Saban: 24-Team CFP Expansion Could Lower Standards
Nick Saban and analysts voice concerns over College Football Playoff expansion to 24 teams.
3 min read
ESPN’s College GameDay crew voiced strong concerns over the reported 24-team College Football Playoff expansion, which is set to begin in 2027. Seven-time national champion Nick Saban was among the most vocal critics, expressing his reservations about the change.
Saban: Not 24 Teams Deserve Playoff Spot
“There’s not 24 teams in the country that deserve to be in the playoffs,” Saban said. “I don’t think there’s 24 teams in the country that can win the championship.”
“There’s not 24 teams in the country that deserve to be in the playoffs … I don’t think there’s 24 teams in the country that can win the championship.”
Saban also highlighted the potential consequences of the expansion, stating that it would lower the bar for playoff entries and raise expectations for fans. “We’ve now lowered the bar to get into the playoffs with 24 teams, and we’re going to raise the expectation from fans to get into the game,” he added. “Where lots of coaches think this is going to give me job security if I get in the playoffs, it’s also going to create an expectation that if you don’t get into the playoff, we’re going to fire your ass.”
The GameDay crew weighs in on what a 24-team College Football Playoff could mean for the future of the sport. https://t.co/5vjDe3omxj
Analysts Warn of Loss of Passion
ESPN’s top college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit expressed concern that doubling the amount of postseason teams would “diminish those meaningful games that we get excited about.” He noted the potential loss of the “win and advance, lose and you’re out” format, which he believes is vital to the sport’s appeal.
“The passion of college football will always carry itself, but I hate that feeling of win and advance, lose and you’re out, taking that away,” Herbstreit said.
Sport & State has you covered for ALL the biggest games today 🔥
Heisman Winner Questions Schedule and Athlete Unionization
Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard raised questions about the impact of the expanded playoff on the college football calendar, calling it “starting to creep toward an NFL-style schedule.” He also brought up the topic of athlete unionization, noting that these voices have not yet been heard in the conversation.
Pat McAfee: Fans Could Lose Love for College Football
Pat McAfee, a former NFL player and current analyst, warned that the expansion could lead to a loss of fan interest. “There’s going to be some positives, there’s going to be some negatives, but the drawbacks from college football fans can’t affect the power of college football, which is its environment, its tradition, its pageantry,” he said. “These fans, if you turn these people off, college football is no longer college football — it’s just another sport. That’s the fear … is that you’re going to piss these fans off with such radical change that they’re somehow going to fall out of love with something that’s so special.”
SEC Nation is ready to go in Knoxville for the Third Saturday in October!
GameDay Highlights and Contests
Sport & State is providing behind-the-scenes footage and gameday coverage during Saturday’s college football slate. On his second field goal attempt, BYU freshman Carter Smith nailed a shot worth $3 million as part of McAfee’s “Kicking Is Easy” contest on GameDay. I mean, you kinda have to make it if you’re wearing a Spider-Man costume.
Indiana’s famous “The Walk” ahead of today’s massive showdown with Ohio State 🔴⚪️ https://t.co/mPF2ZA2bxi
Now comes the all-important question for the aspiring dentist — what to do with all of the money ?
The Scene for No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana is ELITE https://t.co/zdNVQk3TcB
Before we let you go, check out this video below. What’s not to love about the BYU mascot Cosmos blackflipping before dawn with fire weights?
HE JUST NAILED A FIELD GOAL WORTH $3 MILLION 😱🔥
COSMO’S BACKFLIPPING WITH FIRE WEIGHTS 😭🔥
Source: Daily Wire
