In a twist, Alabama has been shut out of the 2024 College Football Playoff, and Nick Saban has some thoughts on that.
The former Alabama head coach turned analyst spoke on ESPN on Saturday, minutes after it was announced that SMU would take the final CFP spot over the Crimson Tide. While speaking about the CFP committee’s decision, Saban opined on whether Alabama’s inaction sets a precedent for future teams in terms of scheduling.
“If we don’t take the strength of the schedule into account, is there any benefit to scheduling really good teams in the future?” Saban said. “Here in Alabama, we have to play Notre Dame, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Florida State outside of the league in the future. Well, those are great games for fans to see, and that’s what I think we have to do in the future.” college football creates more good stock for great games that people are interested in.
“What is the athletic director going to do? He can cancel all those games now, knowing that the SEC is strong enough.”
That said, Saban said he generally agreed with the bracket.
“The best teams are in the playoffs, which I think is the most important,” Saban said. “No coach can complain about their circumstances in relation to reaching the play-offs or leaving the play-offs because they all control their own destiny and they all had opportunities.”
Alabama finished the season 9-3 and missed the SEC title game after conference losses to Tennessee – which made the CFP as a No. 9 seed – and unranked opponents Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.
CFP committee chairman Warde Manuel spoke on ESPN after the selection show and emphasized that the committee took the strength of the schedule into account.
“We appreciate a strong schedule, which is why Alabama is ahead of the other two-loss teams with three losses,” Manuel said.
The Crimson Tide finished No. 11 in the CFP rankings, but did not make the final 12-team round as Clemson (ranked No. 16 by the CFP) bid by winning the ACC. SMU’s 11-2 finish came after the Mustangs lost to Clemson on a last-second field goal; The team’s other loss came against BYU, currently ranked No. 18.
By all accounts, SMU’s non-conference opponents this season — Nevada, Houston Baptist, BYU and TCU — could be considered tougher than Alabama’s. The Crimson Tide played Western Kentucky, South Florida, Wisconsin and Mercer, earning easy wins in all four games.
Regardless, there seems to be a general consensus among non-Alabama fans that the committee made the right decision. Even SMU’s opponents are happy for the Mustangs: ESPN’s Molly McGrath reported that Clemson players and coaches cheered extra loudly for the Mustangs’ selection during their CFP viewing party.
