The Ripple Effects of a 24-Team College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff (CFP) has announced plans to expand the field to 24 teams starting in 2027, which will bring about significant changes to the sport. The new structure will include every conference champion from the Power 4 (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC), the highest-ranked team from each of the six Group of 6 conferences, and 19 at-large spots selected by the CFP selection committee.

This move has been met with criticism, but it was approved unanimously by the 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua.

A major consequence of this expansion will be the elimination of conference championship games, which could result in financial losses of over $200 million. In response, all four power conferences have announced they will discontinue their league title games after this year. This decision aims to offset the financial burden of the loss of these games and realign the sport.

With fewer teams competing, the margin for error in the Playoff will increase. Under the current four-team format, no two-loss team ever made it to the Playoff, and only Clemson, with three losses, made it in the 12-team era. In contrast, a 24-team Playoff would allow teams with six losses to qualify. This change could lead to increased parity and excitement as more teams have a chance to compete for a national championship.

In terms of scheduling, the new 24-team Playoff will require teams to play at least 10 games against Power 4 conferences or Notre Dame. This will standardize schedules across the sport. Additionally, the number of conference games will increase from eight to nine starting in 2026, and then to 16 for one randomly selected team each year. These adjustments will bring consistency to the scheduling landscape and ensure a fairer distribution of games.

The expansion also has implications for bowl games, which have grown to over 40 games in the last decade. With the introduction of NIL and the transfer portal, the landscape of college football is changing rapidly. As the Playoff format evolves, bowl games may need to adapt to maintain their relevance and financial viability.