Surprising reason why Phillip Fulmer opposes 24-team playoff for Tennessee

Tennessee would’ve made as many as 13 College Football Playoff appearances in 16 seasons under coach Phillip Fulmer if a 24-team bracket existed back then. Perhaps that realization helped turn Fulmer from a playoff critic to a supporter in recent years. He grew to like the four-team playoff and eventually the 12-team format.

And he could be in favor of expanding to 16 teams. But a 24-team playoff? That may be one step too far for the last coach to lead the Vols to a national championship.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do. (SEC) commissioner (Greg) Sankey is pretty dead set on sticking with 16 teams (in an anticipated expansion). I think that's a good number," Fulmer said.

"But if you go to 24, you might as well let everybody in because you’re almost taking the whole top 25. I wouldn’t like that. ” Fulmer shared his thoughts with Knox News while promoting his annual charity golf tournament, which has raised more than $3 million for Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley.