What happened: College leaders announced Monday that the College Football Playoff will expand from 12 to 24 teams beginning in 2027. The field will hold five automatic qualifiers, the Power Four champions plus the highest-ranked Group of Six team, and 19 at-large selections. The top eight seeds receive first-round byes, and the first two rounds will be played on campus.
Why it matters: The format replaces the Power Four conference title games, which ESPN valued at about $345 million, with 11 additional playoff games. Notre Dame loses the guaranteed berth it holds this year for a top-12 ranking. Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chair of the CFP board, said the expansion opens the playoff to "more programs, more student-athletes and more fan bases.
By the numbers: ESPN's new deal runs five years and adds $1.7 billion to the $7.8 billion contract that runs through the 2031 season. The network will not owe $140 million of the extra money because of the canceled title games. Power Four teams must play at least 10 qualifying regular-season games against conference foes, other Power Four opponents and Notre Dame, and the schedule guarantees two off weeks.
What to watch: The playoff opens the second weekend of December, with Army-Navy moving to the first weekend of December. The 24-team championship game is set for Jan. 24, 2028, in New Orleans, and the earlier coverage of the ESPN agreement has the contract details.