The College Football Playoff might be heading for another expansion, but don't expect a 20-team free-for-all anytime soon. According to a report from Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, ESPN has been floating a 20-team format that would include four play-in games to set the final four seeds of a 16-team bracket. The idea was pitched as a middle ground between the current 12-team setup and the 24-team field that the Big Ten has championed.
But the proposal appears to be dead on arrival. The Athletic's Chris Vannini reported that the 20-team concept caught members of the CFP management committee—comprised of FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua—off guard. During Monday's videoconference, the topic only came up because a committee member asked about a social media post from personality Josh Pate suggesting the 20-team bracket was gaining steam. The discussion was brief and quickly dismissed, with the agenda instead centering on the more established 16- and 24-team possibilities.
Vannini wrote that the 20-team idea isn't new, but it "had not been seriously discussed" at any point. While the SEC might be open to the concept, the Big Ten's opposition effectively stalled any momentum. "Conversations on Monday went nowhere," Vannini noted, adding that even the 16- and 24-team talks didn't advance much either.
ESPN, which holds exclusive broadcast rights for any CFP up to 14 teams through 2031 and first negotiating rights for a larger field, might prefer 20 teams over 24—likely because a 24-team bracket would be more expensive to produce and air. However, sources told Vannini that the network may be unwilling to pay for a full 24-team expansion. ESPN also broadcasts the SEC, Big 12, and ACC championship games, which could be displaced by a new playoff format.
The committee's dismissal of the 20-team idea signals that the Big Ten's preferred 24-team model remains a viable option, though it's far from a done deal. With the current 12-team playoff already a hit, any further expansion will require careful negotiation among conferences, the network, and other stakeholders.
As the debate continues, the spotlight remains on the commissioners and their ability to find common ground. For now, fans can only speculate about what the future holds. Meanwhile, the Ole Miss backlash over playoff rings serves as a reminder of how quickly the playoff conversation can shift.
The CFP committee's next meeting is expected to revisit expansion options, but the 20-team proposal appears to have been shelved—at least for now. With the 2025 season approaching, coaches and players are more focused on the field than the boardroom, though the make-or-break seasons ahead could be influenced by the eventual format.
For now, the playoff picture remains a 12-team affair, with the possibility of growth to 16 or 24 still on the table. The 20-team compromise, it seems, was never more than a fleeting thought.
