Report: CFP field expanding to 24 teams

ESPN has reached a deal with the College Football Playoff to expand the field to 24 teams beginning in 2027, according to a Nov. 10 report from Tina Howell of And The Valley Shook.

The article presents the ESPN-CFP agreement as official, although it later refers to the 24-team expansion as proposed. It does not provide additional details about the format, qualification process or role of conference champions.

And The Valley Shook said LSU’s SEC schedule could make a larger playoff field beneficial for the Tigers, who would have more room for regular-season losses under the proposed format. The article noted that LSU was ranked No. 14 last week despite having the same record as several teams inside the top 12.

A 24-team field would provide LSU with more room for regular-season losses while preserving a path into the national championship race. The tradeoff raised in the article is whether adding more playoff teams would reduce the significance of regular-season games and conference championships.

And The Valley Shook is polling LSU fans about the reported format change through its SB Nation Reacts survey.

Why it matters

A 24-team playoff would give LSU more room for error while playing an SEC schedule. The source also raises concerns that expansion could reduce the importance of regular-season games and conference championships.