College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams starting in 2027 season | Reports
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A deal to expand the College Football Playoff field to 24 teams starting with the 2027 season is being finalized, according to multiple reports Thursday, Oct. 15.
The news was first reported by ESPN.
What the new format will look like still uncertain given the addition of 12 teams and an extra round that will have to squeezed in a crowded December schedule .The 12-team playoff is in its third season after expanding from the four-team CFP in 2024. The playoff system was first adopted in 2014.
According to ESPN, it's finalizing a deal with the CFP to purchase the additional games added to the 24-team playoff through 2031, the same length as the network's current deal with the CFP.
The move comes after the CFP and ESPN — which has exclusive rights to the CFP — extended their 24-team playoff expansion window conversations by 30 days on Sept. 8. At the time, the CFP and ESPN announced the negotiation extension didn't necessarily mean both sides were committed to expansion, but rather to evaluate a potential format change.
The CFP and ESPN's 30-day window ended Friday, Oct. 9, but both sides announced an extension to discussions Oct. 10.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, one of the leading voices in college sports, said Wednesday at SEC basketball tip-off the conference was open to CFP expansion, also saying he expected a decision "sooner rather than later."
“There’s an openness to playoff expansion on our part," he said.
This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams starting in 2027 season | Reports
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