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Nick Saban Makes Unexpected Admission About LSU-Alabama Rivalry

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alex O'Reilly | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 2:38 PM ET

Nick Saban is best known for his career with the Alabama Crimson Tide. As their head coach, he led them to six national championships. He was the coach of the Crimson Tide from 2007 until his retirement in 2023. However, Saban has one more national championship, won with the LSU Tigers in 2003.

On Saturday night, Nick Saban was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame because of his accomplishments during his tenure with the Tigers. At the ceremony, Saban got on stage and spoke about the rivalry between LSU and Alabama, particularly during his tenure with the Crimson Tide.

"Every time I see LSU - all the time I coached at Alabama - I know it was a great rivalry, but I was always proud because I felt like we did something to raise the bar here," Saban said.

The Alabama-LSU rivalry is one of the biggest in college football, with matchups dating back to the 1800s. It is known as the First Saturday in November, and has more recently become known as the Saban Bowl. During his five seasons with LSU from 2000 to 2004, Saban's Tigers came out on the winning side four times.

However, once Saban left for Alabama, the rivalry shifted in favor of the Crimson Tide. Alabama won 13 of the 18 matchups during Saban's tenure as head coach.

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

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