What Danny White said about Tennessee hosting CFP game, Lane Kiffin back in Knoxville

Tennessee athletics director Danny White revealed during an interview with The Sports Animal on November 11 that much of the groundwork for Neyland Stadium hosting a College Football Playoff game has already been laid out. In 2024, Tennessee finished the season as the ninth-seeded team and played away against Ohio State in the first round. This year, however, Tennessee is a top-ranked team, currently No. 8 in the CFP rankings.

If the season concluded today, the Vols would host Indiana in the first round of the playoffs. White stated that even though significant work went into preparing for the 2024 playoff game, they are not ruling out the possibility of revisiting the idea. He added that they are working on a template for what hosting a home playoff game at Neyland Stadium entails.

Lane Kiffin's return to Knoxville as the Tennessee football coach has generated excitement among fans. The last time Kiffin visited Neyland Stadium was in 2021 when Ole Miss fans caused chaos after the game, leaving trash on the field. White anticipates a more welcoming crowd this time around, mentioning, "I expect to not get a penalty from our fans and I don't think we'll have that kind of activity.

I certainly hope not." He emphasized that the focus should be on winning the game and creating a thrilling atmosphere, rather than dwelling on past incidents.