Top 5 worst Alabama defeats under the Nick Saban era ft. 2019 CFP national championship

An important chapter in football history is coming to an end at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban's 50-year coaching career has reportedly ended. Saban's tenure at Alabama since 2007 transformed the world of college football, as he built one of the most successful dynasties in the history of the sport.

Over 28 seasons as a college football head coach with Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama, Saban had a record of 292-71-1 and won seven national titles, 11 Southeastern Conference championships, and one Mid-American Conference championship. Over 17 years, beating Nick Saban was one of the biggest moral prizes in sports, but few managed to do it.

Let's see the five times that rivals managed to beat Saban's Alabama convincingly.

Top 5 worst Alabama defeats under Nick Saban

#5, Oklahoma 45 Alabama 31, 2014 Sugar Bowl

This was the second defeat of Alabama's season, after losing the famous Kick-Six Iron Bowl. Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight threw for 348 yards and destroyed Alabama. This was the last game of A.J. McCarron as the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide.

#4, South Carolina 35, Alabama 21, October 2010

Despite Greg McElroy throwing for 315 yards with two touchdowns, the South Carolina Gamecocks managed to bully the Crimson Tide. South Carolina had 110 yards on 37 carries. Former Philadelphia Eagles Alshon Jeffery also caught for 127 yards and had two receiving touchdowns for the Gamecocks.

#3, Utah 31 Alabama 17, 2009 Sugar Bowl

This was Nick Saban's second season at Alabama, and it showed glimpses of the greatness to come. After losing the SEC championship game to Florida, the Crimson Tide lost the Sugar Bowl to Utah.

Kyle Whittingham's team bottled Alabama to 31 yards, and it was the only non-Power Five team to defeat Saban's Crimson Tide. (This was before Utah moved to the Pac-12.)

#2, Georgia 33, Alabama 18, 2022 CFP national championship game

The loss to his protege Kirby Smart. Smart came looking for revenge, after Saban's comeback win in 2018 against Georgia. Bryce Young threw for 369 yards, and had one touchdown pass, but crucially gave up two interceptions that helped the Bulldogs win.

#1, Clemson 44, Alabama 16, 2019 CFP national championship game

This game made people think that Nick Saban had lost his step. For a time there it seemed like Clemson was dominating Alabama after the 2017 loss to a Tigers team led by Deshaun Watson.

But it was Trevor Lawrence who dropped a bomb on Alabama with a difference of 28 points. Lawrence threw for 347 yards, with three touchdown passes. Saban proved he still had what it takes a couple of seasons later.