Tennessee Football: Jeremy Pruitt is against a CFP expansion

Ever since the College Football Playoff has made its debut, people have been talking about expansion. Jeremy Pruitt is one of many against it.

For the past couple of years, I have been an advocate for expanding the College Football Playoff field. I want to see it become an eight-team playoff mostly because I want more good matchups to fuel my football needs.

Others have advocated for a playoff expansion to 16 teams. Washington State head coach Mike Leach is one of those advocates, and he’s been vocal about it.

Then, others believe it should stay the same. I’m not against it staying a four-team playoff; I just prefer it to be eight teams.

Jeremy Pruitt is an advocate for keeping the playoff field the same. We learned this due to ESPN asking college football coaches their opinions on the playoff.

ESPN polled 61 total coaches, and Pruitt was one of 23 coaches that believe everything should stay the same. Nine of those 23 coaches currently coach in the SEC.

ESPN also polled the coaches if they believe that all Power 5 schools should play a similar schedule in difficulty. The ACC, PAC-12, BIG TEN, BIG 12, and Notre Dame (representing independents) all said that they believe everyone should play an equal schedule.

The SEC is the only conference that almost unanimously voted against it. Ten coaches said no, and one coach said yes. ESPN didn’t specify who voted for yes or no, but they did include a quote from Pruitt.

"“I worry a little bit about gettting rid of the old rivalries. It’s already now in the SEC, you’re not guaranteed as a student-athlete, if you come to Tennessee you’re not guaranteed to play at Texas A&M in a four-year period,” Pruitt told ESPN. By not being able to do that, it possibly eliminates some of the experience, or somebody coming to play at Neyland Stadium. Buit I do think from a conference standpoint I think we have a great system in what we use to determine a champion, and I think it’s fair.”"

Out of the 61 coaches polled, 51 said they trust the selection committee to make the right decisions and get the four best teams in college football in the playoff.

Six coaches chose not to comment, and four coaches said they do not trust the committee. Those four coaches are Willie Taggart, Jim Harbaugh, Mike Leach, and Gary Patterson.

If the NCAA takes what the coaches say into account when they’re deciding if the playoff field should be expanded to eight teams or more, I think it’ll play a big part.

If the SEC were to be against a playoff expansion, I would have to say that I don’t think an expansion will happen. I think the NCAA needs the SEC to be in the playoff to make as much money as possible, and they’re going to do what they can to keep them happy.

I, personally, think the playoff field should be expanded, but I find it interesting that Pruitt amo.ng most other SEC coaches are against it.

With the SEC, I would assume that the coaches not at Alabama or Georgia would want an expansion, so they have a better chance at sneaking in with a larger field.

The CFP committee will be releasing its first rankings on Tuesday night as the CFP season is officially here. Every game from here on out could change the course of the college football season for a