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Sunday Discussion: Nick Saban's Real Victory Total

A needed clarification of the record book.

By CB969
Winning never gets old for Nick Saban.
Winning never gets old for Nick Saban.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

After Alabama's 10-0 win on Saturday night, ESPN and the SEC Network trumpeted that the victory was Saban's 200th "Official" win as a head coach. But this is a crock of you-know-what.I am here to tell you:

Nick Saban has 205 career wins as a college football head coach.

This politically correct nonsense about "official" wins omitted five 2007 victories Nick Saban had in his first season at Alabama. In the short version, some Crimson Tide players were using their textbook allowance to buy books for other students. Free books for students! What a horrendous crime! Because of these infractions that went back to Mike Shula's regime, the NCAA thought it best to vacate five wins from Saban's 2007 season and 16 from Shula over his last two seasons at the helm. This because of the actions of a few student-athletes - acts that were without the knowledge of these two coaches or something under their control.

Now, I don't want to get into the discussion about the horrific things that happened under Joe Paterno at Penn State and the 112 wins that were vacated and then later restored by the spineless NCAA.I just want it to be known to all who care that Nick Saban has 205 wins.

The NCAA and ESPN can say whatever they want but you cannot change what happens on the field.

Year Team Overall Conference
Toledo Rockets (MAC) (1990)
1990 Toledo 9–2 7–1
Total: 9–2 7–1
Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten) (1995–1999)
1995 Michigan State 6–5–1 4–3–1
1996 Michigan State 6–6 5–3
1997 Michigan State 7–5 4–4
1998 Michigan State 6–6 4–4
1999 Michigan State 9–2 6–2
Total: 34–24–1 23–16–1
LSU Tigers (SEC) (2000–2004)
2000 LSU 8–4 5–3
2001 LSU 10–3 5–3
2002 LSU 8–5 5–3
2003 LSU 13–1 7–1
2004 LSU 9–3 6–2
Total: 48–16 28–12
Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC) (2007–present)
2007 Alabama 7–5 4–4
2008 Alabama 12–2 8–0
2009 Alabama 14–0 8–0
2010 Alabama 10–3 5–3
2011 Alabama 12–1 7–1
2012 Alabama 13–1 7–1
2013 Alabama 11–2 7–1
2014 Alabama 12–2 7–1
2015 Alabama 14–1 7–1
2016 Alabama 9–0 5–0
Total: 114–17 65–12
Grand Total: 205-60-1

With one more win, Saban will surpass Ohio State's Woody Hayes in wins at a major school.

  1. Joe Paterno, Penn State 409
  2. Bobby Bowden, Florida State 357
  3. Bear Bryant, Alabama 323
  4. Pop Warner, Carlisle 311
  5. Amos Alonzo Stagg, Chicago 282
  6. LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young 257
  7. Tom Osborne, Nebraska 255
  8. Lou Holtz, Notre Dame 249
  9. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 238
  10. Mack Brown, Texas 238
  11. Bo Schembechler, Michigan 234
  12. Hayden Fry, Iowa 230
  13. Steve Spurrier, Florida 228
  14. Woody Hayes, Ohio State 205 AND Nick Saban, Alabama 205

Saban is the winningest active coach in Division I/FBS over 77-year old K-State coach Bill Snyder (198). Bob Stoops has 186. Urban Meyer has 162.

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