Alabama's Nick Saban: 'I think the Big Ten is a really good conference'

Nick Saban has a 170-57-1 record in 19 seasons as a college head coach. (Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban can take pride in that the Southeastern Conference has won seven of the last eight national championships in football.

It's unlikely that another conference will catch up to the SEC anytime soon -- in part due to the conference's superior recruitment -- but Saban acknowledged the capability of another conference at a recent Ohio fundraiser.

Saban was asked how long he thought it would take for the Big Ten to catch up to the SEC when it comes to recruiting.

“I’m going to be politically correct on this one,” Saban said, via Cleveland.com.

“I think we have a little bit of an advantage when it comes to the recruiting base we have in the Southeast. But I think the Big Ten is a really good conference. And I want to be quoted on that," Saban said.

Saban has won four national titles, including three at Alabama and one at LSU. He was also Michigan State's coach for five seasons.

"I think you have great high school football here in Ohio, but there’s a lot of really good players in the Southeast and I think there’s a lot of passion for those players, and as that league has accomplished a lot of success through the years, more and more people on a national basis want to come there,” Saban said.

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