Forward Progress: New Deal Enables CFB Expanded Playoffs To Begin In ’24
Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 07:16PM By Barry Janoff
December 1, 2022: Calling it a “great day for college football,” the College Football Playoff board of managers today unveiled a deal that would officially enable the College Football Playoff to expand to 12 teams in the final two seasons of the current contract — 2024 and 2025 — two seasons earlier than planned.
In September, the College Football Playoff board voted to expand the CFP to 12 teams starting in 2026.
The deal agreed to by organizers of the Rose Bowl was the final part of the strategy, with the other five CFB Playoff Bowl organizers already having signed pacts to move the expanded playoffs forward.
"We're delighted to be moving forward," CFP executive director Bill Hancock said via the organization.
“When the board expanded the playoff beginning in 2026 and asked the CFP Management Committee to examine the feasibility of starting the new format earlier, the Management Committee went right to work. More teams and more access mean more excitement for fans, alumni, students and student-athletes.
"We appreciate the leaders of the six Bowl Games and the two future championship-game host cities for their cooperation. Everyone realized that this change is in the best interest of college football and pulled together to make it happen."
"This is a great day for college football," Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University and chairman of the CFP board of managers, said via the group.
"I'm glad we are able to follow through and launch the expanded playoff early. It's very exciting for schools, alumni and everyone involved."
The National Championship games will be played Jan. 20, 2025, in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium; and Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
For the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the four quarterfinal games and two semifinal games will be played in Bowls on a rotating basis.
The first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff will take place the week ending Sat., Dec. 21,
The 2024 quarterfinals will take place in the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl,
The Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl will host the semifinals.
The 2025 quarterfinals will take place in the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl,
The Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl will host the semifinals.
Specific dates for all quarterfinal and semifinal games are TBD.
This season's Playoff semifinal are scheduled for Dec. 31, 2022, in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
The College Football Playoff National Championship is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2023, in SoFi Stadium, home for the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
"On behalf of the Management Committee and the board of managers, this is thrilling," said Hancock.
"It's been a long process, but we are pleased that more teams and more students will have the opportunity to compete for the national championship beginning in the 2024 season. A new era of college football is about to begin. I look forward to it."
College Football Playoff Committee Names ’24, ’25 Title Sites
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