Sources -- College Football Playoff nearing deal for 24-team format - ESPN

The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand the field to 24 teams in 2027, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. The deal is expected to come together in the near future, pending final approvals.

The CFP and ESPN have been negotiating a new deal for the network to be its continued broadcast partner, leading to a seismic move for the postseason that is also expected to eliminate the lucrative Power 4 conference championship games and start the season a week earlier.

While final details have yet to be announced, discussions about the 24-team field have included 19 at-large bids, the Power 4 conference champions as determined by each league, plus the highest-ranked Group of 6 team.

The New Year's Six bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, and Cotton) are expected to still host the quarterfinals and semifinals with the national championship game remaining in January.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, whose conference has been the driving force behind the 24-team model, has pushed back against the notion it will devalue the regular season because the system includes «tiered incentives.»

Under the proposed plan, teams seeded No. 1 through 8 earn a first-round bye followed by a home game. (The No. 1 seed would face the winner of No. 16 vs. No. 17, and the No. 2 seed would face the winner of No. 15 vs. No. 18). Teams hovering around No. 17 and No. 18 are trying to move up so they can host a first-round home game (awarded to teams seeded No. No. 9-16), while teams at the bottom are constantly trying to stay in the field or protect their spot.

The historic change to the sport's postseason is expected just two seasons after the field tripled from four to 12 teams. In March of 2024, ESPN and the CFP agreed to a