Right now, USC is focused on trying to make the College Football Playoff this year. Beginning next year, however, it appears as though the event could look very different.
On Thursday, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that the playoff is nearing an agreement to expand to 24 teams. The change would reportedly take place beginning next season.
“The CFP and ESPN have been negotiating a new deal for the network to be its continued broadcast partner, leading to a seismic move for the postseason that is also expected to eliminate the lucrative Power 4 conference championship games and start the season a week earlier,” Thamel and Heather Dinich wrote.
“The New Year's Six bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange and Cotton) are still expected to host the
quarterfinals and semifinals, with the national championship game remaining in January.
”Under the proposed plan, teams seeded Nos. 1 through 8 would earn a first-round bye followed by a home game. (The No. 1 seed would face the winner of No. 16 vs. No. 17, the No. 2 seed would face the winner of No. 15 vs. No. 18 and so on). Teams hovering around No. 17 and No. 18 would want to move up so they can host a first-round home game (awarded to teams seeded Nos. 9-16), while teams at the bottom are constantly trying to stay in the field or protect their spot.
“The historic change to the sport's postseason is expected just two seasons after the field tripled from four to 12 teams. In March 2024, ESPN and the CFP agreed to a six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensured the network would remain the sole media rights holder for the event through the 2031-32 season.”
The change would certainly significantly alter the landscape of the sport. While the expanded playoff itself would be exciting, it would almost certainly devalue the regular season—the very thing that college football has always been built on.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: College Football Playoff reportedly expanding to 24 teams in 2027
