Momentum has increased to expand the College Football Playoff beyond 12 teams.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White said at Tennessee’s Big Orange Caravan on April 29 at Marathon Music Works in Nashville that he’d like that number to be on the higher end.
“I’d like to see it go to 24 (teams),” he said. “I think if you look at the percentage (of postseason teams) in football, it’s significantly less than every other sport. The expanded playoff, I’ve always been an advocate for it since way before I came to Tennessee.”
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Fans wait for the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Fans wait for players to arrive during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Players walk during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Smokey greets a family during the Vol Walk, before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.The Volunteer waves the Power T flag during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.The Pride of the Southland Band performs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.At right, VFL Alontae Taylor walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Players huddle on the field after the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.A young fan asks Smokey to sign his football during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop (18) greets fans during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.David Sanders Jr. walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.Players sign autographs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.A young fan reaches out for a high-five during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.1 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldTennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.1 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldTennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.2 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldFans wait for the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.3 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldFans wait for players to arrive during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.4 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldPlayers walk during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.5 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldSmokey greets a family during the Vol Walk, before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.6 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldThe Volunteer waves the Power T flag during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.7 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldThe Pride of the Southland Band performs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.8 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldAt right, VFL Alontae Taylor walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.9 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldPlayers huddle on the field after the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.10 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldA young fan asks Smokey to sign his football during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.11 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldTennessee’s DeSean Bishop (18) greets fans during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.12 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldDavid Sanders Jr. walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.13 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldPlayers sign autographs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.14 / 14See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the fieldA young fan reaches out for a high-five during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.More: Why Kim Caldwell called rebuilding entire Lady Vols basketball roster 'fantastic'
More: Why Tennessee AD Danny White called NCAA Tournament expansion to 76 teams 'appropriate'
The CFP will remain at 12 teams for the 2026 season, but ESPN's Pete Thamel reported in February that Big Ten leaders were circulating a document projecting what a 24-team playoff would look like.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and other leaders have advocated for 16 teams, with five conference champions and 11 at-large bids in the field.
“I thought (expansion) would be better for the regular season," White said. "There were a lot of naysayers that said it would decimate the regular season, and what happened? We had higher ratings in the regular season than we’ve ever had, particularly in the back one-third of the regular season when more teams are in the hunt, which is healthy.”
Five SEC teams made the 12-team CFP field in 2025, and White believes the SEC should have more schools in the running.
“A bigger percentage of SEC teams and a bigger percentage of just FBS teams in general should qualify for the postseason if we’re going to crown a national champion that way, and we clearly are,” he said.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also contributes to The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee AD Danny White wants 24 College Football Playoff teams