ESPN and CFP enter final review stage in bid to expand college football playoffs to 24 teams

Talks between ESPN and College Football Playoff are in the final stages of review in their bid to expand the postseason to 24 teams next year, the CFP announced in a two-sentence statement on Friday.

Though no timeline was provided, a formal decision on the agreement will come following the review, the CFP said. The media rights deal would cover the nine-figure sums the major conferences would lose by eliminating their respective title games.

ESPN previously reported offering an additional annual payment of $345 million to the CFP to double the playoff field from 12 to 24 teams. The current six-year deal which begins this year is worth $7.8 billion.

The parties have been discussing a format in which the Power Four conference champs and the highest-ranked team from the Group of Six earn automatic bids, with the other 19 teams being chosen by a selection committee.

The first two rounds of the expanded playoff would be held on college campuses, with the top eight teams getting a first-round bye and hosting games the following week.

The major bowls would continue to host the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the championship game behind held in late January.

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