The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has floated a radical re‑imagining of the College Football Playoff, proposing a 24‑team bracket that would do away with the traditional conference championship games.
Under the scheme, the eight highest‑seeded teams would receive a first‑round bye, while the remaining sixteen would battle it out on their home fields in the opening round, a format designed to broaden participation and pump up television revenues.
Realising the plan, however, hinges on the cooperation of the Power Five conferences, especially the Big Ten and the SEC, whose leaders have yet to signal full endorsement.
Coaches React to the Proposal
Rich Rodriguez, the current West Virginia Mountaineers coach, said he remains indifferent to the exact number of teams that make the playoff, focusing instead on the competitive balance it could bring.
In contrast, Wren Baker, the athletic director at the same institution, voiced apprehension about the potential strain on student‑athletes, warning that an expanded schedule could jeopardize health and safety.
The proposal also tweaks the traditional calendar: the national championship would be played on the second Monday in January rather than the third, and the storied Army‑Navy rivalry would retain its signature time slot.
Meanwhile, the 2026 season will still operate under the existing 12‑team format, giving the new model a trial period before any definitive shift.