Comedian Shane Gillis revealed a heated conversation he had with legendary college football coach Nick Saban after the former suggested the latter’s Alabama Crimson Tide cheated while he was there on ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
Gillis spoke on the “Talk of the Town” podcast where he broke down what led to the situation, with the comedian saying Saban “spazzed on me.”
First, Gillis told Saban’s “College GameDay” colleagues Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit that he believed Alabama had dominated college football because they had paid players before it was legal to do so through NIL deals.
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Stand-up comic Shane Gillis will embark on a global regional tour in January 2025. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation)
“After I said that, we had to go into the stadium to sit at the desk and I got in there and he [Saban] was like, ‘I heard what you said,'” Gillis said. “And I was like, ‘Holy s–t,’ and then McAfee and Herbstreit said, ‘He’s just busting your b—s, dude.’
“‘He loves to mess with guys. Like he’s literally just f—ing with you,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, okay. I want to f— with him back.’
NICK SABAN CORRECTS SHANE GILLIS AFTER COMEDIAN JOKES COACH OVERSEE CHEATING DURING STORY ALABAMA TIME
Gillis’ antics were not received well by Saban when the comedian doubled down during his Dec. 20 appearance at the Notre Dame-Indiana College Football Playoff game.
“I was just kidding. I don’t think the SEC ever paid players,” Gillis said on the broadcast. Isn’t it a funny show? Is this a serious show? Alabama Jones looks very serious.”
Nick Saban hosts the ESPN College GameDay show before the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. (Michael Clubb/South Bend Trubube/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“Alabama Jones” referred to Saban, who wore a hat similar to the one Indiana Jones wore.
Saban had a retort for Gillis, and he certainly meant it.
“I believe in integrity. I’ve always tried to run the program in such a way that the players had a better chance to be successful in life,” Saban said. “We make more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That’s how we cheated. We developed players.”
After the cameras turned off, Gillis said Saban was actually upset after McAfee and Herbstreit said they should go talk to him.
“So I went up to him after he said, ‘You think the SEC dominated because we cheated?’ It’s bulls—. He snorted at me,” Gillis said.
Stand-up comic Shane Gillis will embark on a global regional tour in January 2025. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation)
Saban is known for his six national titles during his time in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide became a college football powerhouse. He also led the LSU Tigers to the BCS National Champions Game following the 2003 regular season.
