Story perspectives

Nick Saban Opposes 24-Team College Football Playoff Expansion

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 10:21 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Nick Saban opposes the 24-team College Football Playoff expansion.
Saban says only a few teams can win, so 24 spots are unwarranted.
He warns the format could require up to 17 games, which he calls “too many.”
Saban claims the expansion would eliminate the SEC championship game and render bowl games obsolete.
Former Heisman winner Tim Tebow argues the expansion dilutes regular-season importance and consistency.

History

Historical Context

In 1990 the NFL grew its postseason from ten to twelve teams by adding a third wild-card slot in each conference, the first expansion since the 1978 ten-team format. This change echoed earlier moves to increase postseason revenue and set a precedent for later proposals, such as the league’s 2020 shift to fourteen teams.

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Story summary

Nick Saban opposes the 24-team College Football Playoff expansion.
Saban says only a few teams can win, so 24 spots are unwarranted.
He warns the format could require up to 17 games, which he calls “too many.”
Saban claims the expansion would eliminate the SEC championship game and render bowl games obsolete.
Former Heisman winner Tim Tebow argues the expansion dilutes regular-season importance and consistency.

1 / 2