College Football Playoff officially expanding in 2024
After years of rumors and failed meetings, it looks the College Football Playoff and partner bowls have come to an agreement to expand the playoffs starting in the 2024-25 season.
"We're delighted to be moving forward," said Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff. "When the board expanded the playoff beginning in 2026 and asked the CFP Management Committee to examine the feasibility of starting the new format earlier, the Management Committee went right to work. More teams and more access mean more excitement for fans, alumni, students and student-athletes. We appreciate the leaders of the six bowl games and the two future national championship game host cities for their cooperation. Everyone realized that this change is in the best interest of college football and pulled together to make it happen."
Many detail of the format are known.
As expected, the highest ranked 4 conference champions will receive a by a bye.
Matchups of 5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, and 8 vs 9 will take place at the highest ranked team's home stadium. Or the home team can choose to designate a different location.
It is not known if the winners of those games will reseed for the next round, or simply flow bracket style like the college basketball tournament. For instance, the winner of 8 vs 9 would play the #1 seed regardless of outcome of the other games.
The four quarterfinal games and two semifinal games will be played among 6 designated bowls that will rotate. The "New Year's Six" will continue to be those bowl games. Those bowls are the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Orange Bowl. For the first expanded playoff in 2024, the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl will host the semifinal matchup. Rumors have suggested the Rose Bowl had been holding up much of the process. Recently, the board threatened to choose a different bowl and leave the Rose Bowl out, forcing them to agree to the proposed expansion.
The National Championship continue to be played at a site chosen by the College Football Playoff. The dates will now be pushed back, with the first National Championship in the new format taking place January 20, 2025 in Atlanta.
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