Nick Saban fires back at Desmond Howard for claiming the SEC is a basketball conference now

Nick Saban and Desmond Howard got into it during College GameDay, in a loving manner of course! Saban clapped back at Howard’s claim that the SEC turned into a basketball conference while the Big Ten is the dominant force in college football these days.

As the rankings tell us right now, the CFP has No. 1 and 2 from the Big Ten: Ohio State and Indiana. The two undefeated squads will square off for the conference crown.

While on site in Atlanta for the SEC Championship between No. 3 Georgia and No. 9 Alabama, Howard shot his shot. Of course, it angered all of the SEC area fans in the back of the set, and Saban eventually fired back.

“That Big Ten Championship game is one to keep an eye on. I know we’re here at the SEC Championship Game, but listen, you guys got to understand the national championship is going through the Big Ten,” Howard said on College GameDay. “The Big Ten runs college football right now. We got the Oregon Ducks, the Indiana Hoosiers, ain’t none of y’all want to see the Buckeyes of Ohio State, and that game is going to be a big game. 

“I want to see, really, how Ohio State’s going to look. It’s like a road game. I mean, it’s going to be a home game for Indiana. What do you think it’s like? 65-35? Like a home game for the Hoosiers … Listen (the fans behind me), they’re talking about college basketball. They’re a basketball conference now, it should be applauded. But, yeah, so I want to see if the Hoosiers are going to really, you know, test the Buckeyes. They really haven’t been tested.”

Referencing one of his former players, Saban had a bit of a zinger. It was a man that has seen what it’s like to play for Alabama and Ohio State!

“You obviously didn’t see Caleb Downs explaining the difference between playing in the SEC and the Big Ten,” Saban responded. “Obviously.”

SEC, Big Ten, Howard or Saban, doesn’t matter. It seems there’s no perfect solution to the College Football Playoff selection process, at least, that’s how SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sees it.

“I respect that they’ve been assigned that,” Sankey said. “You use the word satisfied. When you’re me, you’re never satisfied. You’re always trying to figure out, well, I think there should be more, and I’ve had different views on outcomes over the years. This is an incredibly strong conference and incredibly deep conference. We, as a staff, I think, are thorough and effective at providing information through the agreed-upon channels. We respect that we have charged the selection committee with making those decisions. We’ll see what happens on Sunday.”