Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban expected strength of schedule to be a real factor when it came to Sunday’s College Football Playoff rankings and seeding.

Saban watched his old team get eliminated from the 12-team field, while SMU was able to advance into the group despite losing in the ACC Championship to Clemson. Alabama was seeded 11th in the penultimate rankings but failed to advance to the final round.

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Former Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban watches a basketball game between Alabama and the Texas A&M Aggies at Coleman Coliseum on Feb. 17, 2024 in Tuscaloosa. (Gary Cosby Jr.-USA Today Sports)

Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne pointed out late Saturday that the Crimson Tide were No. 3 in opponent win percentage and had three wins against teams in the CFP poll before the bracket was released. He wrote on X that “the strength of the schedule is important.”

But Saban suggested on ESPN that Alabama might have been rated higher if strength of schedule really mattered.

“I think one of the things I’ve always mentioned this football season is that if we ignore the strength of the schedule, there’s no benefit at all to scheduling really good teams in the future,” Saban said. “For example, here in Alabama, which is scheduled to play outside the (SEC) in the future against Notre Dame, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Florida State.

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Nick Saban and his family will be honored with the renaming of Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on September 7, 2024. (Gary Cosby Jr. – USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

“Well, those are great games for fans to watch – and that’s what I think we should be doing in college football, creating more inventory for great games that people are interested in – but promoting it the people who want to do this where what is?” If the athletic director is going to do that, he might cancel all of these games because he knows the SEC is tough enough.

However, Saban said he believes the top 12 teams in college football are represented in the group.

“But at the same time, I think the best teams are in the playoffs, which I think is most important,” Saban said. “And no coach should complain about his circumstances that are relevant to getting into the playoffs or being eliminated from the playoffs, because everyone was in control of their own destiny and had every opportunity. They had some shortcomings and terrible losses that contributed to their circumstances.”

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer warms up before the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Will McLelland-USA Today Sports)

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“So this could be a lesson for every single team and every individual on those teams.”

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