IN PHOTOS: Nick Saban reviews Tigers stadium operations building in latest LSU visit for College GameDay

Before becoming the Alabama coach, Nick Saban had a successful five-season stint as the coach of the LSU Tigers. He was with the program from 2000 to 2004 and helped it win the national championship in 2003.

After retiring in January, Saban has involved himself in the world of broadcasting and is now a prominent part of the ESPN's "College GameDay" crew. The show will be hosted at Baton Rouge for the Week 11 showdown between No. 14 LSU and the No. 11 Crimson Tide. A day before the show, Saban got the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane at the LSU campus.

Apart from leading them to a national title, Saban also helped design the Tigers' state-of-the-art football operations center. It was opened in 2006 after he left the program, and he finally got to have a proper look inside the center he helped come to life.

On Friday, LSU shared a post on X showcasing Nick Saban embracing the center 18 years after its opening.

When Saban was with the Tigers, the program did not have the kind of facilities that it possesses now. He helped the team flourish and become one of the most cherished programs in college football.

Both Alabama and LSU are contenders for the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Saturday's showdown will be crucial in deciding who gets the upper hand in this race and becomes potential national champions this season.

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Kalen DeBoer opens up about Nick Saban's involvement with the team this season

The Crimson Tide are having somewhat of a roller coaster season under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer. They enter Week 11 with a 6-2 record after upset losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

DeBoer shared some insight about how much Nick Saban has involved himself with the program after retirement with Touchdown Alabama magazine. He said the former coach is trying his best to allow DeBoer to carve his own legacy with the program.

"He has really tried to keep his distance," DeBoer said. "He is trying to allow us to do our things as a staff. He knows he is welcome anytime."

Crimson Tide fans will have high expectations from Kalen DeBoer as Saban's successor. It will be interesting to see if he can live up to those expectations and add a national championship to his trophy cabinet in his debut season.