pennlive
During a recent episode of ESPN's College GameDay, Nick Saban left his fellow analysts taken aback when he selected Alabama to defeat LSU on the road. The rest of the panel—Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and guest picker Jason Sudeikis—all favored the home team, LSU, making Saban's choice stand out.
Saban explained his reasoning by pointing out the unusual nature of the matchup. He noted that LSU tends to beat Alabama when the game is played in Tuscaloosa, while Alabama has had more success against LSU in Baton Rouge, despite it being a challenging environment. "I think Bama gets it right," Saban said, adding, "I'm all in on Alabama on this one." His comments were met with surprise, and perhaps a touch of sarcasm, from his colleagues.
Desmond Howard, who picked LSU, cited the home-field advantage and the strong play of LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, who has been protecting the ball well. "I'm going with the Bayou Bengals," Howard stated. Pat McAfee also chose LSU, referencing the team's impressive performance against Clemson in the first week and Leavitt's improved play. "They know they have to win this at home," McAfee said.
Guest picker Jason Sudeikis, star of the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso, admitted his picks were not based on deep college football knowledge. He chose LSU simply because Pistol Pete Maravich is his favorite basketball player, even though he never saw him play. "Going LSU," Sudeikis declared.
Kirk Herbstreit, who was calling the game, did not make a pick for the Alabama-LSU matchup.
Key Analysis
Saban's decision to go against the grain reflects his deep understanding of the rivalry and his willingness to trust his instincts over popular opinion. While the rest of the panel leaned on home-field advantage and recent performances, Saban's pick adds intrigue to an already highly anticipated game. The episode also highlighted the lighter side of GameDay, with Sudeikis bringing entertainment value to the picks segment.
Full Week 11 Picks
- Oregon at Ohio State: Howard: Ohio State; Saban: Ohio State; McAfee: Ohio State; Sudeikis: Ohio State; Herbstreit: Ohio State
- UCLA at Minnesota: Howard: Minnesota; Saban: Minnesota; McAfee: UCLA; Sudeikis: UCLA; Herbstreit: Minnesota
- Texas A&M at South Carolina: Howard: South Carolina; Saban: South Carolina; McAfee: South Carolina; Sudeikis: South Carolina; Herbstreit: South Carolina
- Texas at Missouri: Howard: Texas; Saban: Texas; McAfee: Missouri; Sudeikis: Texas; Herbstreit: Missouri
- Kentucky at Tennessee: Howard: Tennessee; Saban: Tennessee; McAfee: Kentucky; Sudeikis: Tennessee; Herbstreit: Tennessee
- Georgia at Ole Miss: Howard: Georgia; Saban: Georgia; McAfee: Ole Miss; Sudeikis: Georgia; Herbstreit: Georgia
- Alabama at LSU: Howard: LSU; Saban: Alabama; McAfee: LSU; Sudeikis: LSU; Herbstreit: No pick
- BYU at Utah: Howard: Utah; Saban: Utah; McAfee: BYU; Sudeikis: Utah; Herbstreit: Utah
- Miami at Notre Dame: Howard: Miami; Saban: Notre Dame; McAfee: Notre Dame; Sudeikis: Notre Dame; Herbstreit: Notre Dame
Originally reported by pennlive.