College football is preparing for one of its most significant changes in decades. The College Football Playoff will double in size beginning with the 2027 season, while the Southeastern Conference has announced that this year’s SEC Championship Game will be its last.

The College Football Playoff Management Committee unanimously approved the expansion from 12 to 24 teams on Monday, November 9. The decision comes alongside a new five-year broadcasting agreement with ESPN reportedly worth nearly $1.7 billion.

Under the new format, 24 teams will compete for the national championship, creating more opportunities for schools across the country to reach the postseason.

The expanded field will include the champions of the SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Big 12, along with the highest-ranked team from six other conferences. The remaining 19 spots will go to the highest-ranked eligible teams selected by the College Football Playoff committee.

The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes, while teams seeded ninth through 24th will compete in opening-round games. Both the first and second rounds will be played on college campuses, giving more schools an opportunity to host postseason games in front of their home crowds.

The expanded playoff will feature 23 games, with the quarterfinals and semifinals continuing to rotate among the traditional major bowl locations, including the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

For LSU and other SEC programs, the changes could mean additional opportunities to compete for a national championship, even without winning the conference.

However, the expansion also brings an end to one of college football’s most recognizable traditions.

The SEC confirmed that its December 5, 2026, championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will be the final edition of the event. The game began in 1992 and helped establish the conference championship format that became a major part of college football.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey described the championship game as a defining event that has produced memorable moments and helped shape the sport for more than three decades.

The conference will still determine an SEC champion each season, but it will no longer do so through a separate championship game.

The 2026 season will continue under the current 12-team playoff format, with the national championship scheduled for January 25, 2027, in Las Vegas.

The first 24-team playoff will begin in December 2027, with the national championship scheduled for January 24, 2028, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

The changes mark a major shift in college football, replacing traditional conference championship games with a larger national playoff and giving fans more postseason matchups to look forward to.

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