The College Football Playoff may be where the elite teams compete for a national championship, but there’s a major missing piece that is being lost in the shuffle.

ESPN and the CFP agreed to a landmark $1.7 billion deal on November 9 to expand the CFP to 24 teams, per college football insider Heather Dinich. The expansion begins in 2027 after the 12-team format culminates with its final playoff campaign this season.

The news isn’t exactly shocking considering the Power 4 conference’s push for expansion over recent seasons. However, the new 24-team format doesn’t bode well for the rest of college football.

Bowl season’s always been a staple of the sport’s postseason campaign. That’s about to change drastically with the new sports media deal.

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CFP greed destroys a college football tradition

The College Football Playoff trophy sits on the sideline prior to the NCAA football game between the Texas Longhorns and the
The College Football Playoff trophy sits on the sideline prior to the NCAA football game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Meanwhile, bowl season, and the many games and sponsors associated with it, isn’t the only aspect changing in 2027.

Dinich’s report also states that the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC championship games are all being eliminated. Again, the CFP and ESPN are overlooking an important part of the season.

How many times have defining games between Alabama and Georgia completely altered the outcome of what happens in January? The change is just another way for the Worldwide Leader in Sports to ensure that the network receives meaningful postseason games.

Non-Power 4 schools suffer most

NCAA Football: Michigan State at UCLA
UCLA Bruins running back Wayne Knight (3) celebrates with teammates after a rushing touchdown. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Many traditional brand-recognized games like the Rose Bowl and VRBO Fiesta Bowl won’t be affected because they’ve been included in the cycle for years. It’s the fringe bowls that are the ones that will suffer the most.

The non-Power 4 programs also face challenges because the expansion plan is clearly a way to benefit the Big Ten and SEC. The 24-team format gives mid-tier teams in the conferences a better chance at reaching the playoff.

Surely, bowl games like the Boca Raton Bowl aren’t exactly major movers for fans outside of the schools involved. However, the 24-team playoff is shifting the focus entirely away from the traditional bowl calendar.

Schools have always valued everything that comes along with qualifying for a bowl game. It marked a team’s success during a season. In many cases it also defined whether or not a coach would be able to survive a firing cycle.

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College football fans are left with one more season where they can enjoy bowl season for what it is and has been for decades. 2027 is coming quickly, and it’s certainly bringing significant change upon arrival.

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Source: Yahoo Sports