ESPN, CFP strike deal to expand college playoff to 24 teams

Published November 9, 2026 11:27 AM For any business, there are two ways to maximize profit. One, reduce expenses. Two, increase revenue.As to the former, the NCAA (working in cahoots with ESPN, among others) hope to use the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing of the Protect College Sports Act to reduce the booster’s billions that are currently being diverted to NIL collectives. (The PCSA appears to be DOA, which is good news for the players.)As to the latter, the NCAA and ESPN have agreed to double the size of the playoff field to 24 as of 2027. Under a five-year, $1.7 billion deal, there will be more postseason games that matter — and fewer postseason Pop Tart/mayonnaise bowl games that don’t.Along the way, four postseason games that matter plenty are going the way of the dodo bird. The conference championship games for the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 will end.Under the new schedule, “Week Zero” becomes Week 1. And the regular-season ends on Thanksgiving weekend. The top eight teams in the CFP rankings will secure byes. The first round (with No. 9 through No. 24 playing games against each other) will cut the field to 16.In round two, there will be blowouts. The No. 1 seed will play the winner of the game between No. 16 and No. 17. The No. 2 seed will play the winner of No. 15 vs. No. 18.There also will be new pressure on players who are draft-ready to keep playing, in pursuit of a potential championship. As illusory as that goal may be.And the players, by all appearances, once again had no seat at the table. More games? No problem.Then, the powers-that-be will keep griping about the chaos that comes from the players having the right to pursue market value, when the fat cats aren’t otherwise counting the money.Whether chaos exists in college football is a matter of perspective. Whether ESPN will be force-feeding an uptick in non-competitive games to folks who love football (even when it’s bad football) is undeniable.There aren’t, in any given year, 24 teams that are good enough to win a championship. In the second round, some of the teams that managed to win in the first round will become cannon fodder for the elite programs.And the best players on the lesser teams will be fully expected to risk an injury that could eventually cost them millions in draft stock. Regardless of the amount of chaos that will bring to their own personal business interests.