College Football Playoff to expand to 24 teams in 2027

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is set to expand from 12 to 24 teams starting at the end of the 2027 regular season. This expansion has been agreed upon in principle by the SEC, Big Ten, and the CFP.

The move is expected to result in the end of conference championship games, as the revenue from Power 4 conference championships will be absorbed into the CFP. The new format will include five automatic bids and 19 at-large bids. While the Power 4 conferences (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12) and specific champions from smaller conferences like the Sun Belt and Mountain West will receive automatic qualifiers, the majority of the field will be determined by the CFP committee’s rankings.

For conferences like the ACC, the expansion provides more opportunities to field multiple teams in the playoff and reduces the impact of a single loss on a season. However, critics express concerns that the expansion could diminish the importance of regular-season games, reduce the impact of iconic upsets, and create ongoing disputes regarding team selection and rankings.