College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams in 2027

The College Football Playoff will enter a new era in 2027 with the implementation of a 24-team format, significantly expanding the field while increasing the importance of strength of schedule throughout the regular season.

Under the new structure, the playoff field will consist of 19 at-large selections, the four champions of the Autonomy Four (A4) conferences, and the highest-ranked Group of 6 (G6) team. Conference championship games will be eliminated, with each league determining its champion through its own established procedures.

The format provides substantial advantages for the highest-ranked teams. Seeds No. 1 through No. 8 will receive first-round byes and host second-round games on campus. Teams seeded No. 9 through No. 16 will host opening-round contests, with the winners advancing through a bracket that culminates in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

The New Year’s Six bowls, including the Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton, Fiesta, and Peach bowls, will continue to host the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, while the CFP National Championship Game will remain a standalone event in January.

The expanded playoff also introduces new scheduling requirements designed to strengthen regular-season competition. A4 programs will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying games against conference opponents, fellow A4 schools, or Notre Dame. G6 institutions will face a similar requirement, with qualifying contests including games against conference opponents, A4 schools, Notre Dame, other FBS independents, and fellow G6 programs.

Another notable change impacts scheduling at the FCS level. The CFP Selection Committee will only credit one victory over an FCS opponent when evaluating teams for playoff selection, regardless of how many FCS opponents appear on a school’s schedule. The policy is intended to encourage stronger non-conference scheduling and further emphasize résumés built against FBS competition.

Georgia, currently ranked second but set to ascend to the top spot in the CFP rankings tomorrow night, has positioned itself for its third consecutive playoff berth. The Bulldogs are next scheduled to host Missouri on Saturday, November 14 at home in Athens. The game will be televised by ABC at 3:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).

24-TEAM CFP FORMAT

THE FIELD
The 24-team CFP field will be comprised of:

• 4: the conference champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC (as determined by their respective conferences);
• 1: the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, OR Sun Belt; and;
• 19: the 19 highest-ranked remaining teams in the CFP Selection Committee’s final ranking

SCHEDULING STANDARDS
As part of expanding to 24 teams, the CFP Management Committee has adopted the following scheduling standards that will incentivize institutions to schedule additional compelling non-conference, regular season matchups:

Autonomy 4 Conference (A4) Scheduling Standards

• Each A4 institution will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying regular season games consisting of the following:
  • Conference games
  • Non-conference games versus A4 conference opponents and Notre Dame

Group of 6 Conference (G6) Scheduling Standards

• Each G6 institution will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying regular season games consisting of the following:
  • Conference games
  • Non-conference games against a G6 or A4 opponent, Notre Dame or Independent institutions other than Notre Dame

The CFP Selection Committee will not give any weight to a win over more than one (1) FCS opponent per season.

UGA Football Schedule