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NCAA, College League, USA Football 2025: College Football PlayoffSemifinal Cotton Bowl Ohio State vs Texas JAN 10 January 10, 2025: ESPN analyst Nick Saban watches from the sidelines during the second quarter in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Austin McAfee/CSM/Sipa USA Credit Image: Austin Mcafee/Cal Media/Sipa USA Arlington AT&T Stadium Tx United States NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xCalxSportxMediax Editorial use only
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NCAA, College League, USA Football 2025: College Football PlayoffSemifinal Cotton Bowl Ohio State vs Texas JAN 10 January 10, 2025: ESPN analyst Nick Saban watches from the sidelines during the second quarter in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Austin McAfee/CSM/Sipa USA Credit Image: Austin Mcafee/Cal Media/Sipa USA Arlington AT&T Stadium Tx United States NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xCalxSportxMediax Editorial use only
GOAT Nick Saban’s name has never been tossed around in LSU circles louder. With Brian Kelly out, the rumor mill caught fire until Saban himself had to shut it down. And if anyone questioned how far LSU has slipped in their ex-head coach’s eyes, his latest comments settled it. After all, being labeled a legit threat to Saban’s Alabama dynasty is about as high a compliment as the Tigers can get.
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On the November 14 episode of the Pat McAfee Show, Saban discussed how tough the last stretch is going to be for Kalen DeBoer’s squad. “This has been a tremendous grind for this team. I mean, they played, like, four or five games in a row against really top opponents. Now they’re going to go play Oklahoma, who’s a top opponent. You know, LSU is no slouch regardless of what you think, from a player standpoint.”
The Tide just rolled past LSU 20-9, stretching their win streak to eight. They’re unbeaten in SEC play at 6-0 and have knocked off four ranked teams in that run. As per the CFP rankings, Saban’s former team is at No. 4. According to McAfee’s national title odds, above Alabama (+850), Ohio State (+185) is the clear favorite, followed by Indiana (+450) and Texas A&M (+750). Since Ryan Day’s Buckeyes enjoy the tough-gauntlet advantage, Saban had to take his stand.
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Even if people are down on the Tigers because of coaching changes or recent losses, Saban emphasizes that LSU still has real talent. And who better knows it than DeBoer’s boys? LSU battled hard until the final whistle at Bryant-Denny Stadium. However, a strong night from Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson sealed the night.
Which Prospects should OSU target next?
Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.
“There’s three teams that are a cut above right now..
Those three teams are Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Indiana..
The other teams are good enough to beat them but those other teams have flaws” ~ Coach Saban#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Yd87bvXUDe
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 14, 2025
The LSU Tigers shook things up in the second half, benching quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren. Nussmeier started hot, going 18-for-21 for 121 yards. But his inability to push the ball downfield and gain yards on the ground stalled the offense through the first two and a half quarters. Going 4-for-6 on his first drive and adding key rushing yards, Van Buren brought LSU within 17-9. He then took over in the third quarter, flashing his dual-threat ability. But it was not just him.
Harold Perkins Jr. was back in form against Alabama, leading LSU with nine tackles. He also added a sack and forced fumble, giving the Tigers a prime field position in the second half. After a few quiet weeks, the star linebacker showed why he’s a game-changer. Saban named LSU as part of Alabama’s gauntlet. If the Tigers earn his respect, would he head back to familiar turf?
Nick Saban’s daughter keeps fighting to crush the LSU rumors
To hold the head coaching seat at LSU again, Saban had to seek permission from the ladies in his life. His daughter Kristen has already shown the red signal. CFBAlerts’ Instagram page listed multiple candidates as Kelly’s replacements. They slipped in Saban’s name along with Jon Sumrall, Eli Drinkwitz, among others. But Kristen stopped the water from flowing too far.
Resharing the post, Saban’s daughter dropped a blunt jab, “Some of y’all are literally brain dead.” If that was not enough, she reshared Kirk Herbstreit’s interview where Saban’s fellow desk mate had shut down the ‘Saban in LSU’ rumors. “You couldn’t pull Nick Saban off the GameDay desk. You got to stop bringing up Nick Saban for all these coaching spots. He’s not going anywhere. My man is enjoying his life,” confirmed the College GameDay host. But Kristen is still not ready to give up on her role to be her dad’s protector.
Nick Saban and his wife, Terry, were courtside for Alabama’s basketball clash with Purdue. However, the game ended in an 80-87 loss for the Tide. Even in defeat, the fans kept the comment section interesting, as one of them wrote, “I’m glad he isn’t in Baton Rouge.” Kristen Saban’s disgusted emoji, followed by a “Same” reply, said it all. Even if Saban never comes back to LSU, he still holds the team close to his heart.
Written by
Edited by
Deepali Verma