yahoo
As USC focuses on its current campaign to reach the College Football Playoff, the postseason format itself appears poised for a dramatic overhaul. On Thursday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that the CFP is close to finalizing an agreement that would expand the field to 24 teams, with the change expected to take effect as early as next season.
The CFP and ESPN have been negotiating a new broadcast deal that would keep the network as the event's sole media partner, a development that Thamel and Heather Dinich note could also spell the end of the lucrative Power 4 conference championship games and push the start of the season up by a week.
Under the proposed structure, the New Year's Six bowls—Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, and Cotton—would continue to host the quarterfinals and semifinals, while the national championship game would remain in January. Teams seeded No. 1 through No. 8 would receive a first-round bye and then a home game. For example, the top seed would face the winner of No. 16 versus No. 17, the second seed would play the winner of No. 15 versus No. 18, and so on.
Squads ranked around No. 17 and No. 18 would be motivated to climb higher to secure a first-round home game, which is granted to seeds No. 9 through No. 16, while lower-seeded teams would battle to remain in the field or hold onto their position.
This historic shift comes just two seasons after the playoff expanded from four to 12 teams. In March 2024, ESPN and the CFP agreed to a six-year, $7.8 billion contract that secured the network's media rights through the 2031-32 season.
Key Analysis
The expansion would undoubtedly reshape the college football landscape. While a larger playoff would generate excitement, it could also diminish the importance of the regular season—the foundation upon which the sport has traditionally been built.
Originally reported by yahoo.