Legendary Head Coach Nick Saban Admits Major Mistake on ‘College GameDay’

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dibyendu Mondal | Last updated Nov 1, 2025 11:56 AM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes are on a seven-game win streak this season with no sign of stopping anytime soon. Quarterback Julian Sayin is doing a phenomenal job and has completed 156 of 195 passes (80%) for 1,872 yards with 19 touchdowns and three interceptions. His longest pass went for 87 yards.

But Sayin wasn't always in the program. He transferred to Columbus in 2024, throwing only 12 times last season. Before 2024, Sayin had a brief stint at Alabama back when Nick Saban was still the head coach of the Crimson Tide. However, Sayin didn't get any game time. He spent most of his time on the scout team.

Now, two years later, as the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes were about to face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, Saban admitted his mistake during "College GameDay."

"One point I'd like to make about Julian Sayin is ... he was at Alabama and the coach at Alabama played him on the scout team for a whole year. What a [expletive]." Saban jokingly said, referring to himself.

Pat McAfee quickly followed with, "That guy's the greatest of all time though." However, one thing to note is that Sayin wasn't at Alabama for an entire year. He was a five-star recruit from Carlsbad High School in California and joined the Crimson Tide in December 2023 as an early enrollee. He left the school about a month later, just days after Saban announced his retirement.

Julian Sayin locked in @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/Dyfaw4Qlnp
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 1, 2025

Saying was the backup to Will Howard during the Buckeyes' national championship season in 2024. Howard moved on to the NFL, and is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day handed the QB1 role to Sayin before the start of this season after extensive competition, and the results have been impressive.

“The great players and the great coaches sustain throughout the season. We’re just getting started. This is like the start of the season. Here we are. We’re in November,” Day said before facing Penn State.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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