Talks of expanding the College Football Playoff from 12 to 24 teams has gained a lot of steam recently, with a potential change coming as soon as 2027.
A bigger field would theoretically give more programs a realistic shot at competing for a national title and keep more teams in contention late. Some have also argued that it could encourage stronger nonconference schedules, creating more meaningful matchups instead of teams protecting their records against easier opponents.
However, most fans are still against it, with over half of the playoff games last year seeing double-digit blowouts. Many believe money is the biggest motivator, as an expanded playoff would introduce more games to sell to broadcasters.
On Thursday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that the CFP is nearing a deal to expand to 24 teams, pending final approval. The reported agreement would also cover ESPN's rights to the additional playoff games through 2031. The 12-team format remains in place for the 2026-27 playoff season, and any change for the 2027-28 season still needs the necessary approvals.
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It didn't take long for fans to blast the latest CFP news.
"Why are we doing this?" one user wrote.
"Ain’t no way you expect people to give af about half these games," another added.
"Fans don’t want this. Another move by the TV networks to line their pockets. Shameful," another user commented.
"Terrible for the sport. We need to rid ourselves of ESPN," one other fan wrote.
"I say this for everyone when 24 teams is too many. Please don’t," another replied.
"CFB fans need to come together and boycott these greedy commissioners. If your team isn’t in the playoff this year, don’t watch," one other added.
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The biggest pushback against the 24-team playoff has been that it could make the regular season less meaningful. College football rewards teams for navigating a difficult schedule because every loss can put championship hopes at risk. With 24 spots up for grabs, though, teams with three or four losses could still qualify, reducing the stakes of rivalry games and late-season matchups.
There are also concerns about player workload and safety. The season already runs from late August through the national championship game in late January. A larger playoff would mean more postseason games overall, increasing the physical toll on teams that advance. Adding more playoff opportunities could therefore come at the cost of player recovery time and less competitive games.
There's also a question of fairness. Under the reported proposal, the highest-ranked Group of Six team would receive an automatic bid, but smaller programs could still struggle to earn an at-large bid against teams from bigger conferences. As a result, the expansion format could ultimately benefit the sport's biggest brands rather than college football as a whole.