Nick Saban has warning about College Football Playoff expansion

The future of the College Football Playoff remains a hot topic, particularly in the context of other bowl games. Most notably, there has been continued consternation in some circles as prominent NFL-bound players opt out of non-playoff bowl games.

Alabama coach Nick Saban was asked about the topic on Monday, and Saban offered a warning to those that would want to see the playoff expanded. Saban’s fear is that adding more teams to the playoff would only cause more issues for other bowl games.

Saban was asked about CFP expansion and he's talking around it, but he did say: "The more we expand playoffs the more we minimize bowl games, the importance of bowl games, which I said when we went to four. I don't think that's changed, and I think it's also come to fruition."

— Heather Dinich (@CFBHeather) January 3, 2022

Saban is right, so the question becomes whether this would make things better or worse. Adding teams to the playoff also adds more NFL hopefuls who would be more willing to play in playoff games. That is the rationale that one prominent coach used to support expansion.

On the other hand, expanding the playoff might devalue other bowl games even more. That factor is a worthy consideration, but the positives might outweigh the negatives.

Photo: Sep 11, 2021; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports