Handshake Agreement Moves 24-Team College Football Playoff Closer
A "handshake agreement" between the College Football Playoff and ESPN has brought a 24-team playoff format for college football closer to reality.
Greenville New Bern Washington, NC, October 16, 2026 —
A reported “handshake agreement” between the College Football Playoff and ESPN has moved a 24-team format for college football’s playoff closer to reality, according to the available summary. The summary does not provide details about the agreement or say when it was reached.
The development is described as bringing the expanded format closer to reality, but the information provided does not establish when a 24-team playoff could begin or whether a final format has been approved. It also does not explain how teams would qualify, how the bracket would be arranged or what role ESPN would have under the agreement.
No representatives are named, and no direct statements or quotations are included. The financial terms, if any, are not provided. The summary also does not specify whether the agreement is written, identify any remaining steps, or describe responses from other parties.
As a result, the reported agreement signals movement toward a larger playoff field, but the available information leaves the practical details unresolved. Further specifics would be needed to establish the format’s schedule, selection process and implementation. No dates, terms or additional decisions can be confirmed from the summary alone.
Story summarized from the original created by EDDIE PELLS, Associated Press on www.wnct.com, see more information here.
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