The College Football Playoff (CFP) and ESPN have apparently reached a preliminary “handshake agreement” to televise a massive new 24-team playoff format, and it’s starting next season. This isn’t just a tweak; this expanded playoff is set to eliminate the Power 4 conference championship games completely and even push the regular season start date up by a whole week. ESPN hasn’t spilled all the beans yet, and yeah, it needs final approval, but this move is expected to completely reshape the road to the national championship. It’s a game-changer for sure.
ESPN Drops Serious Cash for a Calendar Overhaul
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the network is coughing up an additional $345 million *per year* over the next five years just to lock down the rights to this beefed-up playoff system. Talk about investing in the future of college football! With that kind of money on the table, you know they’re serious about this expansion.
If this 24-team playoff actually goes through, the college football calendar is getting a serious facelift. We’re talking about the regular season kicking off a week earlier, hitting us with “Week 0,” and then wrapping up around Thanksgiving weekend. Get ready for more football, earlier! Even with all those shifts, the national championship game is still penciled in for January, so at least some things stay the same.
How This Monster 24-Team Field Will Even Work
Right now, we’re rocking with a 12-team playoff, which was already a big step up from the old four-team system, giving more squads a shot at the title. That 12-team setup includes the champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC, plus the highest-ranked champ from one of the Group of 6 conferences (like the American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-12, or Sun Belt). Then, the remaining seven spots are filled by the next highest-ranked teams, no matter what conference they’re from.
But this new 24-team format? That’s a whole different beast. Under the proposed plan, the playoff field would feature a whopping 19 at-large teams. Think about that: 19 teams getting in purely on their ranking! On top of that, you’d have the four Power 4 conference champions, as determined by each league, and still the highest-ranked champion from the Group of 6 conferences. It’s going to be wild to see how that committee ranks things with so many spots on the line.
So, while the full details still need to be finalized and approved by everyone involved, buckle up, college football fans. This “handshake agreement” is hinting at a future where the national championship road is wider, longer, and filled with even more high-stakes matchups. We’re about to see college football transform right before our eyes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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