The College Football Playoff hasn't even finished its third season with a 12-team bracket, and it's already preparing to blow past that number. According to ESPN insider Pete Thamel, the CFP is closing in on a deal to expand to 24 teams starting in 2027, with final approvals expected in the near future.
Thamel reported that the CFP is finalizing an agreement with ESPN to purchase the additional games through the 2031 season, matching the length of ESPN's current media rights deal. The move would more than double the size of the field that was just introduced in 2024.
Fans Sound Off: 'RIP Bowl Games'
If the goal was to make the national championship more inclusive, the reaction from the college football faithful suggests the opposite effect. Across social media, fans and analysts torched the plan, calling it a money grab that further erodes the sport's traditions.
"I'm sick man, horrific news for the sport," one user on X wrote. Kevin Clark didn't hold back either: "Sacrificed the best regular season in sports so that 8-4 Big Ten teams can lose by 13. Awesome stuff." Mike Golic Jr. simply said, "Booooooooo."
Others piled on with pointed critiques. "RIP bowl games. ESPN ruined college football," one fan posted. Another added, "Makes regular season marquee matchups even more meaningless." And perhaps the most cutting question of all: "Please tell me who actually wants this besides the greedy conferences looking for more television money?!"
A Familiar Cycle of Expansion
The irony isn't lost on longtime observers. Just three years ago, an undefeated Florida State team was controversially left out of the four-team playoff, igniting a chorus of demands for a bigger bracket. The powers that be responded with a 12-team format — which itself sparked endless debates over bubble teams and snubs. Now, before that system has even had time to breathe, a 24-team field is on the table.
That would open the door for teams with three or even four losses to compete for a national title. In modern college football history, no national champion has ever finished with three losses. The expanded field would fundamentally alter what it means to be a contender.
The sport has already seen other seismic shifts, from conference realignment to the transfer portal, and this latest move only adds to the uncertainty. Some wonder if the game is losing its identity, much like how video game sales are declining as fan engagement evolves.
What It Means for the Regular Season
Critics argue that a 24-team playoff would render the regular season almost meaningless for blue-blood programs. A loss in September or October would no longer be a death knell — it would just be a minor speed bump on the road to the postseason. That could sap urgency from marquee matchups and reduce the stakes of rivalry games.
Bowl games, already diminished by the playoff's rise, could become even more of an afterthought. With more teams funneled into the playoff, the traditional bowl structure would likely be further marginalized, leaving fans who cherish those traditions feeling alienated.
It's a stark departure from the sport's roots, where every week felt like a playoff game. The regular season was once the ultimate proving ground — now it's becoming a warm-up act. As one fan put it, the decision "will change the sport forever — and not for the better."
For now, the deal isn't finalized, and approvals are still pending. But if the reports are accurate, college football is barreling toward a future that many of its most loyal supporters never asked for.
