Main Story: College football’s bowl system is facing a major reset as the playoff moves toward a 24-team field in 2027, which would pull 12 more teams out of the bowl pool. Bowl leaders expect postseason games to remain, but the number, matchups and TV arrangements are unsettled. Conferences and their media partners will largely determine what survives as existing bowl and TV contracts expire after this season.

By the Numbers
  • The proposed playoff expansion would add 12 teams, taking the field to 24 in 2027.
  • There are 35 bowl games; 12 additional playoff teams would come mostly from Power Four conferences.
  • Non-playoff bowls on ESPN averaged 3.1 million viewers last season, up 13% year over year.
  • The top 10 non-playoff bowls featuring Power Four teams paid out more than $50 million combined last season.
Yes, But

Strong ratings and ESPN’s profitable bowl operations support keeping many games. But an expanded playoff could siphon off premium teams and audience, while declining attendance and uncertainty over TV rights and sponsorships make it harder for bowls to plan.

State of Play
  • Current bowl and conference agreements, along with their TV deals, expire after this season.
  • A proposal would create a 10-bowl Power Four consortium, with conferences controlling and potentially selling the TV rights.
  • ESPN owns and operates 17 bowls; Bowl Season’s executive director expects most to continue.
What’s Next

Once the playoff format is formally announced, conferences and bowl officials expect serious negotiations before year’s end. They will need to settle the number of games, matchups, scheduling, conference affiliations and funding before the 2027 season.

Bottom Line

Bowl season is unlikely to disappear, but tradition alone won’t protect every game. Its future depends on whether conferences and broadcasters can build a compelling, financially sustainable postseason around a much larger playoff.