College Football Playoff to Expand to 24 Teams in 2027

The expanded playoff will add an average of $345 million a year to ESPN’s existing deal over five years, which runs through the 2031-32 season. ESPN’s net cost for the new games is estimated at about $205 million annually after it receives payments tied to the SEC, ACC and Big 12 title games. Fox is expected to recover about $50 million per year through its Big Ten championship rights.

The four Power 4 conference titleholders and the top-ranked Group of 6 team will earn automatic spots. The selection committee will choose the remaining 19 teams. The top eight seeds receive byes, while seeds 9 through 16 host first-round games in December. The top eight then host second-round matchups the following week.

Quarterfinals and semifinals will rotate among the Cotton, Sugar, Fiesta, Rose, Peach and Orange bowls, while the championship game remains in January. The second round is expected to bring weeknight games, as the NFL begins Saturday games during that period.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti supported the larger field and the end of his league’s title game. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey had initially preferred a smaller playoff that would preserve the game, but both conferences approved the format. Estimates indicate Big Ten and SEC schools could receive an additional $2.5 million to $3 million annually, compared with $1 million to $1.5 million for ACC and Big 12 schools.

The 2027 season is set to begin a week earlier, with the first Saturday in December becoming an off week. Power 4 teams will need 10 games against Power 4 opponents to qualify. The 2026 playoff will remain at 12 teams, and this season’s conference championships will be the last under the current arrangement.