Nick Saban had a little fun at his own expense Saturday when the topic of Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin came up on ESPN’s College GameDay.
The Buckeyes signal-caller started his career in Tuscaloosa before transferring to Ohio State after Saban’s retirement. But he was only on scout team for the Crimson Tide. Now, the sophomore quarterback is firmly in the Heisman Trophy race after a breakout 2025 season.
“I think one point I’d like to make about Julian Sayin is he was at Alabama,” Saban said on the broadcast. “And the coach at Alabama played him on the scout team for a whole year. What a dumbass.”
“The coach at Alabama played [Julian Sayin] on the scout team for a whole year. What a dumbass.” 😭
Nick Saban with an all-timer 😂 pic.twitter.com/PFJ6UHDLZq
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 1, 2025
The light slam drew laughter from the GameDay set in Salt Lake City, but also showed why Saban is one of the best for being self-aware of his mistakes.
Sayin, a five-star-plus recruit from Carlsbad, California, was the No. 2 quarterback and No. 8 overall prospect in the 2024 class, according to Rivals. He enrolled early at Alabama but transferred after Saban stepped away from coaching.
Sayin has found a home with OSU offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. He has thrown for 1,872 yards, 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions while completing 80 percent of his passes, which leads the nation.
Ohio State heads into the final month of the regular season with Penn State coming to Columbus on Saturday (Noon ET, FOX).
