College football’s expanded 24-team playoff format launching in 2027 threatens traditional postseason bowl games and the elimination of Power 4 conference championship games, triggering urgent questions from coaches and athletic executives.
The College Football Playoff moves to a 24-team field at the end of the 2027 season. This wipes out the top six non-CFP bowl matchups such as the Citrus, Alamo, ReliaQuest, and Pop-Tarts bowls, according to The Athletic. Bowl Season executive director Nick Carparelli said it is too early to know how many bowl games will survive the transition.
It’s too early to know how many bowl games we’re going to have moving forward, [and] all of the bowl organizations are working really hard to position themselves in the best way possible to continue with the conference partners they have, but ultimately the marketplace will dictate which destinations the conferences want to participate in each year.
Nick Carparelli, Bowl Season executive director
Coaches Question Conference Purpose
The elimination of Power 4 conference championship games alongside the expanded playoff prompted Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz to question the fundamental purpose of athletic conferences. The SEC announced that its 35th championship game on Dec. 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will be its last, with the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 following suit, ESPN reported.
“Times are changing, so you’ve got to adjust with the times,” Drinkwitz told reporters. “But my question is why are we associated with conferences anymore if we’re not playing for a conference championship?”
Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert echoed those concerns regarding his Demon Deacons. He said on Monday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, that conference affiliation might hold little meaning in the future without title games. “It can benefit a team like us; it can hurt a team like us” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said.
Executives Face Bowl Survival
Bowl executives face a severe squeeze because the larger playoff pool leaves fewer bowl-eligible teams available outside the bracket. Music City Bowl president and CEO Scott Ramsey told USA Today that there are many unanswered questions surrounding the restructuring.
Conferences must decide how many postseason spots they want for teams missing the playoff. Broadcast partners will play a part in shaping the final lineup. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl President Greg McGarity said that industry stakeholders must agree on whether bowls can maintain their footing.
Television ratings could keep many non-CFP games afloat because mid-December audiences remain massive, The Athletic reported. Carparelli said that regular December bowl broadcasts outrate almost all non-NFL sports programming on ESPN. They draw figures such as 9.1 million viewers for the Michigan-Texas Citrus Bowl matchup and 7.6 million for a Pinstripe Bowl featuring Clemson and Penn State.
Playoff Structure Takes Shape
Under the 24-team format debuting in 2027, the top eight seeds will receive a first-round bye while teams seeded Nos. 9 through 24 play across eight opening-round games, Yahoo Sports reported. The structure reserves just one automatic bid for a Group of Six conference champion, with all other G6 programs required to secure at-large selections.
The SEC championship game takes place on Dec. 5, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as the final contest of its kind before the expanded postseason era begins in 2027, ESPN reported. Meanwhile, College Football Playoff Executive Director Rich Clark acknowledged fan sentiment against expansion. He said that officials weighed and considered public feedback, and leadership decided to move forward with the format.
Earlier coverage: College Football Playoff Expands to 24 Teams in 2027
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