Nick Saban speaks truth on CFP expansion: ‘There’s not 24 teams’ that can win a national title, but money wins

Nick Saban has criticised the planned expansion of the College Football Playoff from 12 teams to 24, arguing that too few teams are realistic national title contenders to justify such a large field. He says the move is driven mainly by money and could weaken the value of conference championships.

Saban said a 16-team playoff might be reasonable, but 24 teams would add too many games for players and could create match-ups between much lower-ranked teams and top seeds. He also warned that expanding the playoff would mean losing conference title games, which he described as important traditions for players and fans. The change is expected in 2027, as organisers and ESPN negotiate a new television rights agreement.