Nick Saban Clashes with Comedian Shane Gillis on ESPN’s College GameDay

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — ESPN‘s College GameDay took an unexpected turn when comedian Shane Gillis, serving as the celebrity guest picker, clashed with former Alabama coach Nick Saban during the Dec. 20 broadcast. The tension arose after Gillis joked about the SEC‘s dominance in college football, suggesting that the playing field had leveled now that all schools can pay players.

Gillis, a Notre Dame fan, made the remarks during an earlier segment with Pat McAfee, quipping that it’s ‘not just the SEC and not Coach Saban’ benefiting from player payments. When Saban joined the panel for the game picks segment, McAfee brought up Gillis’s comments, prompting the comedian to double down. Gillis even referred to Saban as ‘Alabama Jones,’ referencing the Indiana Jones-style hat the coach was wearing.

While the rest of the panel laughed, Saban appeared less amused. On a recent episode of his podcast, ‘Matt & Shane’s Secret Podcast,’ Gillis revealed that Saban confronted him before the segment, having heard the earlier comments. Despite assurances from McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit that Saban was joking, Gillis said the coach was genuinely upset.

‘I would have never done that if I thought he was serious,’ Gillis said. After the show, Gillis attempted to smooth things over, but Saban reportedly lashed out, saying, ‘You think the SEC dominated because we cheated? That’s bull—!’ Gillis also recounted helping Saban off the raised platform, adding, ‘I felt really bad about that.’

Saban, who retired as Alabama’s head coach in January 2024, joined ESPN’s College GameDay as an analyst last August. His tenure at Alabama included six national championships and nine SEC titles, cementing his legacy as one of college football’s greatest coaches.

The incident has sparked widespread discussion among fans, with many praising Gillis’s humor while others defended Saban’s competitive spirit. Whether the two will cross paths again remains to be seen, but the moment has already become a memorable part of College GameDay history.