Nick Saban may no longer be patrolling the Alabama sideline, but don’t think for a second he’s checked out of the Crimson Tide’s championship chase-or the broader college football conversation. Ahead of Alabama’s College Football Playoff showdown with top-seeded Indiana, Saban made it clear: the Hoosiers aren’t getting the respect they’ve earned.
During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Saban shared a telling anecdote that speaks volumes about how Indiana is still perceived nationally. “The guys I play golf with, we’re on the first tee and the guy looks at me and says, ‘We should be able to beat Indiana.
That should be a win for us,’” Saban recalled. “I said, ‘What are you talking about?
Indiana has a really good team.’”
That disbelief wasn’t isolated. Saban’s friend pushed back, saying he just couldn’t wrap his head around Indiana being a football powerhouse.
“They’re really good in basketball, but not football,” the friend said. Saban’s response?
Straight to the point: “You better get it in your head because they’ve been good last year, they’ve been really good this year. Did you watch them beat Ohio State and how physical they played?”
That physicality wasn’t a fluke. Indiana rolled through the Big Ten undefeated, knocked off the defending national champions in Ohio State, and claimed the conference title en route to securing the No. 1 seed in the playoff. Yet somehow, outside of Bloomington, the Hoosiers still feel like underdogs-at least in the eyes of the casual fan.
Saban sees the disconnect. “I think in the outside world, away from Indiana, people still don't have the proper respect for Indiana,” he said.
And he’s not wrong. Despite being the most consistent team in college football this season, the Hoosiers are still fighting against the weight of history-years of being overlooked, underestimated, and, frankly, dismissed.
Alabama, on the other hand, carries all the pedigree. National titles, Heismans, and a reputation that precedes them.
Even in a season where they’ve stumbled more than usual, the Crimson Tide are still viewed as the standard. That’s part of what makes this matchup so fascinating-Alabama’s legacy versus Indiana’s rise.
And make no mistake: Alabama isn’t underestimating Indiana. Head coach Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Ty Simpson have both gone out of their way to praise the Hoosiers, acknowledging the challenge that awaits in the Rose Bowl.
But Saban knows that fans aren’t always wired the same way as coaches and players. “Fans don't look at the game from a technical perspective like we all do,” he said.
“Indiana is a damn good team and I think on the national level, people don't see them as the good team that they are."
It’s a classic case of perception lagging behind reality. Indiana has done everything you could ask of a playoff team-dominated a tough conference, beat elite competition, and played with a level of toughness and discipline that wins in December and January. Yet the narrative still hasn’t caught up.
"Indiana is a really good football team and they're a physical football team..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 30, 2025
On the national level I still don't think this team is getting enough respect..
Alabama knows this is gonna be a very challenging game for them" ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/nn2go9epCk
If Indiana pulls off a win over Alabama on Thursday, that respect will come in waves. But as Saban pointed out, maybe it should’ve already been here.