Nick Saban admits major mistake regarding Julian Sayin on ‘College GameDay’ - WATCH

Nick Saban had a little fun as he admitted his own coaching mistake on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday, November 1. This happened when the show was discussing Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. The Ohio State Buckeyes are playing against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday.

Nick Saban's honest confession

The Buckeyes currently hold a seven-game win streak and are not showing any signs of slowing down. On the other hand, Penn State has a 3-4 record so far.

As per Athlon Sports, Julian Sayin has been in outstanding form for the side. He has completed 156 of 195 passes, with an 80% success rate. He has thrown for 1,872 yards with 19 touchdowns as well as three interceptions. As of now, his longest pass is for 87 yards.

Sayin was not part of the program throughout his career. Last year, he was transferred to Columbus and could only manage to throw 12 times. Before his 2024 transfer, he stayed in Alabama for a brief period when Saban was serving as the head coach for the Crimson Tide. During his time with Alabama, he failed to receive any game time and only managed to spend most of his time as part of the scout team.

With the Buckeyes facing the Nittany Lions on Saturday, Saban talked about his coaching mistake on College GameDay.

"One point I’d like to make about Julian Sayin is... he was at Alabama," Saban said on the ESPN show. Referring to himself, he added, "...and the coach at Alabama played him on the scout team for a whole year. What a dumb...” Sayin began his career in Tuscaloosa and was later transferred to Ohio State after Saban’s retirement. He was only on the scout team for the Crimson Tide, as per The Sporting News. Pat McAfee quickly intervened and said, "That guy’s the greatest of all time, though.”

Ohio State vs Penn State

The Big Ten battle for the week is seeing Penn State eyeing to break in the winning streak of Ohio State. The match kick-started at 12 PM ET on November 1, and fans can watch the live stream on Fubo. Also, they can see the match on FOX 4K.

Penn State is aiming for its maiden victory over the fierce rival since 2016. On the other hand, the Buckeyes have secured a victory in all of the last eight meetings between the two sides.

FAQs

Who is Julian Sayin?

He is a five-star-plus recruit from Carlsbad, California.

For how long was Nick Saban associated with Alabama Crimson Tide?

Saban served as the coach for the team between 2007 and 2023.

How is Nick Saban associated with ESPN?

He is currently serving as an analyst on College GameDay.