Nick Saban has sharp criticism of Big 10

Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; ESPN analyst Nick Saban before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As the Big Ten challenges the SEC for college football supremacy, Nick Saban is doing his part to argue on the SEC’s behalf.

In his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Saban hailed the SEC’s depth and went out of his way to compare it to the Big Ten. His comparison was not favorable to the Big Ten to say the least.

“We already got nine teams in the Top 25. It’s not like the Big Ten where there’s three good teams at the top and then nothing,” Saban said.

"Kamario Taylor is the real deal..

He's the truth and the light" ~ Coach Saban#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/lFQP6HnPtH
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 11, 2026

Saban is presumably referring to Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon. That suggests he doesn’t think much of Penn State, Iowa, USC, or Washington, all of which were also ranked this week.

This is hardly the first time Saban has expressed this opinion about the Big Ten. The SEC’s claims of superiority have often hinged on how deep the conference is and how it has multiple potential national champions on an annual basis. The Big Ten, in his mind, just isn’t as good once you get past the top of the league.

On the other hand, Saban is making his argument with the Indiana Hoosiers sitting as the defending national champions. This might not be the best time for him to make the claim.