Nick Saban’s legacy as the greatest college football coach of all time is cemented. That’s not up for debate. But now that he’s traded the headset for a microphone, we’re seeing a different side of him-one that’s not afraid to stir the pot from behind the ESPN desk.
His latest comments on the College Football Playoff selection process? Let’s just say he didn’t exactly tread lightly.
Speaking on the inclusion of Group of Five programs like James Madison and Tulane over a traditional powerhouse like Notre Dame, Saban didn’t hold back.
“Look, would we allow the winner of the Triple-A baseball league… in the World Series playoffs?” he said. “That’s the equivalent of what we do when JMU gets into the College Football Playoff, and Notre Dame doesn’t.”
Saban went on to suggest that Group of Five teams should have their own playoff, separate from the Power Five contenders. “If it’s all about money, just give them the money,” he said.
“Give them $4 million and put Notre Dame in. You want to see Notre Dame and Oregon play?
Hell yeah.”
It was a classic Saban moment-blunt, unapologetic, and rooted in his old-school belief system about who belongs on the sport’s biggest stage. But it also raises a bigger question: what exactly is college football trying to be?
There’s no doubt the playoff system is still a work in progress. It’s messy.
It’s controversial. And it’s never going to please everyone.
But dismissing programs like JMU and Tulane as if they don’t belong at the table misses the spirit of competition that college football is supposed to be about.
Sure, the odds of either of those teams winning it all are slim. But the same could be said for plenty of Power Five teams that sneak into the bracket each year.
That’s the beauty-and the chaos-of the playoff. It’s about opportunity, not just pedigree.
Saban’s comments echo a familiar refrain from some corners of the sport: that Cinderella teams are fine for March Madness, but not for college football. FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt made a similar argument, suggesting that the inclusion of underdogs waters down the postseason.
But history tells us otherwise. In college basketball, programs like Butler, Gonzaga, and San Diego State have shown they can hang with the big boys-and even beat them.
Why can’t that happen in football?
Now, let’s be clear: Saban isn’t wrong to question the system. He’s seen more of it than most, and his voice still carries weight.
But the timing-11 days after the bracket was announced-feels more like a hot take than a constructive critique. And while his presence on ESPN’s College GameDay adds gravitas, there’s a fine line between insightful analysis and simply fanning the flames.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a legendary coach transition into the media world and struggle to find the right tone. Lou Holtz’s post-coaching career was filled with head-scratching moments, and it’s fair to wonder if Saban is headed down a similar path.
The difference is, Saban still commands attention. When he talks, people listen.
But here’s the thing: college football doesn’t need more noise. It needs solutions.
The playoff system has flaws, no doubt. Leaving out a 10-2 Notre Dame team in favor of Group of Five champions isn’t a clean decision.
But it’s also not as simple as Saban makes it out to be. These programs earned their shot.
They won the games on their schedule. And if they get steamrolled in the semifinals?
So be it. At least they got the chance.
In the end, the national title will probably go to a blue blood-Ohio State, Georgia, someone in that tier. JMU and Tulane will likely be footnotes, not headliners.
But their presence in the playoff still matters. It challenges the status quo.
It forces the sport to think bigger.
And that’s something even Nick Saban should appreciate.
Because if college football is ever going to grow into the inclusive, competitive, and truly national sport it wants to be, it can’t just cater to the same handful of programs every year. It has to leave the door open-even just a crack-for the underdogs to break through.
And whether Saban likes it or not, that’s part of what makes this game so great.