ESPN and the College Football Playoff have struck a five-year, $1.7 billion deal that will reshape the postseason landscape, with the playoff set to grow from 12 teams to 24 beginning in the 2027-2028 season.
The new format also wipes out the Power 4 conference games, which include the Big 10, Big 12, ACC and SEC conferences.
Under the structure ESPN outlined, the top eight seeds would receive a first-round bye and then play a home game in the second round. Seeds 8 through 16 would host first-round playoff games against the 17 through 24 seeds.
The Big 12 has already been leaning in this direction for months. On May 28, the Associated Press reported that all Big 12 coaches supported a 24-team setup rather than the current 12-team field.
Houston head coach Willie Fritz addressed the expansion during a press conference on Nov. 9.
“I think it gives more people access,” Fritz said. “I think people are thirsty for college football and quality games, and that will certainly give you more.”
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark also made clear how strongly the conference has pushed for a larger field.
“The Big 12 has consistently advocated for greater access to the College Football Playoff and a 24-team format delivers more opportunities for programs to compete for a national championship,” Yormark said.
For Houston, the timing makes the discussion especially relevant. The Cougars are No. 17 in the CFP rankings and No. 14 in the AP poll. With Texas Tech, BYU and Utah ranked ahead of them, ESPN analytics give Houston at least an 11% chance to reach the Big 12 Championship game and a 4% chance to make the playoff.
In Other News...
Houston Suddenly Has A Real CFP Path Fans Can Finally See
The College Football Playoff is getting a major overhaul starting with the 2027-28 season, and for a program like Houston, the change could matter a great deal. Under the new agreement between the CFP and ESPN, the field will grow from 12 teams to 24, a shift that opens the door for more programs outside the usual power-center of the sport to stay in the national title conversation.
For the Cougars, currently ranked No. 14, that kind of expansion could turn a distant dream into a realistic path. Houston is outside the 12-team bracket right now, but the larger format would likely put the Cougars in position to qualify, and the new setup also removes the old requirement of winning a conference championship just to get in. For a fan base looking for a clearer route to the playoff, that is a meaningful change even if the full payoff is still a few seasons away. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Lands An Early Guard Commitment Fans Will Want To Track
Houston added an early piece to its future backcourt when Darrell Davis signed a scholarship agreement to join the mens basketball program beginning in the 2027-28 season. The highly ranked point guard from SPIRE Academy in Ohio becomes the first student-athlete in the Class of 2027 to sign with the Cougars, giving Kelvin Sampson and his staff a head start on a player they clearly view as more than just a long-range project.
Sampsons praise for Davis centered on both his skills and his leadership qualities, the kind of combination that tends to matter in Houstons system. It is still early in the process, but landing a guard this far out gives the Cougars an intriguing name to monitor as the class develops and the program continues shaping its future roster. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Just Strengthened Kelvin Sampsons Future Backcourt Again
Houstons backcourt pipeline got another boost with the addition of Oneal Delancy, a guard from Montverde Academy who has signed a scholarship agreement to join the program starting in the 2027-28 season. The Cougars have made a habit of stacking talent well ahead of time, and Delancy fits the profile of the kind of recruit Kelvin Sampson and his staff like to identify early: skilled, highly regarded, and already carrying a strong reputation in both AAU and high school basketball.
What stands out with Delancy is that this is not just about rankings. The Houston staff and others around the game have praised both his ability and his character, which matters in a program that has built its identity on toughness, discipline and continuity. With this latest commitment, the Cougars have added another piece to a future backcourt that already looks like it could stay deep and dangerous for years to come. [Read more 🡒]