Nick Saban took the matchup between Alabama and LSU personal for 17 years as the Crimson Tide’s head coach.
He relished ripping the heart out of LSU fans no matter if the game was at Bryant-Denny Stadium or Tiger Stadium.
Kalen DeBoer takes center stage this weekend in Baton Rouge (La.); however, Saban will be in “Death Valley” as a member of ESPN’s College GameDay. He defeated Brian Kelly and the Tigers in 2023, but suffered a loss to the program in 2022 at Tiger Stadium. Saban took a defeat at the hands of LSU only four times in 17 tries. DeBoer looks to continue the conversation of Alabama in the College Football Playoff, yet he enters a hostile environment to do it. Kelly was featured on the Paul Finebaum Show and joked around with the ESPN personality about how much access he’ll allow Saban since he’s still on the Tide’s payroll.
Saban is currently an “advisor” to the Alabama program.
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer..”
With @CollegeGameDay coming to town, @CoachBrianKelly jokes about how much access Nick Saban might get this week in Baton Rouge. pic.twitter.com/WvGvJx4zuu
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) November 4, 2024
“He still has an office over there at Alabama, so I am not sure,” Kelly said to Finebaum. “You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. We are going to let him hang around a little bit, but we are not going to let him into the locker room that’s is for sure.”
A little gamesmanship from Kelly as he knows Saban coached at LSU from 2000 to 2004. Saban, 73, delivered the Tigers a BCS National Championship in 2003 before going to Miami Dolphins and returning to college at Alabama.
He won’t be allowed in LSU’s locker room, but we will find out who Saban picks to win Saturday’s matchup.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
