Overlooking College Football’s Possible 24-Team Playoff Format For 2027

College football keeps searching for the perfect way to crown a national champion. Yet each new system seems to bring another demand for expansion. Now, ESPN reports that the College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams in 2027.

The sales pitch will be opportunity. More teams. More access. More fans with a reason to watch. But the clearest winner would be television. Tennessee was part of the 12-team playoff two years ago.

More Games, More Money

The expanded field would feature more playoff games than either the current 12-team format or the previous four-team system. That creates more television inventory and more chances to sell ads.

The financial appeal is obvious. The competitive need is much harder to explain. There simply are not 24 teams each season with a convincing national championship case. There are good teams, dangerous teams, and teams capable of an upset. Those are not always the same as title contenders.

For Tennessee, more access could offer a safety net through a brutal SEC schedule. However, a system should serve the sport beyond helping any one program reach the bracket. Making the field larger does not automatically make the championship better.

What Happens to Saturdays?

College football built its appeal on urgency. A loss in September could shape a season. A rivalry game in October could end a title chase. Those stakes made every week matter. With 24 spots available, strong programs would have more room for losses. Seeding and home games would still matter. But losing position is different from losing your chance.

More teams might remain in contention. At the same time, fewer games would carry the same consequences. Then there is the physical cost. More playoff games expose more players to added snaps, collisions, and chances for injury. Removing conference championship games could offset some workload. Still, player health deserves serious weight in decisions driven by broadcast deals.

Sep 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the 2025 CFP college football playoff logo during the game between the Mustangs and the Aggies at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Expansion Will Not End the Arguments

The polls were not perfect in the 1980s and 1990s. Fans argued over votes and split titles. The BCS brought a championship game. Fans argued over the two spots. Four teams did not end the debate. Neither did 12.

Twenty-four will not end it, either. The argument will simply move to the next team left out. There has never been a perfect system. College football must stop treating a larger bracket as the answer to every complaint. More inventory is a business solution. That does not make it a football solution.

With Josh Heupel and Jim Knowles involved, the Vols will have plenty of seasons within striking distance.

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