Ad Disclosure
Nick Saban reveals Alabama working to get 10 Power 5 opponents on future schedules
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Nick Saban has long advocated for the SEC to add one more regular-season conference game, making it nine instead of eight. Throughout Saban’s tenure, Alabama has opened the regular-season against Power 5 programs. The Crimson Tide coach recently revealed that the program is planning a way to get to 10 regular-season Power 5 games on the schedule even with the SEC sticking to eight conference games.
Saban recently spoke to ESPN’s Chris Low about a plan for Alabama to play two out-of-conference Power 5 contests every season: one home-and-home Power 5 game and one neutral-site Power 5 game.
“I’ve always said, ‘Let’s play all Power 5 games,'” Saban told Low. “I was in the NFL where we played all the games against NFL teams. But let’s play at least 10 Power 5 games. It would be better for the players, better for the fans, and I think you wouldn’t have to worry that if you lost a game that you wouldn’t have as much of a chance to still be in [the College Football Playoff]. They talk about strength of schedule now, but how do you really evaluate that?”
Saban added that he thinks it would help college football’s attendance issues.
“We have to have a good show if we want people to come,” Saban said.
Alabama has notable Power 5 opponents on future schedules including home-and-home series with Texas (2022-23), Wisconsin (2024-25), West Virginia (2026-27), Notre Dame (2028-29) and Oklahoma (2032-33). The Crimson Tide has also scheduled neutral-site meetings with USC (Arlington, Texas in 2020) and Miami (Atlanta in 2021).
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
