There is big news in the college football world, as Tennessee football is going to benefit significantly from a new rule change in the SEC.
This morning, Ross Dellinger of Yahoo Sports reported that the SEC Presidents voted to increase the scholarship limit for every member school to 105 from 85.
SEC presidents voted to increase the number of maximum scholarships available to football rosters from 85 to 105, sources tell @YahooSports.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 5, 2025
As part of the House settlement, schools are permitted to increase scholarships to 105 in football, but the SEC last year remained at 85.
How does Tennessee football benefit
The most significant development from the new rule change is that it allows Tennessee to have a deeper roster. Roster spots that would go to walk-ons can now be used for better scholarship players. This allows Josh Heupel to recruit more talented players and hold a deeper roster top to bottom.
One of my favorite sayings is "iron sharpens iron." With the opportunity Heupel has now to build a deeper roster, it will pay dividends during spring ball and throughout the season.
Position battles are known to push each player to their max, and having an extra 20 legit players on the roster will make everyone around them better. It's no secret that football is a violent game, and injuries are inevitable. Tennessee now has an opportunity to be better equipped for these.
What fans should really be excited about is the possibility of even better recruiting classes from the Volunteers' football program. After just signing his best class in school history, Josh Heupel now has a chance to snag even more high school and portal talent.
This new rule that passed today now sets the stage for an even more exciting offseason for Tennessee football fans. Stay tuned Volunteer nation, the fun is just getting started.