The 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket is officially set. With 12 teams in the postseason, the battle for the championship will begin on December 19. However, the possibility for expansion seems to be on the horizon. We now have a better idea as to when that decision could be made.
Reports indicate that the CFP and ESPN have pushed the deadline back to January 23 to decide whether or not to expand the College Football Playoff from 12 teams to 16, according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports.
“ICYMI: The CFP and ESPN previously announced that the deadline for finalizing the future postseason format was pushed back to January 23, 2026.”
Based on Nakos' reporting, the 16-team expansion seems to be the preferred option. There is a possibility of a 24-team playoff format. However, it sounds like 16 teams is what Nakos believes the CFP will push for.
“The push for a 16-team CFP is coming.”
In a post back in November by Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Dellenger explains the back and forth between the Big Ten and Big 12. The Big Ten likes the idea of a 24-team expansion, while the SEC wants 16.
“The power conference commissioners last met about a future playoff format [November 17] in Charlotte, where the Big Ten presented a 24-team model. Executives agreed to keep further exploring formats beyond 12. SEC officials, as they have said publicly, support 16.”
Until then, we'll have to enjoy the 12-team format for this season. It is currently unknown when the CFP could be expanded if an agreement does occur. But at the very least, we'll know when a decision will be made. January 23.
