Nick Saban vs Bear Bryant: Who was the greatest coach of all time?

The argument for the greatest college football coach of all time boils down to just two names: Nick Saban and Bear Bryant. They will go down in the annals of college football history as two of the biggest coaching giants to ever grace the game.

Both have cemented their legacies by asserting their dominance over college football during their tenures coaching the Alabama Crimson Tide. But while their contributions to the game will always be remembered, who is greater in the battle of Nick Saban versus Bear Bryant?

Who is a better coach Bear Bryant or Nick Saban?

Although both coaches have had a Hall of Fame career, Nick Saban is considered as the better coach by many. As of the 2023 season, Saban leads the all-time winning % with .804 compared to Bryant's .780. Saban also has more national championships, and Bowl wins.

Nick Saban vs. Bear Bryant: National championships galore

Bryant coached the Crimson Tide for nearly 10 more seasons than Nick Saban has, which makes it difficult to compare the two purely based on their career coaching records.

With a career record of 323 wins, including 232 for the Crimson Tide, Bryant's coaching record outweighs Saban's 280 wins, with 189 of those coming with the Tide.

However, the debate between Bear Bryant and Nick Saban truly gets interesting when the championship success of the two is brought into the picture. Over the course of his 25 years at Alabama, Bryant compiled an impressive resume with six national championships.

Saban, on the other hand, has already climbed to the top of the ladder by winning six national titles entering his 17th season with the Tide. With the inclusion of his 2003 national championship with the LSU Tigers, Saban has placed himself as the coach with the most national titles in college football history.

Nick Saban quotes Bear Bryant

Alabama's Nick Saban

While there is a raging debate among football fans about the greater coach in the debate between Nick Saban vs. Bear Bryant, there seems to be no doubt about the answer to that question in Saban's mind.

Before last year's national championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs, he spoke to SEC Network and cleared any contention about the debate.

“I still think, in my mind, he’s the greatest coach of all time," Saban said. "I still look up to him just that way. If it wasn’t for the legacy of what he did at Alabama, there would be no way that we could have the success that we’ve had at Alabama."

Saban even quoted Bryant while addressing the media last year ahead of their matchup against the Texas Longhorns:

"You know coach Bryant had an old saying: 'You never know what a horse can pull until you give them a heavy load.'"

In the eyes of fans, however, the debate between Bryant and Saban rages on. As a whole, both are two of the most successful coaches across the history of college football.