Doubling the College Football Playoff field could reshape who the Big Ten and SEC play long before the bracket is set. Analyst Joel Klatt said during an appearance on KTCK-FM 96.7 in Dallas that the two leagues already have deals lined up for the moment the expansion becomes official. He then described how quickly he expects those games to arrive.
Top-end matchups, mid-tier matchups, low-end matchups, and we’re going to be expanding the valuable matchups in the non-conference, far surpassing what we have now.” That timing tracks with the CFP’s own progress. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, a 24-team format starting in 2027 is close to done, though final approvals are still required. Talks have centered on 19 at-large bids, automatic spots for the four Power 4 champions and one berth for the top-ranked Group of 6 program.
The top eight seeds would skip the first round and then host a game. Expansion is also expected to wipe out Power 4 title games and move the opener up by a week. Tougher scheduling has been the Big Ten’s pitch for winning over the SEC for months.
The SEC had its own worries. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported the league wanted schedules balanced enough that teams could be fairly compared, and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has pushed for a 10-game minimum versus power-conference foes. Petitti hasn’t fought that idea.
If the final approvals come through, the first 24-team bracket arrives in 2027, and Klatt’s tiered matchups would be the first test of whether Petitti meant it.
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