Did Nick Saban coach at Ohio State? Exploring Alabama former coach's professional career

Nick Saban has one of the greatest resumes in the history of American collegiate sports. The former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach won seven national titles, 11 SEC crowns, one MAC title, and numerous individual honors before he retired from coaching in 2024.

These days, Saban is a regular fixture on ESPN's "College GameDay," where he shares his wealth of knowledge with the panel. With Saban's coaching career now in the books, let's take a look at his history with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Did Nick Saban coach at Ohio State?

Yes, Nick Saban coached at Ohio State. Saban was the Buckeyes' defensive backs coach between 1980 and 1981. He distinguished himself in this post before joining Navy for the 1982 college football season.

Nick Saban faced the Buckeyes four times in his head coaching career (thrice with the Michigan State Spartans and once with the Alabama Crimson Tide). He defeated the Buckeyes twice during his tenure with the Spartans and once as the head coach of the Crimson Tide.

Saban's sole loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes as the Alabama Crimson Tide head coach is one of the greatest college playoff games in history. The Buckeyes came out victorious against a Crimson Tide offense filled with future NFL stars on their way to a 2014 National Championship win over the Oregon Ducks.

How have the Ohio State Buckeyes performed in 2024?

The Ohio State Buckeyes are having a very impressive 2024 college football season under head coach Ryan Day. The Buckeyes go into Week 14 with a 10-1 record, and their only loss this season was against the Oregon Ducks.

Aside from their close loss to the Ducks, the Buckeyes have been flawless against ranked opponents and in conference play, breezing through the opposition at every step.

The Buckeyes are enjoying phenomenal play from Will Howard, Treveyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, Emeka Egbuka, and others. They're currently second in the CFP rankings, and they'll be a difficult opponent for any team in the expanded college football playoffs.