Nick Saban will always be associated with the SEC.
The legendary coach won seven national championships as part of the conference, six with Alabama and one with LSU. It was where he had by far the most success as a coach and cemented his status as one of the greats ever to walk the sidelines.
But while Saban may be the main feather in the cap of the battle for college football supremacy between the two leagues, he actually first made his name in the Big Ten and northern football.
Nick Saban was head coach at Michigan State and Toledo before he got the LSU job. And way back in the day, Saban was the defensive backs coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1980-1981 under head coach Earle Bruce.
However, as he told Pat McAfee on Friday, he still has an appreciation for Ohio State even though he was fired from the Buckeyes staff. When the host asked if he had ever been fired from a job, he had a response that would surprise plenty of college football fans.
“I got fired when I was a defensive backs coach at Ohio State..
I actually love Ohio State and I loved it when I coached there..
It was my fault and I can’t blame anybody else for that” ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/I5MO8mViqZ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 21, 2026
“I got fired when I was a defensive backs coach at Ohio State,” Saban said. “I actually love Ohio State. I’ve always liked Ohio State, I loved it when i coached there. It’s a great institution. It was my fault I got fired; I can’t blame anybody else for that.”
In case you were wondering why Nick Saban would so readily take the blame, the Buckeyes that season allowed 276.2 passing yards per game. They went 9-3 on the season and beat Navy in the Liberty Bowl, but clearly felt that was an area of the team they could improve upon.
The battle between the two conferences, their fanbases, and even their networks is reaching very high levels. But if someone who carries the SEC flag like Nick Saban can openly confess his love and appreciation for his time in Columbus, maybe it’s a sign that we can all be a bit more appreciative of each other and celebrate our differences in the college football world. If Paul Finebaum ever stops calling out Indiana and Curt Cignetti, we will know we’ve made it.
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