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Deion Sanders backs 24-team College Football Playoff expansion: 'That would be tremendous'

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Every Power Four conference has sounded off on the future of College Football Playoff expansion, with all but the SEC publicly backing the Big Ten-proposed 24-team format. Last week, Big 12 football coaches unanimously voted to support the 24-team model during the conference’s annual Spring meetings.

Fourth-year Colorado head coach Deion Sanders doubled down on that support Tuesday during a conversation with Front Office Sports. Sanders specifically cited the inherent benefits a 24-team Playoff would provide the Big 12.

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“It would be nice. … I would love 24, that would be tremendous,” Sanders told Front Office Sports. “If you would’ve had 24 teams a year ago, a multitude of teams from the Big 12 would have been participating in the Playoffs, which would have been perfect for the Big 12. And that’s what we’re standing on. I would love that. I don’t know if we’re going to attain that, but I would love that number.”

As Sanders suggests, no Power Four conference would have benefited more from a 24-team Playoff than the Big 12 last season. Based on last year’s final CFP Rankings on Selection Sunday, the Big 12 would have added four more teams — conference runner-up BYU (No. 12), Utah (No. 15), Arizona (No. 17) and Houston (No. 21) — to the field, which already included Texas Tech as the No. 4 overall seed as Big 12 champions.

Proponents for the 24-team format argue it creates more opportunity within the Power Four conferences. Based on the 2025 rankings, the SEC would still lead with seven bids, followed closely by six for the Big Ten and five for the Big 12. The ACC, meanwhile, would only add conference runner-up Virginia (No. 19), with surprise league champion Duke still not making the field after finishing 2025 unranked.

More on College Football Playoff expansion

College Football Playoff expansion remains a hot topic as the offseason continues. In addition to three of the power conferences and Notre Dame, the American Football Coaches Association has also voiced support for a 24-team bracket.

However, the SEC remains an apparent holdout. Commissioner Greg Sankey stressed the need to “do the homework” on expanding the field that much as the conference gets ready for its own spring meetings in Destin next week.

The SEC’s stance is notable considering the league and the Big Ten have the bulk of the control when it comes to the CFP’s future. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said the league stands staunchly in favor of a 24-team model and is willing to stay at 12 teams if necessary.

— On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.