Nick Saban wants to be clear: Every national championship is special.
The former Alabama coach joined Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram and Rob Stone on The Triple Option podcast, and Ingram – his former running back – asked the 72-year-old Saban which title stood out or was his “favorite.”
He pointed to two: His 2003 BCS national championship at LSU and the 2010 BCS national championship over Texas.
“The resonate the most because all those guys came to the program when the program wasn’t successful,” he explained. “Players come for what you cand o for them, not really what they can do for the university.
“It’s OK that it happens, but it is more meaningful when all these players tried to prove something, worked their butts off to make it happen. You’re a part of it, and you grow together as a team.”
In Alabama’s 37-21 win over Texas on Jan. 7, 2010, the Tide knocked Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy out of the game early with an injury and held a 24-6 halftime lead. Texas backup Garrett Gilbert helped make things close in the fourth quarter, but a strip-sack by linebacker Eryk Anders set up Mark Ingram’s short touchdown run to secure Alabama’s first national title since 1992.
In LSU’s 21-14 win over Oklahoma, the Tigers defense held Oklahoma’s nation-leading attack to 154 yards and Heisman winner Jason White threw two interceptions. A pick-six from LSU defensive lineman Marcus Spears helped the Tigers cement the win.
