Overview
- Miami, Oregon, Indiana and Ole Miss advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals with head coaches who previously served under Nick Saban at Alabama.
- Indiana, led by Curt Cignetti, routed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal, the Crimson Tide’s most lopsided postseason loss.
- Ole Miss, now coached by former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU, upset higher-seeded Georgia to reach the semifinals.
- Mario Cristobal (Miami, 2013–16 at Alabama), Dan Lanning (Oregon, 2015 graduate assistant), Curt Cignetti (Indiana, 2007–11) and Pete Golding (Ole Miss, 2018–22) each cite lessons from Saban in building their programs.
- Saban’s exacting “process” and continued mentorship remain influential, with Cristobal describing a “football PhD” under him and Kiffin publicly noting he sought Saban’s advice before his move to LSU.