Nick Saban, considered among the greatest college football coaches of all time who won seven national titles, six of them at Alabama, has informed the Crimson Tide that he is retiring, sources told ESPN’s Chris Low on Wednesday.
Saban, 72, just completed his 17th season at Alabama, which ended in a loss to eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl. In 17 seasons, 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.
Saban won more games in 17 seasons at Alabama (201) than the Crimson Tide won in the 24 seasons between Bryant’s retirement and Saban’s hiring at Alabama (171).
In his 28 years as a college head coach — a career that included seven national championships, 12 conference titles (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).
Saban finishes his career with a 292-71-1 college coaching record, ranking him sixth all-time in the FBS in wins, and 12th in NCAA college football history regardless of division.
Saban also coached in the NFL, serving as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-94, and head coach of the Miami Dolphins, where he went 15-17 in two seasons (2005-06).
He might have lasted just two season in the NFL, but he continued to coach NFL talent since coming to Alabama. The Crimson Tide had three players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, which included the Tide’s first No. 1 overall pick in the Common Draft era (since 1967) in Bryce Young. Saban has had 49 players selected in the first round — including 44 at Alabama — the most of any coach in the Common Draft era.
Alabama has won at least 10 games in 16 straight seasons under Saban, the longest streak by any program in the AP Poll era (since 1936). This despite playing 107 games against AP-ranked teams during Saban’s tenure, 14 more than any other program.
Saban’s seven BCS/CFP national championship wins since 1998 are more than double the amount of any other head coach. Urban Meyer is next with three, followed by Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney with two each.
The Crimson Tide reached the College Football Playoff in eight of the 10 seasons in the CFP era.
Alabama’s odds to win next season’s national championship moved from 6-1 to 8-1 at ESPN BET after Saban’s retirement was reported. The Crimson Tide have the third-shortest odds, behind Georgia and Ohio State.
ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.