Nick Saban Takes Shot At College Football Powerhouse

On the first sweeping college football Saturday of the year, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is making his full-fledged debut on ESPN's College GameDay. The crew began discussing Ohio State's roster, which reportedly cost $20 million in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) to put together, and Saban had a criticism for the program.

"You guys keep talking about the $20 million roster, if you don't pay the right guys, you'll be sh*t out of luck!" Saban said, with the rest of the crew breaking out in laughter.

"Congratulations, you just broke the Internet!" Kirk Herbstreit responded.

The Buckeyes added high-priced talent this offseason, including running back Quinshon Judkins, who has an NIL price tag of $594K, according to On3. Former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin and safety Caleb Downs also entered the fold, so perhaps Saban was taking a sly swipe at his former talent.

In the new world of NIL and the transfer portal, the bidding war for college football talent resembles the world of free agency in the NFL. However, as Saban says here, paying up for a player doesn't necessarily mean they'll make the impact you expect on your football team.

Related: Nick Saban Sends Strong Message About Kalen DeBoer On College GameDay