Penn State football coach James Franklin is making the case that former coach Nick Saban should play a large role in College Football. Franklin wants Saban to be the game's commissioner, per ESPN.

“I think one of the most important things we can do is, let's get a commissioner of college football that is waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night making decisions that's in the best interest of college football,” Franklin said. “I think Nick Saban would be the obvious choice if we made that decision. Now, Nick will probably call me tonight and say, ‘Don't do this,' but I think he's the obvious choice, right?”

Saban retired from football following the 2023 season, after winning multiple national championships at Alabama. He is now a broadcaster working for ESPN College GameDay.

Franklin made the comments ahead of Penn State football's College Football Playoff matchup with Boise State. Franklin is also proposing changes to the CFP format.

“When you have a committee sitting in a room trying to compare apples to apples, or oranges to oranges, it's hard to do that when not everybody's playing under the same model,” Franklin added. “Get rid of the conference championship game. That will shorten the season and help with the window a little bit.”

Franklin doesn't stop there. He also wants to examine changing the football schedule to better accommodate student-athletes in the summer months.

Penn State faces off against Boise State on Tuesday in the Fiesta Bowl.

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Penn State football is facing pressure to defeat Boise State

Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Nittany Lions had not made the CFP under Franklin until this season. Penn State defeated SMU in the first round, to advance and play Mountain West champion Boise State in a semi-final.

Penn State fans expect the squad to defeat Boise State, as the Broncos play as a group of 5 conference member. Boise State is the only non-power 4 football team to make the CFP this year.

Boise State football has one of the best players in the country, however, in running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, losing to Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter. Jeanty and the Broncos got a first-round bye, so the squad should be rested for the Penn State matchup.

The winner of the Fiesta Bowl moves to the CFP semis, against either Georgia or Notre Dame.