Nick Saban hounded by anonymous callers following Alabama's playoff berth

Nick Saban famously doesn’t deliver emails. However, the head coach will answer his phone. Unfortunately, he spent much of Sunday fielding complaints from anonymous callers upset over Alabama’s inclusion in the College Football Playoff.

“I’ve had probably over 250 anonymous callers today, calling me every name in the book, talking about how we shouldn’t be in the playoff,” Saban told his players during Alabama’s awards banquet Sunday night in a video obtained by TideIllustrated. “So we still have naysayers out there. We still have players who don’t believe in us.”

Alabama earned the fourth and final playoff spot, vaulting up four spots in the rankings after beating previously top-ranked Georgia, 27-24, in Saturday’s SEC Championship. The Crimson Tide’s inclusion in the playoff was controversial as it jumped undefeated ACC champion Florida State for the final spot. This year is the first time an undefeated Power Five champion has failed to make the playoff.

That led to some angry Seminoles fans.

“Most of these people are from Florida,” Saban said, drawing a laugh from the crowd. “I don’t know how in the hell they got my number, but it is out there.”

No. 4 Alabama (12-1) will face No. 1 Michigan (13-0) for a CFP semifinal matchup in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.