Kirk Herbstreit Announces Special Plans With Nick Saban Before College GameDay

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit has plans with former Alabama coach Nick Saban before College GameDay goes live from Tuscaloosa on Saturday, where No. 2 Georgia and No. 6 Alabama meet in a matchup of unbeaten SEC teams.

Herbstreit said he’ll have dinner with Saban’s family Friday evening. “But it’s cool that we’ll be there with Coach Saban back home. We’re gonna have a nice dinner there on Friday evening with the Sabans. Looking forward to that,” Herbstreit said.

He didn’t share a location or any other details about the dinner.

GameDay moves inside Coleman Coliseum

Kirk Herbstreit Announces Special Plans With Nick Saban Before College GameDay — ESPN’s College GameDay before a college football game between Tennessee and Texas | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Herbstreit mentioned the dinner right after he addressed the show’s new home for Saturday morning. ESPN announced Thursday that GameDay will broadcast from inside Coleman Coliseum, Alabama’s basketball arena, as Isaias pushes rain and wind toward Tuscaloosa.

“With the winds and the rain, they’ve made that announcement,” Herbstreit said. “We’re going to welcome everybody to come out to Coleman Coliseum and make it a wild atmosphere inside.”

The arena seats more than 15,000 and has hosted the basketball edition of GameDay, but Saturday marks the first time the football show will originate there. It’s also the show’s second indoor broadcast this season after lightning pushed the crew into LSU’s student union.

The show runs from 9 a.m. to noon ET, and fans can line up at the north and east entrances starting at 6:15 a.m. ET. Former Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young, now with the Carolina Panthers, is the guest picker.

How did Herbstreit and Saban connect?

Herbstreit traced the relationship to Saban’s time in East Lansing during an April appearance on The Dan Patrick Show. “I’ve known him since he was the head coach at Michigan State. So, I’ve known him for almost 25 years,” Herbstreit said.

The Ohio State alum called each of Saban’s six national championships at Alabama, and he has named Saban his favorite coach to cover. When Saban retired in January 2024 after a Rose Bowl loss to Michigan, Herbstreit pointed out the coach went 199-16 from 2008 to 2023.

ESPN added Saban to the GameDay desk that fall, and he now sits next to Herbstreit, who is marking 30 years on the show. Herbstreit said Saban asks him for feedback after segments. “But he wants to be coached like he’s a player,” Herbstreit said.

Alabama is hosting GameDay for the 22nd time, a total topped only by Ohio State’s 26. Saban coached the Crimson Tide for 17 seasons, and Saturday’s show puts him back on campus hours before his former program faces Georgia.

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