The College Football Playoff will double in size to 24 teams beginning next year, college leaders announced Monday, according to an Associated Press report published by The Guardian. The Guardian reported that Power Four conference title games will be eliminated, that five teams will automatically qualify, and that the remaining spots will be picked by a panel. The report described conference title games as having been "among the marquee events of the season" and said the change ends a three-decade era of them.
The Guardian also reported that the announcement followed an agreement under which ESPN will rework its contract. Fox News reported that the expanded playoff operates under a five-year ESPN deal worth nearly $1.7 billion and that it ends conference championship games. Fox News did not limit that elimination to the Power Four, while The Guardian did, so the two reports describe the scope of the change differently.
NPR reported, in a story by Becky Sullivan, that the playoff is expanding again after its 12-team format lasted just three years. NPR described the change as a "sea change" for the sport. The reports also differ on timing: NPR said the 24-team field starts next fall, while The Guardian said the format begins next year.
The source summaries available for this story do not include comments from college officials, ESPN or conference leaders on the new format.
Sources: Fox News: College football sells another piece of its soul with CFP officially expanding to 24 teams; The Guardian: College Football Playoff will double in size to 24 teams starting next year; NPR: College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams in another sea change for the sport.