College Football Playoff Expands to 24 Teams for 2027 Season

The College Football Playoff announced a shift to a 24-team format that will begin next year, following a recent 12-team model that launched in 2024. Under the updated system, automatic bids will be granted to each Power Four conference champion alongside the highest-ranked school from the Group of Six, while the remaining 19 spots will be filled as at-large selections by a committee.

The elimination of Power Four conference championship games marks the end of a decades-long tradition. To accommodate the new schedule, the annual Army-Navy game will shift to the first Saturday in December, which previously hosted conference title contests.

The expansion plan moves forward after ESPN agreed to alter its contract to incorporate 11 additional games. The new format is scheduled to remain in place for at least five seasons through the 2031-32 campaign, with the top eight teams earning first-round byes and early rounds hosted at campus stadiums.