Nick Saban calls Alabama the 'ultimate team' after winning his seventh national championship
With Alabama’s latest College Football Playoff national championship — a 52-24 blowout victory over Ohio State on Monday night — coach Nick Saban passed a fellow Crimson Tide legend in the record books.
By winning his seventh national championship, Saban now holds the record for most head coaching titles in the AP Poll era, passing Paul “Bear” Bryant, who had six with Alabama.
This was Saban’s sixth championship with the Crimson Tide after winning his first with LSU. They finished the 2020-21 season with a perfect 13-0 record — Saban’s second Alabama team to finish undefeated (2009).
With the best offense in the nation — led by wide receiver and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith and quarterback Mac Jones — Alabama pulled away from the Buckeyes late in the first half and had a 35-17 lead at the break. And even after both star players appeared to suffer injuries, the Crimson Tide didn’t slow down much in the second half.
As Saban and the team were presented with the trophy, the coach praised his players.
“To me, this is the ultimate team,” Saban told ESPN on stage. “All these guys bought into everything they needed to do to be the best players that they could be. There’s more togetherness on this team than almost any team that we’ve ever hadm, and they had to overcome and persevere, so much adversity through this season, and they’ve done it magnificently.
“And I’m so proud of this group for what they’ve been able to accomplish in going undefeated and winning a national championship.”
Prior to Saban’s on-stage interview, he spoke with ESPN almost immediately after the game ended from the field. When asked if he’s able to process now having more national championships than Bryant and the most ever, Saban said, “Not really,” adding:
“I’m just happy that we won tonight. And I really haven’t thought about that because you’re always looking forward. And I just love this team so much and what they’ve been able to do. I can’t even put it into words.”
Against the No. 3 Buckeyes, No. 1 Alabama had control nearly the entire game, out-gaining Ohio State with 621 total yards compared with 341 yards.
Smith had a record-breaking night with 215 receiving yards and three touchdowns before being injured in the third quarter and not returning. Jones — who was also a Heisman finalist this year — completed 36-of-45 passes for 464 yards and five touchdowns.
When Saban was asked how he’d describe this 2020 team, he said:
“I think perseverance probably is the one word that describes this team the best in terms of what they’ve had to overcome all season long to go undefeated and win a championship. I’m really so proud of these guys.
“This was a team that was always together. Everybody bought into all the principles and ideals of the organization and the program. They just did a great job, they played together, they supported each other. This is a great team.”