Nick Saban isn’t one to mince words, and on Thursday, the legendary former Alabama head coach made it clear: he doesn’t believe Group of Five teams like James Madison or Tulane belong in the College Football Playoff - at least not at the expense of traditional powerhouses.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Saban laid out a vision for the future of the CFP that doesn’t include G5 teams competing alongside the sport’s biggest brands. His argument? It’s not about disrespect - it’s about competitive balance, fan interest, and, yes, money.
“These guys ought to have their own Playoff,” Saban said bluntly. “It’s all about money.
Just give them the money. … Just give them $4 million and put Notre Dame in.
You want to see Notre Dame and Oregon play? Hell yeah.
Hell yeah.”
That sentiment cuts right to the heart of a long-running debate in college football: should merit alone - regardless of conference affiliation - be enough to earn a Playoff berth? Or should the CFP prioritize matchups that draw national eyeballs and deliver competitive games?
Saban’s not alone in raising eyebrows at this year’s field. Oregon, the No. 4 seed, is currently a 20.5-point favorite over James Madison, according to BetMGM.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ model isn’t quite as dramatic, but it still projects a 15-point Ducks win. Meanwhile, both first-round matchups involving Group of Five teams have spreads north of 17 points.
That’s not exactly the recipe for edge-of-your-seat drama.
To drive his point home, Saban reached for a baseball analogy.
“Would we allow the winner of the AAA baseball league, the International League… would you let them in the World Series? They don’t,” he said.
“That’s the equivalent of what we do when JMU gets into the College Football Playoff and Notre Dame doesn’t. I mean, I don’t want to start any shit here.”
Of course, that’s exactly what he did - and rightfully so. This is a conversation the college football world has been circling for years, and now, with two G5 teams in the Playoff, it’s front and center again.
McAfee pushed back slightly, noting that last year’s inclusion of Boise State was largely viewed as a win for the sport - a Cinderella story that added intrigue without derailing the integrity of the bracket. But this year feels different. Two G5 teams, both heavy underdogs, have some wondering whether the pendulum has swung too far.
Saban, for his part, hopes the results - particularly if they end in lopsided losses - lead to another reevaluation of the format.
“I hope we learn each year from this how we can make it better,” he said.
There’s no denying James Madison and Tulane had strong seasons. JMU finished the regular season ranked No. 24 in the CFP Top 25; Tulane landed at No.
- But Notre Dame, ranked No. 11, was the highest team left out.
BYU, Texas, and Vanderbilt were also on the outside looking in.
“To me, if you’re not in the top 15, I don’t care what league you play in, you shouldn’t be in the Playoffs,” Saban said. “JMU, whoever it is, if you’re not in the top 15 - Power (4), Group of 5 - it doesn’t matter. Because you’re taking somebody out of the Playoffs that deserved to be in.”
That’s the crux of Saban’s frustration. In his view, the current format isn’t just rewarding underdogs - it’s punishing more deserving teams.
For every G5 team that sneaks in, there’s a blue-blood program left out. And while the underdog story is great in theory, it loses its shine when the games aren’t close.
So as the Playoff kicks off, all eyes will be on teams like James Madison and Tulane - not just to see if they can pull off the upset, but to see if they belong in this conversation at all. Because if they don’t, you can bet Nick Saban - and plenty of others - will be ready to push for change. Again.