Alabama Football: Is Nick Saban wrong on SEC scheduling?

An almost automatic reaction from many Alabama football fans is to trust Nick Saban – in all things. This is close to saying even when Nick Saban is wrong, he is right in a broader context. Was Nick Saban possibly both right and wrong about inequity in permanent opponents in a projected plan for the SEC to move to a 3-6 schedule?

Following ingrained norms of making Saban a villain, many media pundits panned Saban’s complaint that Alabama would be at a competitive disadvantage with Auburn, LSU and Tennessee as its three every-season opponents.

Among the many attacks on the SEC’s recent decision to play an eight-game schedule in 2024, Matt Hayes provided a scathing and interesting response.

"How in the world can the best conference in college football — the conference with the most high-profile properties in all of college sports — have 4 members (Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt) that haven’t won a football championship in the modern era scuttle the good of the whole?"

The point is valid enough, though the fact is there were more than four votes against moving to a nine-game schedule in 2024. Hayes dug in deeper and went at Nick Saban saying,

"How can an increasingly annoyingly petulant greatest coach ever (Nick Saban) throw a tantrum about his top 2 team in the nation getting an “unfair” trio of permanent games (LSU, Tennessee, Auburn) in the 9-game format — and the entire free world not laugh in his face?Tennessee has 1 elite season in the past 2 decades, and suddenly the guy with the best roster in college football is getting antsy."

The words “increasingly annoyingly petulant” are such hyperbole they distract from the fact that Nick Saban, being averse to playing any team, any time, anywhere is discomfiting. Adding to the unease is that most Alabama football fans want the Crimson Tide to play Auburn, Tennessee and LSU every season.

Alabama Football Projected Permanent Opponents

In defense of Saban’s position, the trio of Alabama’s annual opponents, as projected months ago can be credibly argued to be the toughest among all 16 SEC teams. So no Matt, laughing in Saban’s face is not warranted.

No matter how much Greg Sankey wants to achieve future competitive balance, it will not happen. In a 16-team league with a 9-game schedule, it is impossible. There is perhaps a small chance to reach balance if all rivalries are discarded. But nobody wants that; not fans and not media partners.

Achieving a scheduling balance would have a better chance with a 10-game SEC schedule, but pesky concerns about qualifying for bowl games will prevent such bold action.

The most likely result of a 9-game, 3-6 format is in some seasons, some teams will have easier paths to the Playoffs than others. Nick Saban has a valid concern Alabama Football will often have a harder path.