This week the College Football Playoff and ESPN announced a five-year deal that will expand the CFP field to 24 teams in 2027. This agreement came with many stipulations with perhaps the most important one being that all Power conference teams (SEC, B1G, B12, ACC) will be required to play at least ten P4 opponents starting nest season in order to qualify for the playoff.
Most of the P4 teams already have ten P4 opponents on next year’s schedule. The few that do not have their Athletic Directors scrambling
to fill that requirement. Seven programs will have to dump one future opponent (and possibly pay them off) and fill it with one of the other six P4’s.
SEC
Missouri is the only SEC team in this category. Illinois canceled their football series against the Tigers that had been scheduled for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, so that they could pick up Notre Dame.
- 09/04 – Illinois State
- 09/11 – at San Diego State
- 10/02 – Florida Atlantic
BIG TEN
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has brashly stated in the past that he has no intentions of scheduling hard OOC opponents. The CFP was listening and now he has no choice.
- 08/28 – Jacksonville State
- 09/04 – Kennesaw State
- 09/11 – Indiana State
Nebraska was slated to face Tennessee in 2027, but the series was scrapped by the Cornhuskers and they had to pay a $1 million buyout.
- 08/27 – vs Miami-OH – This one is in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Stadium. It probably won’t get cancelled.
- 09/04 – Northern Illinois
- 09/18 – Northern Iowa
Oregon was previously scheduled to visit Baylor in Waco in 2027, but the two teams mutually agreed to cancel. The Ducks complained about the travel rigors since joining the Big Ten. Ironically, the may get stuck going to Texas anyway.
- 09/04 – Eastern Washington
- 09/11 – Coastal Carolina
- 09/18 – Western Kentucky
Southern Cal – The Trojans put a pause on their series with Notre Dame before the 2026 season citing concerns about late-season cross-country travel. That is looking like a mistake on So Cal’s part.
- 09/04 – UNLV
- TBA – Nevada
- TBA – TBA
BIG 12
TCU had Stanford drop out on them. The Trees have Vanderbilt and Notre Dame.
- 09/04 – Alcorn State
- 09/11 – North Texas
- 09/18 – Sam Houston
Texas Tech – The Red Raiders had NC State on the docket but the Wolfpack backed out.
- 09/04 – Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- 09/18 – New Mexico
- TBA – TBA
ACC
No ACC schools are lacking a 10th Power Four opponent for 2027.
WAZZU/OSU EXEMPTION
A handful of teams are currently saved by a waiver previously carved out for Oregon State and Washington State. For 2027, the Beavers and Cougars still count as P4 teams after being left in the dust by the old Pac-12.
Three Power teams already had Washington State on there schedule for next season: Arizona, Kansas, and Washington. It would be hard-pressed for one of the lacking teams to muscle their way into that slate.
Ole Miss has Oregon State on the docket. The Beavers already have away games with the Rebels and BYU to go with home games vs Portland State and New Mexico for 2027. They would have to REALLY be convinced ($$$$$) to break it off with one of their existing non-conference foes.
STAR DIALING!
With seven Power programs that have yet to meet the ten P4 opponent requirement for 2027, one of them might get stuck. An odd number means these remaining teams can’t all just pair up.
Nebraska and Missouri used to be rivals in the old Big 8/Big 12 and even have a bell that would go to the winner. The two teams played each other 104 times between 1892 and 2010. The two campuses are about 300 mile apart. It seems like a natural fit.
Of the remaining teams, TCU is probably the most attractive. The Horned Frogs are not a strong team, they are located near a major airport, and somewhat centralized in the U.S.
Don’t be surprised if Indiana drags their ass and then whines that they need a waiver.
