College Football Playoff expansion, explained: How a 24-team format would work starting in 2027

College Football Playoff expansion, explained: How a 24-team format would work starting in 2027 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Another College Football Playoff expansion is near.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reports the College Football Playoff "is nearing a deal to expand 24 teams." The new format is expected to take effect in the 2027 season — which means this would be the last year of the 12-team format after its run of just three years.

How will doubling the size of the College Football Playoff impact the regular season? That is one of the many questions that college football fans are grappling with yet another change to the postseason structure.

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

The College Football Playoff began in the 2014 season. It replaced the Bowl Championship Series, which used a computer formula to slot the top two teams in college football in the BCS championship from 1998-2013.

From 2014-23 – the CFP had a four-team format that generally rested on the principle of including the "four very-best teams." That format fell out of favor, however, and the CFP moved to a 12-team format in 2024. There were tweaks to that format over the last two seasons, including this year where the four Power 4 conference champions, one Group of 6 school and seven at-large schools will make the playoff field. Notre Dame – an independent – is guaranteed a spot of finishes in the top 12 of the final College Football Playoff rankings.

How would a 24-team College Football Playoff work? Here is what we know:

MORE:Projecting the College Football Playoff bracket after Week 6

How many teams will be in new College Football Playoff?

According to Thamel, the College Football Playoff is nearing a deal that would expand the field to 24 teams. That is double the size of the current model, which has 12 teams.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has been the leader in pushing for a 24-team format. Petitti was the head of the MLB Network from 2008-20, and this playoff expansion is similar to when the MLB move to a 12-team postseason model.

"We're up against some older traditions, which are like college football is the last place where every team in the postseason has to be stone-lock legit chance to win the championship," said at the Big Ten meetings on May 20. "That's not the way playoffs work in any other sport, including the NCAA (basketball tournament).

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark have been in favor of a 24-team model – which offers more access for more schools in the Name, Image and Likeness era. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has gradually moved in that direction, too.

How will a 24-team College Football Playoff work?

While the format has not been announced, it appears that it would take the top 24 teams in the College Football Playoff rankings, which would include the four Power 4 conference champions, the highest-ranked Group of 6 schools (though that has not been announced) and 19 at-large schools. On3.com's Pete Nakos reports that sources said that would be the playoff field.

Ross Dellenger reports that there will likely be 23 at-large schools and one Group of 6 schools included in the field. Conference championship games would be eliminated, the first- and second-round games would be played on campus.

In this format, the top eight schools would get a first-round bye, and there would be eight play-in games between the schools ranked No. 9 through No. 24.

According to multiple reports, ESPN is finalzing a deal that would purchase the additional playoff games through the 2031 season. That means there will be 23 postseason games.

When will the College Football Playoff expand?

According to Thamel, the CFP would expand from 12 to 24 teams in the 2027 season. That means this season would be the final year of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

The dates for the 2027 quarterfinals (Dec. 31, 2027 and Jan. 1, 2028), semifinals (Jan. 13-14) and CFP championship are in place with the title game scheduled for Jan. 24, 2028 in New Orleans. That means that the semifinals will be played at traditional bowl sites that were part of the New Year's Day Six. The championship game also is set.

How would the College Football Playoff bracket look?

Here's how a 24-team College Football Playoff would have looked like last season, complete with records of the teams involved, based on the final CFP rankings: