IRVING, Texas – The College Foot Playoff Board of Managers voted to expand the college playoffs from four teams to twelve. The Board of Managers is a group comprised of university presidents and chancellors. The decision, reports say, was unanimous.
The new playoff rule will take full effect by 2026.
“This is a historic and exciting day for college football,” said Mark Keenum, the President of Mississippi State and the chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “More teams, more participation, and more excitement are good for our fans, alumni, and student-athletes. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the board for their thoughtful approach to this issue and for their resolve to get expansion across the goal line, and for the extensive work of the Management Committee that made this decision possible.”
According to a press release, the “Management Committee will implement the board’s decision, including determining such matters as the dates for games, broadcast entities, revenue allocations, sites of the 11 games, and the term of the agreement.
The 12 teams, the board said, will be comprised of six conference champions plus the six highest-ranked teams. “I’m very pleased we were able to get this accomplished, and I look forward to expansion taking place,” Keenum said. “The four-team playoff has been highly popular and successful. I believe this new format will be even more popular and successful.”