Nick Saban Honored at Alabama as Crimson Tide Avoid Upset

Former University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban is honored at the half against the South Florida Bulls with the naming of the field in his honor at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Sept. 7, 2024. Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images

On the night Alabama honored former head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide made sure South Florida didn’t spoil the party.

Fourth-ranked Alabama (2–0) broke open a 14–13 lead in the fourth quarter with four touchdowns en route to a 42–16 victory on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 7. Saban received the honor of the field naming in a pregame ceremony, and the Crimson Tide had additional fanfare with a halftime celebration.

“The power of your voice elevated a program, a state and even brought down the sign before we ever touched it,” Alabama play-by-play announcer Chris Stewart said during the pregame ceremony. “Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, welcome to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.”

Saban, 72, retired in January after coaching the Crimson Tide from 2007 to 2023. He led the Tide to six national titles in that span, the biggest Football Bowl Subdivision dynasty ever.

“This is a great honor to have the field named after the legacy that we’ve been able to create here,” Saban told the crowd. “And I want this legacy to represent every player who played an worked hard, every coach who helped those players develop, our administration that set a foundation where we had a chance to be successful by providing all the resources that we needed to be the best program in the country, and to you the fans who were always positive in terms of the way you supported our players, our program and all the things that we did.”

Saban’s wife of 52 years, Terry, also spoke during the ceremony. She was at her husband’s side during his 50-year coaching career that began in 1973.

“The past 17 years haven’t felt like work, rather it has felt like teamwork,” Terry Saban said. “Players, coaches, staff and our incredible fans have made it happen. Love our fans. I just hope that we can continue supporting Alabama, supporting children, students, teachers and education through the football platform, as well as our Nick’s Kids Foundation.”

Saban’s overall coaching career includes a 292–71–1 record in college, seven national championships (one at LSU in 2003), 11 SEC titles, and a 15–17 record in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. He coached many college players into the NFL ranks, and Alabama has currently has 88 alumni playing in the NFL.

This year’s Crimson Tide squad has numerous pro prospects, including quarterback Jalen Milroe. The junior signal caller didn’t play in last year’s 17–3 game against USF in Tampa, and he made sure things wouldn’t stay close in the fourth quarter this time around against the Bulls (1–1).

Milroe opened the quarter with a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kobe Prentice for a 21–13 lead, and Milroe gave the Tide more breathing room on a 43-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Williams. Overall, Milroe threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns on 16–26 passing plus two rushing touchdowns—the first Tide players to achieve at least two rushing and passing touchdowns in consecutive games.

“Biggest thing was flipping the page on each drive. Even when we had touchdowns, the next play, the next play, the next play, having the optimistic mindset throughout the whole game,” Milroe told reporters regarding Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer’s advice. “So, it’s awesome to just have the feedback with him throughout the whole game. He’s just a key resource for our offense moving forward.”

DeBoer took over for Saban this year after two years with Washington where he led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff in 2023. With his predecessor in the building, DeBoer liked what he saw from his team amid lessons to be learned.

“If we just stay in the fight and we just keep playing, and we live to see another down, it’s amazing what this team can accomplish,” DeBoer told reporters. “Remember this time when it was 14–13, and you just kept swinging and just kept playing. I’m proud of that. That’s what it’s going to take to win some close games, even if they’re not pretty. Because all wins aren’t going to be that way.”