Report: College Football Playoff nearing expansion to 24 teams in 2027
Oct 15, 2026, 1:01 PM | Updated: 1:09 pm
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: A general view of signage on the field prior to the game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — The College Football Playoff is nearing an agreement to double its field from 12 to 24 teams beginning in 2027, a change that would bring more postseason games to campuses and reshape the sport’s championship chase.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Heather Dinich reported the development Thursday. Final approvals remain pending, but the proposed expansion would create more playoff opportunities while potentially bringing an end to conference championship games.
Sources: The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams, per sources. The new format will start in 2027 and is expected to come together in the near future, pending final approvals. https://t.co/tRdVAiqKax
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 15, 2026
How it would work
The proposed field would include the four Power Four conference champions, the highest-ranked Group of Six team and 19 at-large selections.
The first two rounds would be played on campuses. The New Year’s Six bowls would continue hosting the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Teams seeded first through eighth would receive first-round byes and host their first playoff games in the second round. Seeds nine through 16 would host opening-round games against seeds 17 through 24.
That would create three clear goals throughout the season: get into the playoff, earn a home game and finish high enough to receive a bye.
Still, expansion has been met with criticism from many who believe the existing format offers enough opportunities while preserving the stakes of the regular season. For fans who liked the playoff as it was, a bigger field could feel like an unnecessary change that gives top teams too much room to lose.
More spots, but no guarantees
A larger field would give more teams a chance to recover from a loss and remain in the championship picture. It could also keep more fan bases invested in the playoff race deeper into November.
The tradeoff would be more room for top teams to lose without putting their playoff chances in serious danger.
Seeding would help maintain the stakes. Starting with a bye and a home game would be a much better position than opening the postseason on the road.
Obviously, the selection debates would continue, too. Teams would still need to separate themselves through their wins, losses and schedule strength. More available spots would not settle arguments over which conferences deserve the most invitations.
What it means for Utah, BYU and the Big 12
An expanded playoff would give Utah, BYU and the rest of the Big 12 more opportunities to compete for a national championship.
Teams could fall short of winning the conference and still earn a playoff spot. A difficult road loss or a crowded finish atop the standings would be less likely to end their championship hopes.
For the Big 12, that would create a more realistic path to placing several teams in the field. Conference games could carry playoff implications for more programs deeper into November, with teams fighting for invitations, home games and first-round byes.
Utah and BYU could both qualify in the same season, with their annual meeting potentially influencing where each lands in the bracket. For their fans, the biggest draw would be the possibility of playoff football at Rice-Eccles Stadium or LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Utah State and the rebuilt Pac-12 would also have a path through the guaranteed spot for the highest-ranked Group of Six team. The larger at-large field could create additional opportunities, but the proposal would still guarantee only one spot across those six conferences.
More spots would not guarantee a particular number of Big 12 or Pac-12 invitations. Their contenders would still need to make a strong case against teams from other conferences competing for the same opportunities.
Conference title games and bowls face changes
The expansion is expected to eliminate conference championship games, leaving leagues to determine their champions another way. That could put more weight on standings and tiebreakers.
While the New Year’s Six bowls would remain part of the playoff, other bowls could struggle to survive as more teams and attention shift toward the expanded field. Some could potentially reinvent themselves as season-opening games, using neutral-site venues and sponsors to stage non-conference matchups.
A deeper playoff would also test roster depth. Teams without a bye would need five postseason wins to claim the championship — a 17-game season following a standard 12-game regular season.
The playoff remains at 12 teams for 2026. If the expansion receives final approval, the following season would bring broader access to the championship chase and substantial changes to college football’s postseason.
