Alabama Legend Nick Saban Doesn't Mince Words on ACC

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Alabama Crimson Tide legend Nick Saban decided to retire from coaching after the 2023 campaign, as he did not seem to like the direction in which college football was headed.

Now, Saban is an analyst, and he is never shy about expressing his opinion on the state of the sport. And that includes individual teams and conferences.

During a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Saban was discussing the Miami Hurricanes, who made it to the National Championship Game last year and were ranked No. 5 in the country prior to their win over Wake Forest on Friday night.

While Saban made it clear that he likes Miami, he also couldn't resist taking a swipe at the ACC in the process.

“I like Miami,” Saban said. “They’re in the ACC, but I love them. I think Mario’s done a great job there. Done a great job recruiting, putting the roster together. They’re well coached. I’ve watched them play. They’re very good. So, let’s take Miami out of the ACC.”

This certainly isn't the first time Saban has thrown shade at the ACC.

Back in August, Saban told Daniel Hager of On 3 that Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal, who once served as an assistant under Saban at Alabama, is always trying to sway him to believe that the ACC is on par with the SEC.

“He’s always trying to convince me that the ACC is better than the SEC,” Saban said. “The SEC has nine teams in the top 25. That’s all I know. It’s a deep conference. I know it is.”

Saban is right. To even joke about the ACC being better than the SEC is nonsense.

Yes, the ACC is technically a "Power Four" conference, but it pales in comparison to the SEC, the Big Ten and even the Big 12.

There was a time when the ACC looked a whole lot better than it does now because Clemson was once a powerhouse, but those days are long gone.

At the current point in time, the conference does have some decent schools outside of Miami, as SMU, Louisville and Virginia are all in the top 25. But would they be able to compete in the SEC? It seems unlikely.

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