ESPN Nick Saban: Penn State football ‘has a really good team,’ predicts CFP berth

This is the first year that one of the greatest coaches in college football history Nick Saban is not on the sidelines. Instead, the former Alabama head coach is now a staple of College Gameday on ESPN. This leads to Saban being able to share his opinion on every team in the country and his thoughts on Penn State football were very positive. On the first edition of College Gameday on Saturday morning Saban predicted that the Nittany Lions would make the College Football Playoff.

The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff is in effect in 2024. Which should give Penn State football a great opportunity to reach the postseason. Now, ESPN College GameDay analyst Nick Saban has released his initial playoff bracket which featured the Nittany Lions.

Saban has Penn State making the CFP as the No. 9 seed in 2024. In his bracket he expects the Nittany Lions to get another shot at Ole Miss the team that most recently defeated Penn State in the Peach Bowl. Saban has Penn State hitting the road to face Ole Miss and in his bracket, if James Franklin secured a win he would have to face Georgia after that first game.

Nick Saban is officially a media member

A look at his 12-Team Playoff: pic.twitter.com/Y027VwimRM

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) August 24, 2024

Saban compliments Penn State

Credit: Grace Carella / Basic Blues Nation.

Now, that Nick Saban is no longer on the sideline he can share his opinion more freely. As someone who respects Saban I’ve personally always wondered how he viewed Penn State and the program heading into the 2024 season.

On Saturday morning Saban shared his opinion on the Nittany Lions on College Gameday.

“I think Penn State has a really good team and a good culture. They would’ve been in the 12-team playoff the last couple of years.”

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