Nick Saban, one of college football’s coaching greats who won seven national championships and turned Alabama back into a national powerhouse that included six of those titles, announced his retirement Wednesday after 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Saban, 72, just completed his 17th season at Alabama, which ended in a loss to eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl. He won 201 games — tied with Vince Dooley (Georgia) for the second-most wins at a single school in SEC history, behind only Bear Bryant, who won 232 games in his 25 seasons with Alabama.
Under Bryant, Alabama reached dynastic heights, winning 13 SEC championships and six national titles. Saban returned the Crimson Tide to those heights, winning nine conference crowns and six more national championships.
In his 28 years as a college head coach — a career that included seven national titles, 12 conference championships (11 SEC, 1 MAC) and 19 bowl game wins — Saban never had a losing season. His worst seasons were in 1996 and 1998 at Michigan State (finished .500).
Nick Saban Head Coaching Record
| SEASONS | TEAM | W-L |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Toledo | 9-2 |
| 1995-99 | Michigan State | 34-24-1 |
| 2000-04 | LSU | 48-16 |
| 2005-06 | Dolphins | 15-17 |
| 2007-23 | Alabama | 201-29 |
| — ESPN Stats & Information | ||
