Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban likely wants a do-over after the team’s heartbreaking loss to the Michigan Wolverines. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum described Saban’s performance in the Rose Bowl as “frankly shocking.” The longtime college football analyst believes Saban was “outcoached” by Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh.
“Being around a bunch of analysts on the field during the game, that’s what I kept hearing from them,” Finebaum remarked during a January 2, 2024 episode of “Get Up.” “And by the end of the game, you can pick a million places if you want.
“Obviously, players have to execute, as I know you’ve already said. But ultimately, you expect Nick Saban to outcoach everyone, especially Jim Harbaugh. The one that some of us have maligned and wondered about and pointed out his postseason record. And to see that happen, it was quite frankly shocking,” Finebaum continued.
“I have the utmost respect, as all of you do, for Nick Saban. We know his record. We don’t need to regurgitate it, but yesterday Nick Saban was outcoached by Jim Harbaugh.”
Here is a look at Finebaum’s full comments about Alabama that are turning heads.
Michigan Nearly Lost the Rose Bowl to Alabama After Several Special Teams Blunders
Former Alabama WR Marquis Maze says 2023 was Nick Saban’s best coaching year he’s had in his tenure at Alabama 👏
It may not have been Saban’s finest coaching performance, but we were a couple Crimson Tide plays away from roasting the Wolverines’ dismal special teams play. Instead, Michigan benefited from a number of Alabama’s own errors, including a fourth quarter fumble by Jalen Milroe.
The final Bama play turned out to be a prime example of what took place throughout the Rose Bowl. Alabama was unable to block Michigan’s pass rush, and Milroe once again had to deal with a low snap. This ruined the original intent of the goal line play and prompted Milroe to run directly into Wolverines defenders.
Nick Saban on Alabama’s Loss to Michigan: ‘I Wish That I Could Have Done More as a Coach’
This year’s Rose Bowl between Michigan and Alabama averaged 27.2 million viewers.
That makes it the most-viewed college football playoff semifinal since 2014 and the most-viewed non-NFL sporting event since 2018.
College football is as big as ever 📈
In some ways, the season represents a strong coaching job by Saban just to get Bama to the College Football Playoff. From the near collapse against South Florida to needing a fourth-and-long touchdown to beat Auburn, this was not the best Crimson Tide team we have seen under Saban.
Saban did not go as far to say Harbaugh outcoached him in the playoff game. Yet, the coach was critical of his own performance against Michigan.
“But one thing that I told them in the locker room after the game, this is one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history,” Saban told reporters on January 1. “In terms of where this team came from, what they were able to accomplish and what they’re able to do [in] winning the SEC Championship. And really, really proud of this group, and I just wish that I could have done more as a coach to help them be successful and help them finish. And all we can do now is learn from the lessons that sometimes failings bring to us.”
For now, the countdown is already on to next season for the Crimson Tide. Alabama opens the 2024 season on August 31 by hosting Western Kentucky.
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Alabama’s Nick Saban Dragged for ‘Shocking’ Day vs. Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh