College Football Playoff expands to 24 teams for 2027 season

The College Football Playoff will expand from 12 to 24 teams beginning in the 2027 season, following reports that ESPN is finalizing a deal to broadcast the additional games. Sources confirmed to OutKick's Trey Wallace that a meeting between ESPN representatives and the College Football Playoff is scheduled for Thursday to close the agreement. ESPN currently holds broadcast rights to the tournament through 2031.

This expansion marks a significant shift after only three years of the 12-team format. According to sources, the new 24-team bracket will include 19 at-large bids. The remaining five spots will be automatic: one for each of the Power Four conferences and one for a Group of Six team.

The structure of the postseason will change as well. Sources indicate that the first two rounds of the tournament will be played on campuses. This move is expected to have ripple effects on the regular season schedule. It is considered likely that 2026 will be the final year conference championship games are played across Power Four and Group of Six conferences. Additionally, the number of bowl games is expected to decrease starting in 2027.

The expansion was reached after the SEC and Big Ten, identified as the two most powerful conferences, finalized their positions in early October. The deal creates a complex broadcasting dynamic, as ESPN owns the television rights to the SEC, while the Big Ten is under contract with FOX. The shift may also alter regular-season scheduling for Big Ten teams, who could be mandated to add a Power Four opponent to their calendars. The SEC had previously moved to a nine-game conference schedule ahead of the current season.