The 'Lincoln Riley Act': College Football's Playoff Is Doubling to 24 Teams — and the Internet Named It Instantly

The short answer

The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand from 12 teams to 24 teams starting with the 2027 season. The deal is not final yet, but multiple reports say the framework is in place — and fans online have already given it a nickname: the "Lincoln Riley Act," a joke aimed at USC head coach Lincoln Riley, whose Trojans have still never reached the playoff.

What happened?

ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported on Thursday that the College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand its field to 24 teams, according to USA Today and Sports Illustrated. That would double the current 12-team format, which is only in its third season after replacing the original four-team playoff in 2024.

The College Football Playoff itself has not announced a done deal. In its public statement, the CFP said: "Constructive discussions with ESPN continued this week," and promised further updates on the future format and media rights "when appropriate." ESPN is expected to buy the rights to the additional games through 2031, the same end date as its current playoff deal, according to both USA Today and Sports Illustrated.

How would a 24-team playoff work?

The proposed field: 19 at-large bids, the four Power 4 conference champions as determined by each league, and the highest-ranked Group of 6 team. That breakdown has been reported consistently by USA Today, Sports Illustrated and FOX Sports.

Byes and home games: Teams seeded No. 1 through No. 8 would earn a first-round bye followed by a home game. Teams seeded No. 9 through No. 16 would host first-round games. So the No. 1 seed, for example, would face the winner of the No. 16 vs. No. 17 game.

What disappears: The expansion is expected to eliminate the Power 4 conference championship games, and it would move the start of the regular season up by about a week to fit the extra round into December. The New Year's Six bowls are still expected to host the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the national championship game remaining in January.

The Big Ten had pushed for 24 teams over the past year while the SEC resisted, according to USA Today — which is why 2026 is still played under the 12-team format.

Why is it blowing up? Enter the "Lincoln Riley Act"

On Thursday night, an Oregon fan referred to the new 24-team format as the "Lincoln Riley Act," according to The Spun. The joke spread quickly, with SportsGossip also tracking the post and the wave of replies that followed it.

The joke lands for a simple reason: USC has still never made the College Football Playoff. Doubling the field to 24 spots makes it sound, to rival fans, like the sport had to widen the door dramatically — and they picked Riley's name for the door.

Fans piled on in the replies quoted by The Spun. "Lincoln Riley and USC will still find a way to not make the 24-team College Football Playoff," one fan said. Another added: "If he can make it through this season with his job intact, he may never get fired. Would be really funny if he still misses the CFP next year, though."

USC fans do have a comeback: The Spun notes the Trojans are 6-1 and still in contention even under the current 12-team format. Riley does not need 24 teams to silence the joke — he needs a strong finish this fall.

Why this matters beyond the meme

A 24-team playoff changes what a good season means. Under 24, late-November games that currently fight for bowl positioning would carry playoff stakes, and finishing No. 8 instead of No. 9 would be worth an entire extra round of rest. It also trades tradition for inventory: lucrative conference title games would be replaced by a national bracket played largely on campus in the early rounds — which is exactly why fans are arguing both sides.

What's next?

Watch for final approval and a formal CFP announcement. Until then, treat the 24-team bracket as the expected 2027 format — widely reported, but not yet officially finalized. And watch USC: every win makes the joke age worse, every loss makes it trend again.

FAQ

Is the College Football Playoff really expanding to 24 teams?

It is nearing a deal to do so starting in 2027, according to ESPN reporting cited by USA Today, Sports Illustrated and FOX Sports. The deal has not been formally finalized or announced by the CFP yet.

How would the 24-team College Football Playoff format work?

The reported field is 19 at-large teams, the four Power 4 champions, and the top Group of 6 team. Seeds 1-8 would get a first-round bye and then a home game, while seeds 9-16 would host first-round games.

Why do fans call it the "Lincoln Riley Act"?

An Oregon fan coined the joke on social media on Thursday night. It teases USC coach Lincoln Riley because USC has never reached the playoff, so a doubled field jokingly looks custom-built to finally let the Trojans in.

What happens to conference championship games?

Under the reported plan, the Power 4 conference championship games would be eliminated to make room in the December calendar, and the regular season would start about a week earlier.

Sources: USA Today, Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports, The Spun, SportsGossip