Nick Saban Offers Opinion on Expanding College Football Playoff

When asked about the potential of a College Football Playoff expansion, Alabama coach Nick Saban made his opinion clear: It doesn't add up. 

While Saban didn't agree with a reporter's assessment that Alabama's 27–6 semifinal win over No. 4 Cincinnati was a blowout, the seven-time national champion said he wasn't necessarily in favor of expansion. 

"I can't speak to the other game, but it was a really hard fought game for us, I think," Saban said during media availability on Monday, per Tuscaloosa News. "And we have a tremendous amount of respect for the team that we played."

"I don't know that expanding — if this is the best four teams and they played each other, I don't see the logic in, 'if we had more teams, there would be better games.' I don't know how that adds up. But I'm really not in position to answer that."

Watch NCAA football games online all season long with fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!

Saban added he thinks expanding the CFP could further lessen the importance of the remaining bowl games, something he said the sport has already experienced. 

"There's a lot of other good teams that, whether it was their consistency and performance or whatever happened to them in championship games or whatever, may have had the opportunity to get in the playoffs that didn't," Saban said. "But the more we expand the playoffs, the more we minimize bowl games, the importance of bowl games, which I said when we went before. So I don't think that's changed, and I think it's also come to fruition."

Alabama will face Georgia in the national title game on Jan. 10 in a rematch of the SEC championship game, which Alabama won 41–24. It will also be a rematch of the thrilling 2017 CFP national championship game that the Crimson Tide won in overtime. 

For more Alabama coverage, head over to Bama Central.

Sports Illustrated may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.