Alabama
College Football’s Greatest Source of Misery Is Finally Giving His Rivals a Break
Nick Saban hung up his decorative Coke bottle on Wednesday night. The greatest coach in college football history will stage no more weekly press conferences with that soda adorning the podium as he explains to beat reporters why Alabama has to take that week’s opponent seriously. He will take no more helicopter rides onto high school fields during visits to convince five-star safeties to join him in Tuscaloosa. He will not participate in the 12-team playoff system that rolls out next year. And, blessedly for everyone else, he will stop leaving an unprecedented trail of carnage in his wake.
Saban, 72, retired in the expected way at an unexpected time. He never seemed like the type to stage a yearlong farewell à la Mike Krzyzewski in basketball. When Saban wanted to go, he would simply go. He was nine days removed from coaching in overtime at the Rose Bowl, where a win would’ve returned the Crimson Tide to the national championship game. He was a few hours removed from the usual business of coaching, having reportedly joined interviews with prospective coaches that day. Then it was over.
As he rides off into the sunset in his Ferrari (he co-owns a dealership in Nashville), Saban is the subject of all manner of glowing career obituaries. He ends up about even with Bear Bryant for consideration as the best Alabama coach ever, having won a matching six national titles at the school. A title beforehand at LSU gives Saban seven and an all-time record. An easy scroll through Saban’s annual win totals and rankings is wild even to people who know the history by heart. He arrived at Alabama in 2007. From 2008 on, he never won fewer than 10 games, and only once did he lose more than two. The College Football Playoff has existed for 10 years. Saban missed it twice. He dominated the Southeastern Conference and coached 49 first-round NFL picks. The press release wrote itself, though it needed to be long.
The universe will remember Saban’s excellence, but wise fans will not only think of the world he built. They will linger on the ones he destroyed or prevented from ever existing. So many programs were on the verge of so much joy in the past 17 years, and no one held them back from it more than the short man in Tuscaloosa. The best way to understand Saban’s run is not to count the national championships but to take stock of the reality he imposed on everyone else—and how different life might have been without him.
Pick the lowest-hanging fruit first. In national championship contests alone, Saban’s Alabama kept trophies from falling into the hands of Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Texas. Several of those programs won titles eventually anyway, going over Alabama to do it. But the Tide drew a lot of blood. Dabo Swinney’s Clemson may well have won four national titles in a row between 2015 and ’18 if Saban had not been on the other sideline to take two of them. Kirby Smart’s Georgia could have added another title in 2018, making itself a veritable dynasty by the time it repeated in 2021 and ’22. Without Alabama there to disembowel them in 2012’s title game by a 42–14 score, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish may well have won a national title that people under the age of 40 today remember.
But if you’re good enough to lose a championship game against Alabama, you’re likely good enough to get more chances. What about the programs that saw their dreams foreclosed earlier? In 2009, Saban’s first undefeated and national title season in Tuscaloosa, the Tide were ranked No. 2 entering the SEC Championship against the No. 1 Florida Gators. The team of Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow had won it all in 2006 and 2008 and was poised to do it again before Saban beat them with little-known quarterback Greg McElroy and left Tebow sobbing on the sidelines. If Alabama doesn’t get in the way, does Florida carry on a longer dynasty under Meyer? Do the Gators still take a dive under former Saban assistant Will Muschamp? Does Meyer still take a brief retirement and then go to Ohio State? If he doesn’t, does Michigan ever fall into enough of a ditch that it turns in 2015 to Jim Harbaugh, the former Michigan QB who had been in the NFL? Did Saban just win the 2023 national championship for Michigan??
The rabbit holes are endless. In 2014, historic SEC doormat Mississippi State rose all the way to No. 1 in the rankings for the first time in program history and held that spot until mid-November. Then the Tide rolled into Starkville and beat them. If Alabama hadn’t crashed the party, would Mississippi goddamned State have contended for a national title? Quite possibly. The Bulldogs had an incredible QB (current Dallas Cowboy Dak Prescott) and would’ve at least played in the SEC Championship, where a win against a non-elite Missouri team would’ve delivered them to the inaugural Playoff. Needless to say, State has not been in shouting distance of a national title since the Tide ruined everything nine years ago.
And without Alabama’s pesky presence, the Playoff selection committee likely would not have excluded undefeated Florida State from 2023’s Playoff. The world would’ve been spared both an actual unfair decision and endless letters from grandstanding Florida politicians seeking to have the Playoff investigated. Indeed, most of the good conspiracy theories in college football in the past 17 years have somehow involved Alabama. In Saban’s last year, one of them—that some shadowy forces would find a way to install the Tide in the Playoff when they didn’t deserve it—finally came true.
