ESPN, CFP strike deal to expand college playoff to 24 teams
The College Football Playoff (CFP) and ESPN have finalized a landmark agreement to expand the postseason tournament to 24 teams beginning in 2027, doubling the current field size. Under a five-year, $1.7 billion deal, the expanded playoff will feature more high-stakes postseason matchups while eliminating four major conference championship games—those of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12.
The new structure also shifts the regular season to conclude on Thanksgiving weekend, with the top eight teams earning automatic byes in the first round. The first round will pit teams ranked 9 through 24 against each other, narrowing the field to 16 before the second round, where the top seeds face off against lower-ranked winners in a format designed to maximize competitive intrigue.
