Behind the hype of college football, there’s a lot of chaos brewing—NIL’s third-party dealings and schools hijacking it. Furthermore, the uneven matchups, such as the one between Notre Dame and Penn State, and the glaring inconsistencies in the game have become apparent. But here’s the simple fix by James Franklin:  Get a college football commissioner. But he’s not the only one pushing for such bold changes.

Well, till now, every CFB fan is well aware of the havoc NIL and transfer portals have created among the teams. But what about the first-round bye in the playoffs? We all know how easily Georgia, Oregon, Boise State, and Arizona entered the quarterfinals, whereas the rest of the other eight teams had to fight for their spot. But ESPN’s Greg McElroy also thinks on the same line as James Franklin that change is crucial, as he says,

“But we are going to operate under the assumption right now that the conference championship games are still in existence when I lay out the format that’s going to work for college football here in the foreseeable future. Here’s how we do it: no byes, but we still reward conference champions. We’re still going to appreciate those teams that won their conference.” It’s really weird to see teams like Notre Dame, Penn State, and Ohio State have to fight for their chance, whereas others get a direct entry and even then fail miserably.

Well, there’s no denying it, James Franklin is once again addressing a troubling situation—the transfer portal and NIL. It feels like the Wild West out here, with players leaving their teams, like Penn State, in a difficult position and seeking a fresh start. Take a look at backup QB Beau Pribula, who decided to leave right before the quarterfinals. Franklin has had enough of this chaos and believes its time for a commissioner to intervene. He’s even supporting Nick Saban for the job.

As he says, “We need somebody that’s waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night thinking about what’s in the best interest of college football.” Additionally, Franklin wants to eliminate money-motivated conference games that create an uneven playing field. I mean, it’s common knowledge that the Big Ten plays nine league games while the SEC only plays eight—how is that fair? If Greg and Franklin’s calls actually get taken seriously, we might see some real change. But for now, college football’s opinion remains as divided as ever.

Is Nick Saban really the answer to James Franklin’s questions?

Well, let’s face it: transfer portals and NIL deals have thrown college football into a tailspin. Building a solid roster? That’s harder than one thinks. Coaches are struggling to build a strong roster because nowadays it’s all about playing time and money, not about putting in the hard work to improve. Lane Kiffin is not holding back either—he’s been the first to speak up about these issues. He has made it very clear that he has concerns about the unfair outcomes tied to CFP seeding qualifications, especially with the possibility of Nick Saban becoming the commissioner. And Kiffin is not the only one supporting Saban. Pat McAfee is also on board, showing his support for the idea of Saban leading the way.

Now, the concept of a CFB commissioner is a hot topic of discussion, and opinions are divided. On one side, Pat McAfee and Lane Kiffin are fully behind Saban. But Shaun King? He’s not convinced. King has criticized the potential for bias towards big conferences, pointing out that smaller teams like Boise State might never have a chance. As he put it, “If you think it was SEC bias without Nick Saban being the chair, oh man. If Saban was the chair, South Carolina, Alabama, and Ole Miss all would have been in the 12. Trust me.”

Then there’s Kirby Smart, who has decided to take a neutral stance. The Georgia head coach has questioned whether a commissioner could even make a difference, considering the fragmented leadership in the sport. His take? “I think a commissioner would be a nice thing in theory. But what can they effectively get done if everybody can’t agree on something?” From any angle, the calls for reform and standardization in college football are persistent and unwavering.