Golesh gives muted response to 24-team playoff

Auburn coach Alex Golesh offered a brief reaction Monday to news that the College Football Playoff will expand from 12 teams to 24 in 2027. The current 12-team format will end after this season.

Golesh said he had not spent time considering the change before his press conference. His initial assessment was simple: “Great, more opportunity for everybody.”

The SEC also announced that it will stop holding its annual championship game beginning next season. Asked about that change, Golesh said Auburn would deal with it when the time came.

Auburn did not reach the playoff during either the four-team era or the 12-team format that began in 2024. The Tigers came closest in 2017, when the playoff still had four teams.

A 24-team field would give Auburn and other programs considerably more room for playoff consideration. At 5-4, the Tigers could be considered under the future format because of their victory over Georgia if they won their remaining games. Selection would depend on the committee.

The larger field also could bring teams with fewer than 10 or nine wins into the playoff discussion.

Golesh, however, was focused on Auburn’s immediate work. He said he had been watching Mississippi State film shortly before entering the press conference and had not developed a detailed opinion about the postseason changes.

Why it matters

Auburn has not reached the College Football Playoff in either the four-team or 12-team formats. A 24-team field would give the Tigers a wider route into playoff consideration.

What to watch next

The 24-team playoff and the end of the SEC Championship Game are set for 2027, after the current 12-team format’s final season.