College Football Playoff Nears 24-Team Expansion for 2027

The College Football Playoff is nearing an agreement to expand from 12 to 24 teams beginning in 2027, but final approval has not been granted and the committee says talks are not a commitment to expand. The reported framework would allocate 19 places to at-large teams and five automatic bids: one for each Power Four conference champion and one for the highest-ranked Group of Six champion. The format is expected to give the top eight seeds first-round byes. Teams seeded ninth through 16th would host teams seeded 17th through 24th, with the eight bye recipients then hosting the first-round winners. The proposed structure would add postseason games and reshape the schedule. Reports describe the first two rounds as campus-hosted, with quarterfinals and semifinals at neutral sites. The Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange and Cotton bowls are expected to host those later rounds, while the national championship is expected to remain in January. Whether conference championship games would continue is not settled. Several accounts say their elimination is likely or expected as the playoff expands, but the reports do not establish that change as a final decision. One report also...