Legendary former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has never been one to hold his tongue — and in his most recent public appearance, he offered his boldest commentary yet on the state of college football’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape.
Speaking at a coaching symposium in Atlanta this week, Saban directly addressed the House v. NCAA settlement and what it could mean for restoring competitive balance in the sport. His words were blunt:
“Before this ruling, you could actually buy a championship. Now, we might finally get back to real football.”
💰 Buying Titles? Saban Gets Candid
Saban’s comments highlight growing concerns among coaches and administrators that the NIL system — launched with good intentions — had spiraled into unchecked pay-for-play bidding wars.
“Parity didn’t exist anymore,” Saban added. “When certain schools have unlimited collectives and others are barely getting started, it’s not a level playing field. That’s not what college football was ever meant to be.”
During the NIL boom, top recruits were reportedly offered multi-million dollar deals before stepping foot on campus. Some players flipped commitments days before signing simply due to financial offers.
While Saban didn’t name names, insiders point to several high-profile flips in recent years that shifted the competitive landscape — including multiple 5-star athletes leaving traditional powerhouses for upstart programs with deeper collective pockets.
⚖️ House vs NCAA: A Game-Changing Settlement
The House v. NCAA lawsuit settlement, finalized earlier this year, marks a historic turning point for college athletics. The agreement includes:
- Revenue sharing: Schools can now directly share up to $20 million per year with student-athletes.
- NIL regulation framework: Brings centralized oversight to NIL compensation.
- Retroactive back pay: Former athletes from as far back as 2016 will receive compensation for previous NIL violations.
This effectively shifts athlete compensation into a structured, transparent model — and begins phasing out the chaotic influence of third-party NIL collectives.
“This is what we needed,” Saban said. “Now there’s accountability. Now everyone knows the rules.”
🏈 Saban’s Retirement and Reflection
Since retiring in early 2024, Nick Saban has remained a prominent voice in shaping the sport he helped define. As a 7-time national champion, he remains invested in college football’s future.
“I didn’t leave the game because I couldn’t compete — I left because I saw what it was turning into. But with this new ruling, maybe we’ve course-corrected in time.”
🧠 What It Means for the Sport
College football fans, coaches, and insiders are now watching to see how the balance of power shifts with the new rules. Programs with elite brands and tradition — like Alabama, Ohio State, and Michigan — are expected to benefit most from a more regulated NIL economy.
Meanwhile, mid-tier and lower-resourced programs may still struggle, but at least within a defined system, not a financial free-for-all.
📝 Final Word
Nick Saban’s words once again echo through the halls of college football: “You can buy a championship” may be a stinging truth of the NIL era’s darkest days — but thanks to House v. NCAA, the game may finally be tilting back toward merit, tradition, and fair competition.
And though Saban may no longer patrol the sidelines, his voice continues to shape the future of the game he helped elevate to greatness.
