Nick Saban sounds alarm on the current system, arguing only a national commissioner can fix the “anarchy”

Nick Saban is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history, having won seven national titles. However, since he retired from coaching, Saban has joined ESPN's "College GameDay" as an analyst.

On Saturday, Saban made some interesting comments about potentially restructuring college football under a national commissioner before bringing back the expanded College Football Playoff for a third year in 2026.

"I think we need to have a commissioner who's kind of over all the conferences, as well as a competition committee who sort of defines the rules of how we're going to play the game," Nick Saban said on "GameDay. "Because that's what we don't have right now.

"We used to have contracts, for coaches and for players, that define what's your academic responsibilities, when can you transfer, what's your obligation to the school. We don't have that now. And if you really don't support that, you're kind of supporting a little bit of anarchy, which is what we have right now, whether it's coaches or players."

Nick Saban also said that the current College Football Playoff format has disguised some of the underlying issues that need to be addressed.

"I do think that the College Football Playoff has kind of camouflaged some of these issues ... but the underlying issues, in terms of level of comp for everybody, is probably something that needs to be addressed quickly," Saban said.

Saban's comments about wanting to revamp the College Football Playoff come only a day before the 2025 playoff bracket is set during Sunday's Decision Day.

Nick Saban opens up on Lane Kiffin taking LSU HC job after bitter exit from Ole Miss

Former Alabama HC Nick Saban - Source: Imagn

On Saturday, Nick Saban appeared to defend Lane Kiffin from criticism after the coach left Ole Miss to join LSU.

“Well, I think I get a lot of calls because some people view me maybe as a senior professional that has a lot of experience in the game, after 50 years, 25 years of the head coach," Saban said. "So as a person, as a human being, you want to help everybody you can. You know, I’m kind of in this for the betterment of the game, really, for the players and coaches ... So anyone who calls me, whether it’s a player, a coach, an administrator, I try to do the best I can, to give them the best information to make the best decisions for the betterment of the game.”

“The first thing I ask a coach, if he’s talking about contemplating changing jobs, is, what do you want to do? And I want them to follow their heart in terms of what they want to accomplish and what they want to do. I never tell anybody what they should do. I just try to bring some thought into it so that they can make good decisions for themselves and their family and their future.”

Kiffin worked with Saban at Alabama from 2014 to 2016. The two helped the Tide win the national championship during the 2015 season.

Kiffin ensured that Ole Miss would play in the College Football Playoff for the first time after securing the school's maiden 11-win season this year. However, Kiffin will not be allowed to coach the Rebels in their playoff run.