College Football Playoff expansion: Is a 24-team field right for the Group of Six? There are benefits to the status quo

College Football Playoff executives meet Monday remotely to revisit expansion, with a concrete deadline: the Big Ten and SEC need an agreement by Dec. 1 to expand for the 2027 season. The Big Ten has proposed a 24-team field, while the SEC favors 16 but says it could support 24 if TV revenue rises, the competition calendar works, and regular-season concerns are addressed. The Big 12 and ACC also want 24, along with Notre Dame and every Group of Six conference. The article argues the Group of Six may not benefit as much as promised, because if the Big Ten and SEC split 16 bids, there may be no at-large spots left for the Group of Six—meaning they’d have to win more to qualify. It also points to payout disparities under the ESPN contract through 2031: $22 million for SEC/Big Ten schools, $14 million for ACC, $12 million for Big 12, and just $1.8 million for most Group of Six teams.