move that will likely end conference championship games. The new format, confirmed by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, is expected to follow a “19+4+1” model: 19 at-large bids, four reserved for champions of the Power Four conferences, and one spot for the highest-rated Group of Six champion.
The expansion builds on recent changes, with the playoff growing from the original four teams in 2014 to 12 teams in 2024. Ohio State won the national title in both the inaugural four-team format and the 12-team bracket’s first season. Now, doubling the field again raises fresh questions about scheduling, revenue, and the future of traditional postseason fixtures.
Conference commissioners have debated the implications of this expansion for months. While the Big Ten pushed for a 24-team field, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey initially supported a smaller 12- or 16-team format aimed at preserving the SEC championship game. However, the final agreement appears to sideline conference championships entirely.
“They’re gonna be gone,” CBS Sports’ John Talty said on Thursday’s College Football Insiders show following the announcement. Financial concerns were central to these talks. According to CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello, commissioners worried about offsetting the lost revenue from eliminating championship games, which together generate nearly $250 million annually.
The College Football Playoff could offer an additional $320 million per year on top of its current contract averaging $1.2 billion, sources familiar with the negotiations told CBS Sports. ESPN, which holds the current broadcast rights, has been a key participant in these discussions.
The network’s six-year, $7.8 billion agreement runs through the 2031-32 season and covers up to 14 teams at no extra cost. ESPN already controls the ACC, Big 12, and SEC championship game rights, giving it leverage in talks about expanding the playoff. Industry insiders note that ESPN could reallocate those rights fees toward the larger playoff package.
Negotiations between the College Football Playoff and ESPN extended beyond the original 30-day window, with the latter granted an extra five business days to review financial proposals. Both sides exchanged offers but remained far apart on numbers for much of October.
Plans under consideration include playing the expanded first and second rounds on campus sites, with the New Year’s Six bowls hosting the quarterfinals and semifinals. This structure would shift the December calendar substantially, potentially moving the Army-Navy game to the first Saturday of December, traditionally reserved for conference championships.
The model being discussed does not guarantee automatic bids for conference champions. Instead, 23 at-large teams would be selected alongside one guaranteed Group of Six representative.
Distributing the increased revenue from the expanded playoff also remains a matter of negotiation. Under the current contract, the Big Ten and SEC each receive about 29% of the College Football Playoff revenue, while the ACC and Big 12 take roughly 17% and 15%, respectively. The remaining funds are divided among the Group of Six and Notre Dame.
The Big Ten and SEC hold the ultimate authority over the playoff format, with a deadline set for December 1 to finalize the decision. The breakthrough toward a 24-team playoff came in September when both conferences agreed to evaluate the larger bracket, despite initial differences.
Rich Clark, the College Football Playoff executive director, told CBS Sports that the expanded playoff’s early rounds would take place on campus before moving to bowl sites for later stages.
With final approvals still pending, the expanded playoff aims to debut in 2027, marking another significant transformation in college football’s postseason landscape.
According to CBS.