The College Football Playoff has officially doubled in size, introducing a 24-team field starting in 2027. This momentous change will start earlier, alter Selection Day, eliminate Power 4 conference championship games, move the Army-Navy game, and create a trickle-down effect on bowl season. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin stated the expansion provides the right balance of postseason opportunities for the number of schools competing at this level, noting that with only 11 spots for 68 Power 4 teams plus Notre Dame, the sport had few opportunities for postseason play.
The new 24-team format consists of the Power 4 conference champions -- ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC -- plus the highest-ranked Group of 6 team and 19 at-large selections based on the selection committee's final ranking. Money and access are the driving factors behind the expansion, which became a real model on paper last February when the Big Ten circulated a document revealing its plan. The SEC was the lone holdout preferring a 16-team model until it was able to see that the conference could financially withstand the loss of its championship game, valued around $80 million.
ESPN will remain the sole rights holder but can sublicense six of the 12 new games. As college football prepares for the biggest change to its postseason since the introduction of the playoff in 2014, fans should expect significant regular season impact, including effects on Thanksgiving weekend rivalries and player availability.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing