CFP will expand to 24 teams, last Big 12 title game will take place in 2026

The College Football Playoff will double in size to 24 teams beginning next year, bringing an end to a three-decade era of conference title games that used to be among the marquee events of the season.

With it, the Big 12 announced that its 2026 championship game will be the last and that the conference’s automatic qualifier will go to its regular-season champion beginning in 2027.

“The Big 12 has consistently advocated for greater access to the College Football Playoff, and a 24-team format delivers more opportunities for programs to compete for a national championship,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said. “The 24-team format will also provide meaningful postseason experiences for universities, teams, student-athletes and fans.”

The SEC, Big Ten and ACC will also hold automatic qualifiers. The highest-ranked team between the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Sun Belt will receive a fifth auto-bid, while the remaining 19 teams will fall in order based on the CFP Selection Committee rankings at the end of the season.

The last Big 12 title game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, on ABC at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Big 12 coaches expressed unanimous support for 24-team expansion this summer.

What happens to the Fiesta Bowl with CFP expanding to 24 teams?

The Fiesta Bowl will remain one of six premier College Football Playoff games that is rotated as quarterfinals and semifinals events along wtih the Cotton, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls.

CFP expansion to 24 teams becomes official

College leaders announced the new format Monday, after ESPN agreed to rework its contract to add the 11 new games.

Terms were not announced, though ESPN said it was a deal for five years and additional $1.7 billion, on top of the $7.8 billion contract that runs through the 2031 season.

The revenue generated from the new games will presumably make up for the estimated $345 million the Power Four conference title games were worth. ESPN would then not be on the hook for $140 million of the extra money due to cancellation of the title games, the network reported.

The new format will have five automatic qualifiers — the champions of the Power Four leagues and the best-ranked team in the smaller Group of Six conferences — with the other 19 teams being chosen by a selection panel. Notre Dame does not receive any guarantees, the way it does this year if it’s ranked in the top 12 for what will be the last year of the 12-team postseason.

The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes in the new format and the playoff will start on the second weekend in December, with the first two rounds of games on campus. The traditional Army-Navy game will be played on the first weekend in December, which used to be reserved for conference title games.

Both the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences, whose approval was needed to adopt this change, and their Power Four brethren — the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference — are banking that most of the additional spots will go to their members so some of the second-tier teams have new motivation to keep spending big in an era of NIL and $50 million football rosters.

“Opening the playoff to more programs, more student-athletes and more fan bases across the country is great for college football,” said Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, who is chair of the CFP board. “We look forward to seeing this expanded format come to life next season.”

The first final for the 24-team playoff remains set for Jan. 24, 2028, in New Orleans. Traditional bowl games will still host the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.

As part of the expansion, the CFP is requiring Power Four teams to play at least 10 “qualifying” regular-season games against conference foes, other Power Four opponents and Notre Dame. Group of Six teams will have to play 10 games against conference opponents and a mix of G6 teams, Notre Dame and other independents.

The agreement guarantees two off weeks during a regular season that will begin the week before Labor Day.

Related

NFL trade deadline updates: Jaguars make noise day before trades endReport: Cardinals adding QB Joey AguilarVinny’s View: the Suns got abducted by an AlienSuns run into Spurs avalanche, Wembanyama masterclassFox’s Big Noon Kickoff headed to Tucson for Arizona-Utah showdownDillon Brooks pleads guilty to speeding charge stemming from January citation