Then there are the schools that found themselves stuffed into a locker at Saban’s hands again, again, and again. Mississippi State was one of those, beating Saban in his first year, 2007, and then never again. The Tennessee Volunteers lost 15 in a row to Saban upon his arrival. He became the Vols’ boogeyman, and beating him for the only time in 2022 made for an honest-to-goodness exorcism. Arkansas lost to Saban every single year of his tenure, with six different head coaches taking those defeats.
The fun flipside of Saban’s run is that when Alabama did lose, it became a capital-E event. For a handful of programs, the best moment in decades was a win over Saban’s Tide. Rival Auburn, which wins occasional national titles and even got one during the Saban era, most glorifies two regular-season wins over Alabama: an epic 2010 comeback led by Cam Newton (The Camback) and 2013’s Kick Six, which many casual fans regard as the coolest college football moment ever. A win over Saban in 2010 allowed South Carolina fans to feel hope. A win over Saban in 2012 made Johnny Manziel a folk hero and added to Texas A&M fans’ enormous self-confidence. (One day the long term will justify it.) Ole Miss football’s two main moments of national relevance since integration are wins over Saban in 2014 and ’15. Georgia’s two national titles are undoubtedly sweeter because it took so long for the Bulldogs to get over the Alabama-sized hump that had been in their way in the 2010s.
But there was not nearly enough happiness to go around. Saban coached 235 games at Alabama and lost 29 of them. Most teams did not get to make the Tide part of a redemption story. Their arcs with Saban had no peaks, only valleys. In retirement, Saban will spend more time on his boat, but the peace he finds there will be nothing compared to the bliss his peers enjoy by the sheer grace of his absence.
The Alabama Farmers Federation has endorsed Kristin Nelson in the upcoming special election for Alabama House District 38, a seat left vacant following the resignation of Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley). The district includes portions of Chambers and Lee counties.
Nelson recently secured the Republican nomination after winning a runoff election. The special general election is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.
“Kristin Nelson is a well-respected community leader in Chambers County, and we are proud to endorse her,” said Jason McKay, president of the Chambers County Farmers Federation. “We know she will represent us well in Montgomery and ensure District 38 gets the attention it needs in the business and agricultural arenas.”
Support for Nelson’s candidacy also came from farmers in neighboring Lee County. “Kristin Nelson is a strong conservative with incredible knowledge of House District 38,” said Robert Walters, president of the Lee County Farmers Federation. “There is no doubt she will work hard and represent the people of Lee and Chambers counties well in the Legislature.”
Nelson grew up along the Chambers-Lee county line and brings experience from both the public and private sectors. Her background includes seven years in city administration with the City of Valley and three years as a third-grade teacher with Lanett City Schools.
She has also been active in homeschooling through Classical Conversations, where she has served as both a tutor and a local representative supporting other families.
In addition to returning to part-time work with Harris Gray LLC, Nelson serves as worship leader at Fairfax Methodist Church, secretary of the Junior Variety Club and president of the EAMC Lanier Auxiliary Board.
She also founded the Chambers County Young Republicans and currently serves as the chair of the Chambers County Republican Party.
“The farmers of this district and I share the same strong work ethic and conservative values,” said Nelson. “It is an honor to have their support and to be able to represent them and all the people of this district in Montgomery.”
Nelson and her husband, Jeff, live in the Huguley community with their two teenage sons.
The Alabama Farmers Federation is the state’s largest farm organization, representing more than 360,000 member families. The organization uses a grassroots endorsement process that relies on decisions made by county Farmers Federation boards of directors in local elections.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
HOOVER, Ala. (WSFA) – Senator Tommy Tuberville officially filed the paperwork to run for governor at the Alabama Republican Party Headquarters in Hoover Monday morning.
“I want to make the lives of the people of this state better,” said Sen. Tuberville. “If I thought that staying in the U.S. Senate would be best for Alabama, I would’ve stayed. but I think the best thing for Alabama is for me to come back.”
He talked about the need to grow Alabama’s economy, with attracting manufacturers being a primary focus. Sen. Tuberville said that to do that, he would focus on improving the state’s infrastructure and making the state’s education and workforce systems more attractive to new residents.
When asked about cutting waste, fraud and abuse, a focus of his time in Washington, D.C., alongside President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Sen. Tuberville said, he expects to make changes if elected governor.
