Nick Saban’s coaching tree is on full display this weekend, and it’s kind of amazing to see how far his influence stretches.
Three of his former assistants are leading their teams into conference championship games on Saturday, and it’s shaping up to be an exciting day. Kirby Smart has built a juggernaut at Georgia, winning multiple national titles and now heading into the SEC Championship.
But here’s the twist—he’s going head-to-head with another Saban protégé, Steve Sarkisian, who’s got Texas ranked No. 2 in the country coming into the matchup. This isn’t just a showdown for the SEC title; it’s also a battle between two of Saban’s brightest pupils.
Then there’s Dan Lanning at Oregon, who’s doing incredible things with the Ducks. In just his third season, he’s got them in the Big Ten Championship, proving he’s got what it takes to build a contender.
As part of his job with ESPN College GameDay, Saban had the opportunity to share the stage with both Smart and Sarkisian and he hilariously didn't hold back when the panelists were interviewing the two coaches ahead of the matchup.
“I think they’re both bullshitting us” 😂😂
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 7, 2024
THIS IS THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP COACH#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/uTrIFVrA0l
It's funny to see Saban get to cut up with two of his former assistants, both of which are having major success at their respective programs.
It’s wild to think that all three of these coaches were once working under Saban, learning the ropes and sharpening their skills. Now, they’re running some of the top programs in the country, and this weekend feels like a celebration of everything they’ve accomplished—and a big nod to the impact Saban’s had on college football.
Kirby Smart and Steve Sarkisian will battle it out for the second time this afternoon. The game will kickoff at 4:00 p.m. E.T. live from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and will be televised on ABC/ESPN+.