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Nick Saban record at Alabama, year-by-year: How he built brilliant football legacy

kevin skiver, usa today network
·4 min read

A major chapter of Alabama football history closed Wednesday, with Nick Saban retiring after an illustrious career with the Crimson Tide.

He leaves Alabama with an absurd 206-29 record, a winning percentage of .877 and a 16-7 record in bowl games. Saban's Tide won six national championships, including three in the College Football Playoff era.

Saban also went 120-18 in the vaunted SEC, creating a standard of success for college football coaches that only a few have touched. Kirby Smart and Georgia have, in recent years, become worthy sparring partners for Alabama. But this season the Crimson Tide once against got the better of the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game to win the conference and make the playoff.

MORE: Relive Nick Saban's epic Alabama football coaching career with our special book!

That was a hallmark of the Saban era. Even as an underdog — as much as Alabama could be an underdog — the Crimson Tide would find itself with double-digit wins and in contention for a national championship.

Saban won double-digit games in every Alabama season except his first, in which he went 7-6 (later adjusted to 2-6 when five wins were vacated by the NCAA after it deemed players received improper benefits). From 2011 to 2023, Alabama played in just one non-New Year's Six Bowl, further illustrating his dominance.

Here's a look at Saban's time with Alabama and his record in each year.

Nick Saban record at Alabama

  • Overall record: 206-29 (201-29 after vacated wins)

  • Win percentage: .877 (.874)

  • SEC record: 120-18 (117-18)

  • Bowl record: 16-7

  • CFP record: 9-5

  • National championships: Six (three BCS, three CFP)

Saban amassed a record of 206-29 at Alabama, including five wins the NCAA vacated in 2007 for improper benefits. He went 120-18 in the SEC, three of which were vacated. Saban's Tide went 16-7 in bowl games, including 10-4 on New Year's Six games and 3-3 in the College Football Playoff championship game.

REQUIRED READING: Nick Saban retires as Alabama football coach after historic, unparalleled career

Winningest coaches in Alabama football history

Despite his incredible longevity at Alabama, Saban is not the winningest coach in Alabama football history. That mark still belongs to Paul W. "Bear" Bryant, the coach whom many believe Saban has supplanted as the best coach in college football history.

Bryant remains the program record-holder with a 232-46-9 mark at Alabama, including a 128-28-5 mark in SEC play. However, he reached that threshold with 25 seasons, from 1958-82. Saban has more than 200 wins in just 17.

The only other coach with more than 100 wins in Alabama football history is Frank Thomas, who went 115-24-7 in 15 seasons from 1931-46.

Nick Saban record by year at Alabama

2007

  • Record: 7-6 (2-6 following vacated wins)

  • SEC record: 4-4 (1-4 following vacated wins)

  • Season result: Defeated Colorado in Independence Bowl

2008

  • Record: 12-2

  • SEC record: 8-0

  • Season result: Lost to Utah in Sugar Bowl

2009

  • Record: 14-0

  • SEC record: 8-0

  • Season result: Defeated Texas in BCS championship game

2010

  • Record: 10-3

  • SEC record: 5-3

  • Season result: Defeated Michigan State in Capital One Bowl

2011

  • Record: 12-1

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Defeated LSU in BCS championship game

2012

  • Record: 13-1

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Defeated Notre Dame in BCS championship game

2013

  • Record: 11-2

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Lost to Oklahoma in Sugar Bowl

2014

  • Record: 12-2

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Lost to Ohio State in Sugar Bowl (CFP semifinal)

2015

  • Record: 14-1

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Defeated Clemson in CFP championship game

2016

  • Record: 14-1

  • SEC record: 8-0

  • Season result: Lost to Clemson in CFP championship game

2017

  • Record: 13-1

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Defeated Georgia in CFP championship game

2018

  • Record: 14-1

  • SEC record: 8-0

  • Season result: Lost to Clemson in CFP championship game

2019

  • Record: 11-2

  • SEC record: 6-2

  • Season result: Defeated Michigan in Citrus Bowl

2020

  • Record: 13-0

  • SEC record: 10-0

  • Season result: Defeated Ohio State in CFP championship game

2021

  • Record: 13-2

  • SEC record: 7-1

  • Season result: Lost to Georgia in CFP championship game

2022

  • Record: 11-2

  • SEC record: 6-2

  • Season result: Defeated Kansas State in Sugar Bowl

2023

  • Record: 12-2

  • SEC record: 8-0

  • Season result: Lost to Michigan in Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal)

Saban's legacy will indelibly be linked to Alabama for as long as college football is remembered. His record and win percentage, given how competitive the current college football landscape is, stands alone among his contemporaries.

Year by year, Alabama remained a contender under Saban. The big question in Tuscaloosa now is who is going to fill his ridiculously large shoes on the Alabama sidelines.

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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nick Saban record at Alabama football: Career wins, year-by-year results