The College Football Playoff’s transition to a 24-team format will bring significant changes not only to postseason participation, but also to regular-season scheduling, campus-hosted playoff games, and the overall college football calendar beginning with the 2027 season.
Under the expanded model, the CFP field will consist of 24 teams. Automatic bids will be awarded to the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC, as determined by their respective conferences. The highest-ranked champion from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, or Sun Belt Conference will also earn an automatic berth. The remaining 19 spots will be filled by the highest-ranked teams in the CFP Selection Committee’s final rankings.
New Scheduling Standards Introduced
As part of the move to 24 teams, the CFP Management Committee has adopted new scheduling standards designed to encourage stronger non-conference competition across the Football Bowl Subdivision.
For institutions in the four autonomy (i.e. power) conferences, each school will be expected to play at least 10 qualifying regular-season games. Those qualifying contests will consist of conference games and non-conference matchups against other autonomy conference programs or Notre Dame.
Group of 6 institutions will also be expected to play a minimum of 10 qualifying regular-season games. Those contests may include conference games as well as non-conference matchups against fellow Group of 6 opponents, autonomy conference programs, Notre Dame, or other FBS independent institutions.
In addition, the CFP Selection Committee will not provide additional scheduling credit for teams that play more than one FCS opponent in a season. Victories over multiple FCS programs will only count once, similar to the existing requirement for bowl games.
The CFP Management Committee also noted that waivers may be granted in extraordinary circumstances.
Expanded Campus Playoff Opportunities
One of the most notable changes in the new format is the expansion of on-campus playoff games.
After the success of campus-hosted first-round games in the 12-team format, both the first and second rounds of the 24-team playoff will be played at the home venue of the higher-seeded team. The change increases the number of playoff games hosted on college campuses from four to 16, bringing postseason football to more campus environments.
Changes to the College Football Calendar
The expanded postseason will also alter the structure of the regular season.
Beginning with the 2027 season, every team will have two open dates built into its regular-season schedule, which was previously announced. The final regular-season games of that year will be played on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2027.
The playoff will begin during the first full week of December, ensuring every qualifying team receives an open week before first-round games are played. The top eight seeds will benefit even further, receiving two weeks off before making their postseason debut.
Additional calendar details, including Selection Day, will be announced at a later date.
Playoff Structure and Seeding
The top eight teams in the final CFP bracket will earn first-round byes and the right to host second-round games on their campuses.
Seeds No. 9 through No. 16 will host first-round contests against seeds No. 17 through No. 24. First- and second-round games will be contested from Thursday through Saturday during their respective playoff weekends.
The format rewards teams that achieve the highest rankings while also expanding opportunities for programs throughout the country to host playoff games in front of their home fans.
Bowl Games Remain Integral
While early-round games will move to campus sites, the CFP Quarterfinals and Semifinals will continue to be played within the traditional bowl system.
The six CFP bowl partners will remain part of the playoff rotation:
- Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
- Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
- Capital One Orange Bowl
- Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
- Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
- Allstate Sugar Bowl
Army-Navy Game
The annual Army-Navy Game will continue to occupy its traditional standalone national television window and will not overlap with any College Football Playoff contests. With the expanded 24-team CFP introducing an earlier postseason schedule, the 2027 edition of the storied rivalry has been moved up one week and is now set for Saturday, Dec. 4, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Army-Navy Game has traditionally been played following the conclusion of the regular season, receiving the college football spotlight as the lone FBS matchup of the weekend. Despite the expanded playoff format, that tradition will remain intact in 2027, ensuring one of the sport’s most iconic rivalries retains its exclusive place on the calendar and national stage.
CFP National Championship Dates/Sites
2026 Season
Las Vegas – Monday, Jan. 25, 2027 (12-teams)
2027 Season
New Orleans – Monday, Jan. 24, 2028 (first edition of the 24-team Playoff)
2028 Season
Tampa Bay – Monday, Jan. 22, 2029 (24-teams)
24-team College Football Playoff infographics pic.twitter.com/TczeCcMujT
— FBSchedules.com (@FBSchedules) November 9, 2026
If you can’t even win your own conference, you shouldn’t be competing for a national title. I SAID WHAT I SAID.
Why, when that’s not expect from MBB teams or WBB teams, or college baseball teams or teams in pretty much any other college sport?