College Football Playoff Nearing Deal for 24 Team Format Starting in 2027

Big Postseason Expansion on the Horizon

The College Football Playoff is nearing an agreement to expand its postseason field to 24 teams starting in 2027. Final approvals are still required, but the proposed plan brings major schedule changes to the sport.

Under the new proposal, Power 4 conference championship games would be eliminated. To accommodate the longer playoff schedule, the regular season would start one week earlier.

This major shift arrives shortly after the postseason field tripled from four to 12 teams.

How the 24 Team Bracket Works

The proposed 24 team field includes 19 at large bids. The remaining five spots go to the four Power 4 conference champions, as determined by each league, alongside the highest ranked champion from the Group of 6 conferences.

Top seeds gain clear rewards under the system. Teams seeded first through eighth earn a first round bye and host a second round game. Teams seeded ninth through 16 host first round games on their home field.

For instance, the top seed plays the winner of the 16 versus 17 matchup. The second seed plays the winner of the 15 versus 18 matchup.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti defended the model, pushing back on claims that it devalues the regular season. He noted that tiered incentives keep games meaningful. Teams around seed 17 and 18 will fight to reach seed 16 to host a first round game, while teams near the bottom work to stay in the field.

Bowl Games and Schedule Details

The historic bowl system remains central to the playoff layout. The New Year's Six bowl games, including the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, and Cotton bowls, will continue to host the quarterfinals and semifinals. The national championship game will remain in January.

Media negotiations have driven these latest playoff discussions. Back in March 2024, a six year contract worth 7.8 billion dollars was completed to cover the event through the 2031 to 2032 season.

On September 9, a 30 day negotiation window opened to figure out the value of moving to a 24 team field. Although that window closed on October 9, talks continued past that deadline to wrap up the agreement.