College football's postseason is about to get twice as crowded, and Texas A&M could emerge as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the expanded 24-team College Football Playoff beginning in 2027.

The College Football Playoff Management Committee officially approved the expansion Monday, doubling the current 12-team field and significantly increasing the chances that Mike Elko's Aggies will compete for a national championship.

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But there's a catch. The same changes that could put playoff football inside Kyle Field might also weaken the regular season that makes college football special.

And Elko isn't particularly comfortable with that possibility.

Under the new format, the eight highest-seeded teams receive first-round byes before hosting second-round games. Seeds nine through 16 host opening-round contests against seeds 17 through 24.

That creates 16 on-campus playoff games, compared with just four under the current system.

Imagine more than 100,000 fans packing Kyle Field in December, with the Aggies playing for a spot in the national quarterfinals.

What was once an unlikely scenario could become a regular possibility for a program with Texas A&M's resources and expectations.

The expanded field will include automatic berths for the champions of the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, along with the highest-ranked eligible team from six other conferences.

The remaining 19 spots will go to the highest-ranked available teams.

That significantly improves the postseason outlook for programs that finish with two or three losses while navigating difficult SEC schedules.

For Elko, however, the bigger question isn't how many teams make the playoff. It's what happens to the importance of Saturdays in September, October and November.

"I just hope we're doing right valuing the regular season," Elko said during an October press conference.

His concern is understandable.

When 24 teams qualify, a late-season loss to an SEC rival might no longer carry the same devastating consequences.

The expanded field could also encourage teams to prioritize postseason positioning over the urgency of individual regular-season games.

Questions remain about conference championship games, with the CFP leaving their future to individual conferences.

There's another consequence for Texas A&M: increased expectations.

With nearly twice as many playoff opportunities available, simply competing for a postseason berth won't satisfy a fan base that expects the Aggies to challenge for championships.

Missing a 24-team field could bring considerably more scrutiny to Elko and his staff than missing the current 12-team playoff.

Still, the possibilities are enormous.

Texas A&M could find itself hosting nationally televised playoff games at Kyle Field, competing for championships and enjoying a more forgiving path through the SEC.

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Whether that's ultimately good for college football is another debate.

For the Aggies, though, the opportunity just became considerably bigger.

Source: Yahoo Sports