Nick Saban: I think we are probably headed in the direction of mega conferences

The conference realignment arms race is on as the Big Ten and SEC both prepare to expand to 16 teams by 2025. But Alabama coach Nick Saban doesn’t think that’s necessarily a good thing as “mega conferences” begin to emerge.

During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Friday, Saban discussed how mega conferences can impact the rest of college football. He said he doesn’t have a firm answer on what’s next in realignment, but thinks college football is heading toward an NFL model of two “mega conferences.”

“I think we’re probably headed in the direction, like it or not, of mega conferences,” Saban said. “How that all turns out and what’s too big and what’s not big enough is probably a pretty good question to try to figure out.

“But I’m not sure anybody has the answer to that right now and maybe we have two or three mega conferences and then, that’s where the playoff teams come from. I really don’t know. But it looks like we’re headed in that direction.”

Nick Saban: Mega conferences will create a separation

When it comes to the College Football Playoff — barring potential expansion, of course — the Big Ten and SEC appear in good spots to have teams competing for national titles. But Saban said mega conferences would negatively impact the amount of competition for those CFP spots. That’s when he suggested a model similar to the English Premier League.

The Premier League uses a relegation and promotion system, which means the lowest-ranked teams move to the lower divisions and the highest-ranked teams jump to the higher divisions.

“It’s probably going to be good for some people, but it’s not going to be good for all people because everybody won’t be able to compete at that level, so it will create a separation,” Saban said. “Like, at least probably 50% of the schools that are considered Division I schools right now would not be able to compete that way.

“Now, maybe you come up with some kind of way like they do in soccer where … you have a really good team at Wichita State and you can qualify for the playoffs even though you don’t play in that division.”