24-team playoff could reshape SEC rivalry stakes

A 24-team College Football Playoff is coming in 2027, according to AL.com’s Joseph Goodman, with the larger field positioned to change the stakes of the regular season’s final weekend. Goodman’s argument centers on increased postseason access and the pressure it could add to rivalry games across the SEC.

The Iron Bowl could carry both a playoff berth and a first-round home game. Texas A&M could knock Texas out of the field, while Vanderbilt could end Tennessee’s postseason hopes.

Goodman also expects broader access to increase interest outside college football’s traditional hot spots. He points to the 12-team playoff and increased player compensation as factors in a West Coast revival after the Pac-12 dissolved and California and Stanford joined the ACC.

A larger field also could affect recruiting. Goodman’s view is that prospects may become more inclined to remain closer to home if more programs have a realistic path into the national championship tournament.

The other possibility involves postseason rivalries. Alabama and Auburn meeting in the playoff would extend an established feud into a new setting, while matchups such as Auburn against Oregon, Alabama against Indiana or Notre Dame against Georgia could develop into recurring national events.

There is no certainty about how those relationships would develop, but the larger bracket creates more opportunities for SEC teams to meet opponents they rarely face during the regular season. Rivalry Weekend could eliminate SEC teams before the playoff starts, followed by a wider range of postseason matchups.

Why it matters

A larger playoff could make late-season SEC rivalry games decisive for entry into the field and first-round hosting opportunities. It also could influence where top recruits choose to play by giving more programs a postseason path.

What to watch next

The next supported milestone is the College Football Playoff’s expansion to 24 teams in 2027.