Nick Saban backs College Football Playoff expansion

As college football's decision makers contemplate expanding the playoff system again, the sport's most accomplished head coach appears to endorse the idea.

Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nick Saban wasn’t always in favor of expanding the College Football Playoff, but it sounds like the former coach and current analyst has changed his mind.

“I was never for expanding the playoff because I thought bowl games were really important to the history and tradition of college football,” Saban said.

“Now that we have expanded the playoff, the bowl games have taken a less significant role. So I think expanding the playoff and having as many teams involved as we can without playing too many games for the players, I think that’s a little bit of a concern, that’s probably a good thing.”

Saban’s comments come at a time when college football’s decision makers are actively entertaining another expansion of the playoff format to 14 or 16 teams. The current postseason features 12 teams, which debuted last year.

Commissioners from the Power Four conference held a meeting last weekend to discuss a potential expansion of the playoff system, with a 16-team model gaining support.

The proposed 16-team bracket would feature four automatic bids each for the SEC and Big Ten, while the ACC and Big 12 would receive two places each, the Group of Five’s best team would get one, and finally three at-large bids.

--