College football could be preparing for its biggest postseason change yet.
The College Football Playoff is reportedly close to reaching a deal to expand from 12 teams to 24 teams beginning with the 2027 season, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel CNN.
The proposed agreement is expected to come together soon, pending final approvals. If finalized, the expansion would give more programs an opportunity to compete for a national championship.
How Would a 24-Team CFP Work?
The proposed format has been centered on the following structure:
- 24 teams: Double the current 12-team playoff field.
- 19 at-large selections: Teams selected based on the CFP selection process.
- Four Power Four conference champions: Automatic spots for the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions under the reported proposal.
- One Group of Six representative: The highest-ranked team from the Group of Six conferences.
- First-round byes: The top eight seeds would receive byes.
- Campus playoff games: The opening rounds would feature games at participating schools’ home stadiums.
- Bowl games: The traditional New Year’s Six bowls would continue hosting the quarterfinals and semifinals.
These details reflect the reported proposal; the final selection and seeding rules have not all been officially confirmed.
What Happens to Conference Championship Games?
One of the biggest questions surrounding expansion is the future of conference championship games.
An expanded playoff would require additional dates on the college football calendar. Eliminating conference title games has been discussed as a way to accommodate the expanded postseason, but the financial impact remains a major consideration.
Conference leaders have been working to secure a media-rights agreement that would offset revenue lost if those games are eliminated. ESPN and the CFP have continued negotiations over the potential expansion.
What Happens Next?
The CFP’s reported move toward a 24-team format is significant, but the deal is not yet final. Financial terms, scheduling questions and the remaining approval process still matter.
If approved, the expanded playoff would begin in 2027, giving college football a much larger postseason field and changing the stakes of the regular season.
Sneaker Shop Talk will continue following the latest developments.
What’s your take? Is a 24-team College Football Playoff the right move, or is 12 teams enough? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
