Nick Saban wasn’t interested in the hype machine running wild on Saturday’s “College GameDay.”
While ESPN’s desk spent part of the show in Austin treating LSU like a possible national title team after its 51-10 win over Clemson, the former Alabama coach pushed back hard. He also bristled at the idea that Michigan’s season was already cooked after one ugly afternoon.
Pat McAfee kicked off the overreaction conversation by saying LSU’s performance sold him. “I don't know how you beat that LSU team if they're able to stay healthy,” McAfee said. “They are dominant across the board.”
He doubled down on what he saw up close. “You guys didn't see what I saw. They're big, fast, strong,” McAfee said.
Kirk Herbstreit joined in, pointing to the quarterback. “How about Leavitt, that herky-jerky creativity that he has, along with Charlie Weis Jr.'s system?
Dangerous. I'm buying that,” Herbstreit said.
“I don't know if that's an overreaction. They look great.”
Behind the set, the crowd answered with an “overrated” chant.
Sam Leavitt, the Arizona State transfer running LSU coach Lane Kiffin's offense, backed up the buzz with a huge night against Clemson. He threw for 230 yards and a touchdown and added 113 rushing yards and two more scores. LSU was already up 31-3 at halftime and finished with a 336-54 edge in yardage.
Saban, who won a national championship at LSU in 2003 and six more at Alabama, fired back with the line he’s used plenty before. “I hear you've got rat poison over here for LSU. I hear you proclaiming that they're going to win the national championship after one game,” Saban said.
He then shifted to Michigan and Desmond Howard, who won the 1991 Heisman Trophy there. “We've got people all over your alma mater, Michigan, about how they played last week.”
That was a fair target too. Western Michigan had a late lead in Ann Arbor before Michigan escaped with a 13-12 win on a 47-yard Hail Mary from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan as time expired. The Associated Press voters responded by dropping the Wolverines from No. 16 to unranked.
Saban tied both examples together with the same warning. “It's one game.
One game. I mean, everybody has the opportunity to improve.
It's a long season,” Saban said. Herbstreit interrupted with “Lighten up, Francis,” but Saban kept going: “One thing that I hated and despised about the media is how they sort of proclaimed your team early in the season.”
LSU’s jump in the first regular-season AP Top 25 reflected the size of the win, as the Tigers climbed from No. 11 to No. 8.
Ole Miss is right behind them at No. 9, and the two teams will meet in Oxford on Sept. 19 in Kiffin's first game against the program he left after the 2025 regular season. Before that, Louisiana Tech comes to Tiger Stadium at 6:30 p.m.
ET on Saturday.
In Other News...
Michigan Fans Could Not Ignore This Bizarre Oklahoma Sideline Moment
Oklahomas trip to Michigan Stadium produced plenty for college football fans to notice, but one sideline image in particular quickly took on a life of its own. A photo of offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis showed a visible brown mark on his pants, and the moment spread fast enough to invite the sort of online speculation that only a big game in Ann Arbor can generate. Pierre-Louis already has a reputation as a physical player, which only added to the chatter as fans zoomed in on the picture.
The strange part is how little anyone could immediately explain it. Other sideline moments from the game also made their way around social media, but this one stood out because the cause of the mark has not been confirmed. For Michigan fans following every detail of the matchup, it was one of those bizarre football snapshots that had people talking long after the play itself had moved on. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Got A Wild Big House Moment You Have To See
A quirky sideline moment became one of the more memorable clips from Michigans game against Oklahoma, even in a contest where the score itself was still unchanged when it happened. A viral video circulating online showed an Oklahoma ball boy repeatedly trying to get to a loose football on the field, and the persistence of the effort quickly turned into the kind of Big House snapshot fans love to pass around.
The play didnt alter the scoreboard at that instant, but it did give the crowd and the internet something to latch onto in a game already carrying plenty of attention. For Michigan followers, it was another reminder that at the Big House, sometimes the little unscripted moments travel just as far as the big ones. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Put Recruiting Momentum To The Test Against Oklahoma
Michigan used the Oklahoma game as more than a measuring stick on the field, turning The Big House into a showcase for some of its most important recruiting targets and current commits. The visitor list included 2027 five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant, a former Oregon commitment, along with several 2028 prospects such as four-star offensive tackle Anthony Blalock Jr. and wide receiver Armani Strong, who are already pledged to Alabama and Florida.
The trip also had a strong local feel, with Detroit-area prospects like Jayden Bell and other players from Cass Tech in attendance as Michigan keeps working to hold and flip commitments close to home. For a program trying to sustain momentum on the trail, a marquee matchup offered the kind of atmosphere that can leave a lasting impression, even if the final verdict on the weekend will not come until those recruits decide how they want to move next. [Read more 🡒]