Nick Saban didn’t like Shane Gillis accusing him of “cheating” on College GameDay

Nick Saban didn’t like Shane Gillis accusing him of “cheating” on College GameDay

Kirk Herbstreit (right) and Nick Saban prepare to start the ESPN College GameDay show before the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend.

Kirk Herbstreit (right) and Nick Saban prepare to start the ESPN College GameDay show before the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend.

Thanks to the introduction of names, images and likenesses, college athletes are now allowed to earn money under NCAA rules. But even if that wasn’t the case, the fact was that players were getting paid.

While a number of programs were caught doing just that, many others did so discreetly based on extensive reporting on the “Bagman” phenomenon. But none of that happened in Alabama. At least not according to coach Nick Saban.

During College GameDay before the College Football Playoff first-round game between Indiana and Notre Dame in South Bend, Saban didn’t seem to like comedian and guest player Shane Gillis jokingly accusing him of “cheating.”

“I’m kidding,” Gillis said when Pat McAfee referred to his deceptive comments. “Isn’t this a fun show? Is this a serious show? Alabama Jones is very serious. Get the whip, Indy.”

Saban made it clear that he believes in integrity and that Alabama cheated by developing players.

“I believe in integrity,” Saban said. “I have always tried to run the program in such a way that the players have a better chance of being successful in life. We made more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That’s how we cheated, how we developed players.”

Gillis responded with a laughing apology, but the seven-time national champion may not be the comedian’s biggest fan right now.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Nick Saban didn’t like Shane Gillis accusing him of “cheating” on College GameDay

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