Nick Saban names college football's best win of the year

The energy around ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday felt electric as former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban stood in front of the big board and began sizing up the season’s defining victories.

The seven-time national champion set the tone when he highlighted the moments that, in his mind, separated good teams from great ones. His focus zeroed in on performances that happened away from home, where loud crowds and long odds make every snap carry more weight.

Saban pointed to three games that showed the strength of teams able to deliver under the toughest circumstances.

He described these road wins with a clarity that matched the stakes of each moment. Alabama’s performance at Georgia, Texas A&M’s trip to Notre Dame and Indiana’s breakthrough at Oregon each stood as examples Saban saw as season-shaping efforts. He called them the biggest wins of the year because they required toughness that cannot be coached in a meeting room.

When he turned toward the Oregon Ducks fans behind the GameDay set, Saban delivered his most pointed moment of the morning. He recapped the Indiana win with a joking yell and made it clear that Oregon’s home environment should never allow that result. His mix of analysis and playful intensity created an unforgettable exchange with the crowd.

Nick Saban Highlights Three Road Wins As Season's Strongest Performances

Nick Saban began by explaining that the best wins were the ones earned on the road, and he emphasized that picking a single winner was nearly impossible.

He said, “Best win of the year? I would say big wins on the road, and I think it's hard to pick one. Alabama going to Georgia, stopping their win streak at home. I think Texas A&M going to Notre Dame. Indiana coming here to beat Oregon.” His focus on these three games showed how much he valued teams that travel into hostile environments and leave with results that influence championship paths.

He spotlighted Alabama’s 24-21 win at Georgia, a victory powered by Ty Simpson’s 276 passing yards, three total touchdowns and a defensive stand at the goal line. Alabama ended Georgia’s 33-game home winning streak and controlled third downs on both sides of the ball. Georgia struggled to keep pace through the air and could not replicate the comeback magic it relied on earlier in the year.

"Let's just don't let that s--- happen again today."

Nick Saban on Oregon's loss to Indiana 😅 pic.twitter.com/jGOHHYPUfO
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 22, 2025

He then shifted to Texas A&M’s 41-40 win at Notre Dame, where Marcel Reed threw for a career-high 360 yards and found Nate Boerkircher for the deciding score with 13 seconds left. Texas A&M fought through penalties, pressure and a late deficit before completing the winning drive. Mike Elko praised his team’s fight after the Aggies earned their first road win over a ranked opponent in more than a decade.

Saban’s final focus went to Indiana’s 30-20 win at Oregon, a performance built on Fernando Mendoza’s poise and a defense that forced two fourth-quarter interceptions. Indiana snapped Oregon’s 18-game home winning streak and controlled key moments with efficient offense and timely stops.

Saban turned toward the Oregon fans and yelled, “Let’s just don't let that (expletive) happen again,” which brought the loudest reaction of the segment. The College GameDay crew is in Eugene, Oregon, to highlight the Ducks' matchup against USC.

Nick Saban Highlights Three Road Wins As Season's Strongest Performances

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