This article was written by Mark J. Burns and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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ESPN’s College GameDay crew didn’t mince words Saturday morning about the reported 24-team College Football Playoff expansion, which would begin in 2027.
No one voiced their displeasure or concerns more than seven-time national champion Nick Saban.
“There’s not 24 teams in the country that deserve to be in the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t think there’s 24 teams in the country that can win the championship.”
Tell us what you really think, Mr. Saban.
“There’s not 24 teams in the country that deserve to be in the playoffs … I don’t think there’s 24 teams in the country that can win the championship.”
Nick Saban reiterated his concerns about a potential expansion to a 24-team College Football Playoff in 2027. https://t.co/fNEeydfaKb
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 17, 2026
>“We’ve now lowered the bar to get into the playoffs with 24 teams, and we’re going to raise the expectation from fans to get into the game,” added Saban, who highlighted the elimination of conference championship games with the expanded postseason. “Where lots of coaches think this is going to give me job security if I get in the playoffs, it’s also going to create an expectation that if you don’t get into the playoff, we’re going to fire your ass.”
ESPN’s top college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit hopes doubling the amount of postseason teams “doesn’t diminish those meaningful games that we get excited about.”
“The passion of college football will always carry itself, but I hate that feeling of win and advance, lose and you’re out, taking that away,” he said.
The GameDay crew weighs in on what a 24-team College Football Playoff could mean for the future of the sport. https://t.co/5vjDe3omxj
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 17, 2026
Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard said the additional postseason bids mean the calendar is “starting to creep toward an NFL-style schedule.” He also raised questions about the unionization of college athletes — voices we haven’t really heard from yet amid the reported news, he noted — and what that could mean for the sport’s future.
Ultimately, the biggest concern is the effect a 24-team College Football Playoff has on fans’ interest in consuming the sport, right? It’s a topic Pat McAfee dove into headfirst Saturday in Provo ahead of Notre Dame at BYU.
“There’s going to be some positives, there’s going to be some negatives, but the drawbacks from college football fans can’t affect the power of college football, which is its environment, its tradition, its pageantry,” he said. “These fans, if you turn these people off, college football is no longer college football — it’s just another sport. That’s the fear … is that you’re going to piss these fans off with such radical change that they’re somehow going to fall out of love with something that’s so special.”
Like it or not, it appears this is the future reality of the sport.
Let’s get social
Sport & State is flooding the zone, so to speak, across America.
Follow along as our content crew provides behind-the-scenes footage and gameday coverage during Saturday’s absolutely loaded slate of college football.
Sport & State has you covered for ALL the biggest games today 🔥
@StephOtey – No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana
@Ellie_Mai_ – No. 6 Alabama at No. 14 Tennessee
@breccastoll & @ByGusWilson – Florida State at No. 3 MiamiFollow for great coverage all Saturday long!
— Sport & State (@SportNState) October 17, 2026
SEC Nation is ready to go in Knoxville for the Third Saturday in October!
🎥: @Ellie_Mai_ https://t.co/NAGTKuZsjD
— Sport & State (@SportNState) October 17, 2026
Indiana’s famous “The Walk” ahead of today’s massive showdown with Ohio State 🔴⚪️ https://t.co/mPF2ZA2bxi
— Sport & State (@SportNState) October 17, 2026
The Scene for No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana is ELITE https://t.co/zdNVQk3TcB
— Sport & State (@SportNState) October 17, 2026
BANG!
On his second field goal attempt, BYU freshman Carter Smith nailed a shot worth $3 millionas part of McAfee’s “Kicking Is Easy” contest on GameDay. I mean, you kinda have to make it if you’re wearing a Spider-Man costume.
Now comes the all-important question for the aspiring dentist — what to do with all of the money?<
HE JUST NAILED A FIELD GOAL WORTH $3 MILLION 😱🔥
THE BYU CROWD MOBBED HIM AFTER HITTING FOR 3 MILLY 💰 https://t.co/ywW4PydsGb
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 17, 2026
Playing with fire
Before we let you go, check out this video below. What’s not to love about the BYU mascot Cosmos blackflipping before dawn with fire weights?
COSMO’S BACKFLIPPING WITH FIRE WEIGHTS 😭🔥
Not sure what sport this is 🤣 https://t.co/trFXAP52ZQ
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 17, 2026
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