The college football world is experiencing a big change this year with the Playoff expanding from four teams to 12.
Will the field expand even further? It might happen, and it might happen sooner than people might think.
Per a report by ESPN’s Heather Dinich and Pete Thamel, the Playoff is “closer than expected” to moving to 14 teams according to sources.
If this happens, the expansion would start in 2026.
ESPN reported that “the 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame are pushing to meet a Friday deadline to agree to the next contract and inform the CFP whether they will participate in the playoff in 2026 and beyond.”
Penn State never made it to the Playoff in the four-team era, which started in 2014. Had the 12-team format been in place starting in 2016, Penn State would have made it to the Playoff in six of the past eight seasons. So the change to 12 will be welcomed for coach James Franklin and company.
ESPN also reported what the financial distribution would look like.
“On an annual basis, for example,” the article reads, “the Big Ten and SEC will be making more than $21 million per school, a number that’s up from the nearly $5.5 million the Power 5 leagues are currently being paid.”
“In the ACC, the schools will get more than $13 million annually, and the Big 12 will get more than $12 million per school. Notre Dame is expected to get more than $12 million as well, and sources tell ESPN there will be a financial incentive for any independent team that reaches the CFP. (There will no longer be a participation bonus for any of the other leagues — a detail that was frustrating to some leaders in the Group of 5.)”
