Mark it down, Nick Saban has spoken, Alabama Crimson Tide makes the Playoff

The debate is over. The most expert of all college football experts has spoken. That expert is the former head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban. There is no more reason to argue whether the 9-3 Alabama Crimson Tide is more worthy of a Playoff slot than a potential 11-2 SMU team. Nick Saban has spoken and the knowledge he brings to his perspective should not be in dispute.

Alabama Crimson Tide Playoff Situation

As every Alabama football fan knows, if SMU beats Clemson, Alabama is a lock to make the Playoff field. A Clemson win potentially creates a problem for the Crimson Tide. If SMU's rankings drop left them above Alabama, the Crimson Tide would get bumped to sunny Florida and a meaningless bowl game.

On Friday, talking with Pat McAfee, Nick Saban explained why the Playoff Selection Committee must make a maybe tough and likely unpopular call. "Strength of schedule, and what teams did you beat? How many good teams did you beat? I think that speaks volumes about what kind of team you’re capable of being. I think there’s a lot of ups and downs in college football. Probably the system has created that to some degree. It’s more difficult to be consistent. I don’t think we want to do anything in this playoff situation that’s going to enhance people not to play a tough schedule. I think we want people to play a tough schedule because you want good games. People want to see good games ... You want people to play in those games and you want them to schedule some tough nonconference games. I don’t think we want to enhance people that won 10 or 11 games and didn’t play one top 25 team or didn’t beat one top 25 team."

Former college football coaches on the Selection Committee Gary Pinkel, Mike Riley, Jim Grobe, and Chris Ault will be hard-pressed to disagree with Saban.

Some fans will claim that Saban is just being a Crimson Tide homer. What he has always been above that is a sound voice for what is best for college football.