Nick Saban acknowledged Florida State 'probably' should have made the 2023-24 College Football Playoff

Nick Saban made his official debut as a member of ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast team Saturday in Dublin ahead of the Florida State-Georgia Tech game. And judging by his first appearance, he’s going to fit right in as a slightly less serious version of his coaching persona. And with jokes.

Saban and the GameDay crew made their picks for the College Football Playoff, the weekend and some early Week 1 games. But the former Alabama coach played a little to the Florida State fans in the background too.

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Throwing a little jab their way about Florida State not making the College Football Playoff last year — a moment that left coach Mike Norvell and fans irate — Saban joked about not having anything to do with the team’s exclusion before acknowledging it probably should have made it.

"I'm glad we got in, and they probably should have got in too."

Nick Saban just wants everyone to know … he and Kirk had nothing to do with FSU missing out on the CFP #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/WeWg7YEVnz

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) August 24, 2024

Talking to the GameDay crew, particularly Kirk Herbstreit, Saban said:

“Florida State, I got 1,000 — I just want Kirk to know, I got 1,000 phone calls when we got in the playoff. He didn’t have anything to do them not getting in the playoff, and I didn’t either. But we both got hammered. … I’m glad we got in, and they probably should have got in too, but at least we won’t have that situation this year.”

That probably doesn’t offer much comfort to any still-angry Florida State fans.