On this day in sports history

BY COLIN “BIG C” MACGUIRE

The Greenville Standard

 

By the time you read this article, the National Championship Game between Alabama and Ohio State will be over.

One matchup nobody mentions is the matchup between the coaches, Alabama’s Nick Saban vs Ohio State’s Ryan Day.

Nick Saban has made several head coaching stops. Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-1999), LSU (2000-2004), Miami Dolphins (2005-06), and Alabama(2007-Present).

Saban has won six National Championships, LSU in 2003 and Alabama with five in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2017.

Also, he has coached in several national championship games, a total of eight, going 6-2.

In the BCS Era 4-0 and CFP 2-2.

Ryan Day is entering his second full year as head coach at Ohio State. In 2018, he was interim head coach going 3-0.

In 2019, Ohio State, 13-1, lost to Clemson 29-23 in the Fiesta Bowl. In 2020, Ohio State, 7-0, beat Clemson 49-28 in the Sugar Bowl.

This will be the first time Ryan Day will coach in a National Championship game. He never was an assistant in a National Championship Game.

The experienced Saban will give Alabama an edge. I’m picking The Tide in a close one, 42-38.