Throughout his illustrious coaching career, Nick Saban was never one to shy away from sharing his opinions on college football.
In his most recent appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” the seven-time national championship-winning coach delved into some of the potential downsides of the new 12-team College Football Playoff format.
Under the expanded playoff system, the top five ranked conference champions will automatically qualify for the postseason. The top four conference champions will receive a bye in the first round. Saban expressed concerns that this approach could lead to unintended consequences.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Nick Saban sits on the ESPN College Gameday set prior to the NCAA football game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.
“By granting conference champions a bye, even when they aren’t the top-ranked teams, the path to the championship could be impacted,” he asserted.
NICK SABAN DISHES HILARIOUS COMMENT REGARDING OHIO STATE’S $20 MILLION NIL FOOTBALL ROSTER
“And when teams aren’t seeded based on their overall season performance…” he continued. “The number one seed should ideally have the easiest route to the championship, which might not happen if conference champions are seeded in the top-four despite not being among the top four teams.”
The past week’s college football matchups saw a number of surprising outcomes. Alabama fell to Oklahoma, Florida upset Ole Miss, and Auburn defeated Texas A&M. Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M will all conclude the regular season with three losses.
Sep 7, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Nick Saban walks off the field after it was renamed in his honor at Bryant-Denny Stadium during halftime of Alabama’s win over South Florida 42-16. (Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
Saban raised objections to three-loss teams being included in the playoff. “It’s difficult to justify rewarding a team with three losses,” Saban stated. “Especially considering the losses Ole Miss and Alabama suffered against subpar teams. These teams may not have faced the same caliber of opponents, but they also didn’t lose to average teams.”
Alabama head coach Nick Saban speaks during NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
According to Saban, the Georgia Bulldogs are the only potential three-loss team deserving serious playoff consideration. Georgia is set to face Georgia Tech with two losses, followed by the SEC Championship game against the winner of the Texas-Texas A&M matchup this weekend. If Georgia loses in the championship game, Saban believes they should still be in contention for the playoff.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“If Georgia competes in the SEC Championship Game and loses, they shouldn’t be penalized,” Saban explained. “Finishing with three losses shouldn’t eliminate them from playoff consideration. On the other hand, a team with two losses that didn’t play in the championship game shouldn’t get in, especially if they put up a good fight and the game wasn’t a blowout.”
Oregon maintained its top ranking in the latest playoff standings, with Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, and Notre Dame making up the top five.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
