24-team CFP will squeeze bowl games. Which ones survive?

Key Points:

• The expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams in 2026 threatens the traditional bowl game ecosystem by reducing the number of available bowl-eligible teams, potentially leading to fewer bowl games overall.
• Top-tier non-playoff bowls like the Pop-Tarts, Citrus, ReliaQuest, Alamo, and Gator Bowls could lose participants to the expanded playoff, with the SEC and Big Ten conferences particularly impacted due to more teams qualifying for the playoff.
• Bowl executives remain confident that bowl games will survive by adapting through increased entertainment value, social engagement, and sponsorship involvement, despite uncertainties about future conference tie-ins and postseason structures.
• Recent bowl seasons have experienced strong television viewership, indicating continued fan interest and network support, which is crucial for the survival and evolution of bowl games amid the playoff expansion.
• While the bowl landscape will change, with some games possibly featuring lower-ranked teams, bowl organizers emphasize that postseason opportunities remain important and that the bowl tradition will continue in a new form.