Report: College Football Playoff Nearing 24-Team Expansion Starting in 2027. What It Means for the Gators
ESPN reports the CFP is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams starting in 2027. Here is what a bigger field could mean for Florida.
The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams, with the new format starting in 2027, ESPN reports. The report surfaced Thursday afternoon around 1:41 p.m. ET (post). Nothing is official yet. The CFP has not announced a deal, and the final format details have not been confirmed.
The reaction around Gainesville was quick. Gators beat writer Thomas Goldkamp wrote that he hopes this "isn't the moment we look back at 20-30 years down the road as killing college football," adding, "But it certainly has that potential." (post)
What we know, and what we don't
According to the report, the field would double from 12 to 24 teams starting in 2027. Other details from earlier reporting are not confirmed as part of this deal. Earlier this week, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey signaled the SEC is open to a 24-team field. Previous format discussions also included dropping automatic bids for conference champions and playing early-round games on campus sites. It isn't yet clear whether any of that is in the final agreement.
What it means for the Gators
A 24-team bracket would change the math for a program like Florida. The Gators are 4-2 going into Saturday's trip to No. 7 Texas. In a 12-team field, a two-loss team is usually fighting for one of the last spots. With 24, a 9-3 or even 8-4 SEC team with a strong schedule would have a real case. That's especially true if bids are based more on résumé than on conference titles, as earlier proposals suggested.
That makes the SEC slate even more important. Wins over ranked teams like Texas would count for more in a selection process that leans on strength of schedule. Losses would also hurt less than they used to. If campus-site games end up in the final format, a high seed could mean a home playoff game at The Swamp.
The new format wouldn't start until 2027, so it won't affect this season. It would apply to the next stage of Jon Sumrall's program.
GatorStandard will update as the CFP confirms details.
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