“You have a lot of different agencies here, we want to make them all better,” he said. “We also want to make sure that we save the taxpayers’ money, that we use it wisely and we give it back to them.”
The former Auburn football coach said he did not expect to go into politics, but now, he is ready to transition from national to state politics.
“It’s time to come home, put together a staff and worry about the state of Alabama and the people here,” he said.
According to Alabama’s constitution, someone running for governor has to have lived in the state for at least seven years. Some have questioned whether Sen. Tuberville fits that requirement. He said during the candidacy filing that the Republican Party of Alabama says he does fulfill the requirement.
The filing deadline for candidates to qualify for a major political party is Jan. 23.
Alabama’s Democratic primary has the following candidates:
- Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones
- Dr. Will Boyd – businessman and engineer
- JaMel Brown – pastor and talk show host
- Chad ‘Chig’ Martin – businessowner
Alabama’s Republican Primary has the following candidates:
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville
- Ken McFeeters – former congressional candidate
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Alabama football has already seen some of its roster clear out via the transfer portal in the days following its loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide will likely see more attrition in the coming days, with players allowed to enter through Jan. 16.
As of Monday morning, 15 Alabama players had entered the portal. Here’s a look at what the Crimson Tide is losing via transfer.
Cam Calhoun
The Utah transfer was a backup cornerback for the Crimson Tide this season. He played a major role on special teams but had trouble cracking the lineup on defense for Alabama.
Calhoun began his college career at Michigan
Rico Scott
Scott was perhaps the fastest receiver on the team, but there were too many players on the depth chart ahead of him. Scott finished the year with 11 catches for 55 yards.
Keon Keeley
When he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Keeley was one of the nation’s top recruits, at the edge position. After a year with the Tide, he moved over to the more traditional defensive end spot that Kane Wommack calls the “bandit.”
Keeley finally was able to make an impact on the field this year after two season on the bench. He likely could have played an increased role with LT Overton off to the NFL, but opted to portal instead.
Wilkin Formby
Formby moved around in Alabama’s lineup during the 2025 season, his first as a full-time starter. He began the year at tackle, but wound up playing right guard as Michael Carroll took over the outside spot.
Cole Adams
Adams was the Crimson Tide’s primary punt returner. However, he didn’t have much of a role at wide receiver.
The Oklahoma native had five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown this season.
Micah DeBose
DeBose joined Alabama as a highly touted recruit before the 2025 season. He saw action in just one game for the Crimson Tide this year, against Eastern Illinois.
Peter Notaro
The Alabama kicking game was an issue at times during the 2025 season. Notaro battled with Conor Talty for the starting job in preseason camp, but Talty eventually earned the spot.
Notaro was a five-star kicker in the 2025 recruiting class according to Kohl’s.
Noah Carter
Carter was a four-star edge recruit for the Crimson Tide ahead of the 2024 season. He redshirted that season, but got more action in 2025.
He finished the year with nine total tackles before deciding to find greener pastures.
Olaus Alinen
Alinen was not a major part of what was an extremely large offensive line rotation this season. The member of Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class earned the most praise from coaches due to his versatility, with the native of Finland able to play both guard and tackle.
Jalen Hale
Hale was a contributor at receiver in 2023, before a major leg injury cost him the 2024 campaign. He returned in 2025, but wasn’t able to get significant playing time at receiver given the amount of talent ahead of him.
Joseph Ionata
Ionata was listed as Alabama’s backup center during the 2025 season. However, when it came down to it, Geno VanDeMark slid to the spot if Parker Brailsford needed to leave the field.
The redshirt freshman did see some playing time on special teams.
Jaylen Mbakwe
Mbakwe joined Alabama as a five-star prospect in the 2024 class and proceeded to have an interesting career in Tuscaloosa. He spent most of 2024 as a defensive back, before deciding to enter the transfer portal, then backing out and switching to wide receiver before the ReliaQuest Bowl.
He stuck at wideout for 2025, without seeing major playing time at that position.
Richard Young
Some turnover among Alabama’s running backs came as no surprise. Young was thought of as a potential starter at running back, but got lost in a struggling rotation.
He finished 2025 with 23 carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns.
Roq Montgomery
Montgomery did not see the field during the 2025 season. He had been a special teams contributor in 2024, and saw some snaps on the offensive line as well.
Kam Howard
Howard spent two seasons as a cornerback in Tuscaloosa after transferring in from Charlotte. He didn’t play much in 2025, finishing the year with two tackles.
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