The Houston Cougars are No. 14 in the College Football Playoff rankings, which leaves them outside of the 12-team format.

However, the playoff will expand to a 24-team format beginning in the 2027 season.

The Cougars would be in the field instead of out of it, giving Houston a chance to compete for a national championship.

How Things Could Change

On Nov. 9, CFP and ESPN have agreed to a five-year deal that is worth nearly $1.7 billion. The deal is to expand the playoffs yoff to 24 teams instead of the current 12, starting in the 2027-2028 season.

This season will remain as a 12-team playoff but this does give Houston high hopes for next year.

Using the 24-team format, Houston would comfortably fit in the field and in a conversation as a team playing for seeding. Houston's path to this year's Big 12 Championship game is crowded with competition.

Utah, Texas Tech and BYU not only boast better records but also a higher rank in the AP top 25, leaving them as the predicted contenders for the title game.

That's changing next year. Under the new 24-team format, teams ranked where Houston is have a higher chance of making it without the need for the conference title.

The top eight seeds would have earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the second round. Seeds 9-16 would play a first-round game, with those teams playing at home against seeds 17-24.

The 24-team playoff removes the need for conference championship wins, which gives teams like Houston a chance to make their case to be in the playoff. The Cougars beat Cincinnati 31-24 on Nov. 7, improved to 7-2, and got ranked No. 14 in the AP poll.

The 2015 Houston Cougars showed how much the playoff format shaped the program's chances. The team won the American Athletic Conference and ranked No. 18 in the final ranking on Selection Day, which was released on Dec. 6, when the playoff consisted of four teams.

Houston went on to beat Florida State 38-24 in the Peach Bowl and finished the season with a 13-1 record. However, the Cougars never reached the Playoff.

Under this year's rules, the climb for Houston is extremely tough without a conference title under its belt. However, under next year's rules and an expanded playoff format, head coach Willie Fritz and his team could put together a season that gets the program there in 2027.