ATLANTA - The College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams beginning with the 2027-28 season under a new five-year media rights agreement with ESPN.
What we know:
ESPN’s deal is reported to be worth nearly $1.7 billion, though the CFP’s announcement did not disclose financial terms. ESPN will have rights to all 23 playoff games through the 2031-32 season.
The field will include the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, the highest-ranked champion from the Group of Six conferences, and the 19 highest-ranked remaining teams. The top eight seeds will receive byes. Teams seeded ninth through 16th will host first-round games, and the winners will travel to play the top eight seeds in the second round. The quarterfinals and semifinals will remain at bowl sites.
The CFP says the 2027 regular season will end Nov. 27 and the playoff will begin the first full week of December.
ESPN has reported Selection Sunday is expected to be Nov. 28, 2027, but the CFP said the date will be announced later. The CFP’s announcement also said decisions about future conference championship games rest with each conference, despite ESPN’s report that the Power Four title games would be eliminated.
Georgia has reached both 12-team playoff fields and is positioned to contend for another berth this season. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play Missouri this weekend, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET, according to DawgNation.com.