Tennessee Fans Chant Vulgarity at Nick Saban After Mocking Remark
Retired coach's comment about his record against the Volunteers on ESPN's College GameDay drew a hostile crowd response.
Chants of “F—k Nick Saban” echoed through the University of Tennessee campus on Saturday after the retired coaching legend, appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay, appeared to mock the Volunteers faithful.
Saban, a panelist on the show which was broadcast live from Knoxville for the Volunteers’ highly anticipated game against No. 1 Texas, made a comment referencing his dominant record against Tennessee during his tenure at Alabama. "I’m all in on the University of Tennessee. Because we smoked 16 out of 17 [victory] cigars when we played you all," Saban stated to the crowd.
The remark drew a swift and vociferous response from the crowd gathered for the broadcast.
During his time coaching the Crimson Tide, Saban compiled a 16-1 record against Tennessee. The Volunteers’ sole victory over Alabama under Saban occurred in 2022 with a 52-49 upset. Although Saban retired following the 2023 season, Tennessee also secured a head-to-head victory against Alabama in 2024. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on October 17 in Knoxville this season.
The Volunteers entered Saturday's game against Texas with a 3-0 record and ranked No. 14 nationally.
