Thursday’s Sugar Bowl pairs Georgia and Ole Miss, both coached by former Saban assistants. Smart was the Crimson Tide’s defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator from 2007-15, Golding the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach from 2018-22.

Alabama's lopsided College Football Playoff loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl produced an unfortunate stat for coach Kalen DeBoer that has only happened to Nick Saban once in 17 years

Saban, two years retired from a legendary run as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, joined "College GameDay" in 2024. The 74-year-old college football icon retired from coaching with seven national championships to his name, including six at Alabama and one at LSU.

“Okay, so chaos in college football starts tomorrow, the portal,” the former Alabama and LSU head coach said Thursday on ESPN’s “GameDay.” “There’s all already been 120 starters say they’re getting in the portal from Big Power-4 schools.”

Alabama football will be in trouble on offense against Indiana if the Crimson Tide is one-dimensional, according to Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide has struggled to run the football at times this season,

The Crimson Tide were a controversial playoff selection after their 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC title game, but at the time, Herbstreit defended the CFP committee’s decision to include 9-3 Alabama over two-loss teams like the BYU Cougars and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

When Alabama football faces Indiana on Thursday in the Rose Bowl, it will be battling the No. 1 team in the country. The IU roster was built up over the past two seasons by head coach Curt Cignetti, who has taken the Hoosiers to heights the program hasn’t reached in decades.