Nick Saban doesn’t have much use for the internet, let alone social media.
But if the seven-time national champion had been Oregon’s head coach this season, he might have signed up for a burner account.
Laying claim to a 12-0 record, the Ducks were the only FBS team to finish the regular season undefeated. And after advancing to 13-0 with a win over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game, Oregon was the obvious choice to be the No. 1 overall seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.
The Ducks’ reward for being college football’s only 13-0 team this season? A bye in the first round in the College Football Playoff. Only that preceded a quarterfinals matchup in the Rose Bowl against an Ohio State team that many have considered to be one of the most — if not the most — talented teams in the country this season.
Whether it was the nearly four-week layoff, the Buckeyes’ overwhelming firepower on both sides of the ball or a combination of the two, the matchup proved to be a poor one for Oregon. Ohio State jumped out to a 34-0 first-half lead and never looked back, eliminating the Ducks from the CFP with a 41-21 victory in Pasadena.
Even before the game played out the way it did, some Oregon fans shared gripes about the Ducks’ draw. Now that the game is over, they find themselves with an unlikely ally, Nick Saban.
“If I was an Oregon fan — I have to say this because this kind of bothers me — you’re the 13-0 No. 1 seed. And you have to play Ohio State in [your first game]?” Saban said on Thursday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show. “I’m not an internet guy, but if I was an Oregon fan, I’d be on the internet screaming about that.”
“Would you be in your basement in your underwear, too, doing it?” Pat McAfee followed up. “Is that what you’d be doing? I know you love those internet people.”
“Yes, living in my mother’s basement,” Saban said with a laugh.
“If I was an Oregon fan I wouldn’t be happy about being 13-0 and playing Ohio State in your first playoff game..
I’m not an internet guy but if I was an Oregon fan I’d be on the internet screaming about that..
Living in my mother’s basement” 😂😂
Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/YiOveQsVhj
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 2, 2025
Like most issues with the College Football Playoff, Oregon’s less-than-preferable path to a national championship can be traced back to the age-old “best or most deserving?” debate. While Ohio State might have been one of college football’s best teams this season, the Buckeyes’ resume was lacking thanks to regular-season losses to Oregon and Michigan, which resulted in them entering the 12-team College Football Playoff as the No. 8 seed.
Factor in another CFP quirk: Only conference champions can qualify for first-round byes. The Ducks were unfortunate to face Ohio State in their first playoff game. Meanwhile, lower-ranked teams like Penn State and Texas received more desirable quarterfinal matchups against Boise State and Arizona State, respectively.
The good news for Oregon fans is that the College Football Playoff is reportedly already considering changes to its selection process, which could ultimately prevent such situations from repeating.
The bad news is that Nick Saban won’t be joining social media anytime soon.
