24-Team CFP in 2027: What the Expanded Playoff Means for Miami Hurricanes

The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand from 12 to 24 teams beginning in 2027, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The proposed format would include:

Power Four conference champions (determined by each league)
The highest-ranked Group of Six champion
19 at-large bids
Eliminating Power Four conference championship games
The regular season starting one week earlier
The first two rounds on campus

Sources: The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams, per sources. The new format will start in 2027 and is expected to come together in the near future, pending final approvals. pic.twitter.com/tRdVAiqKax
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 15, 2026

Under the emerging structure, the top eight seeds would receive first-round byes followed by home games, while seeds 9-16 would host first-round contests.

Later rounds would still rotate through the New Year’s Six bowls, with the National Championship still being in January.

What does this mean for the Miami Hurricanes

For the Miami Hurricanes, the change carries clear upside and new pressures.

Miami reached the 12-team Playoff as the final at-large selection last season, edging Notre Dame in the rankings thanks in part to a head-to-head win, and advanced all the way to the national championship game before falling to Indiana.

In a 24-team field, Miami should be a regular in the College Football Playoff.

Talented, high-upside ACC contenders that occasionally sit on the bubble would face a far lower barrier to get in. Historical projections suggest many more ACC and mid-tier Power Four teams would qualify, reducing the annual drama of “which teams deserve to be in” debates that defined Miami’s recent path.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal has already expressed skepticism, telling ESPN he is “not for the 24-team thing” and questioning whether the regular season retains meaning if so many teams advance.

He has preferred finishing the regular season earlier with fewer automatic bids and more emphasis on on-field results.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal says he’s firmly against expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams.

“I’m not for the 24-team playoff thing. I think that’s just a lot. Why play the regular season? And I’m certainly not for automatic bids.” pic.twitter.com/Ar4KnBs7e9
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) May 13, 2026

Financially and competitively, Miami could benefit from more frequent home Playoff games if it earns seeds in the 9-16 range, boosting recruiting and NIL in a state where everyone wants to get players from.

The ACC has publicly supported the larger format precisely because it offers more opportunities to more programs. Yet the loss of the ACC Championship Game removes a high-stakes December showcase and the associated revenue, even as overall CFP payouts are expected to rise under the new ESPN deal.

The majority of fans are opposed to the idea of the expansion, with many voicing their concerns on how it devalues the regular season, too many mediocre or average teams will get in, and that it's just a pure money grab.

Ultimately, a 24-team Playoff would make Miami’s postseason window wider and more predictable, but it would also demand consistent excellence to avoid an eye-popping underachievement.

With the trajectory the Hurricanes are on, they will likely be in the new 24-team field every year and compete for national championships on a regular basis.

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