LATEST: Brian Kelly send strong message to Nick Saban with disturbing inscription
LSU head coach Brian Kelly had high praise for Nick Saban ahead of their highly anticipated showdown this Saturday. No. 16 LSU (6-2, 3-1) will host a prime-time SEC matchup against Jalen Milroe and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT in Baton Rouge.
This game holds major College Football Playoff implications, drawing ESPN’s College GameDay to Baton Rouge for Week 11. It’s a unique return for Saban, who previously coached at LSU and will now face his former team in a high-stakes game as the GameDay crew captures the buildup to Saturday’s showdown.
The GameDay team is set to arrive later this week, where they’ll watch practices and talk with players and coaches ahead of the event. Kelly, aware of Saban’s legendary influence, jokingly addressed Saban’s presence during his interview on *The Paul Finebaum Show*.
“Saban still has an office over at Alabama, so I’m not sure,” Kelly quipped, adding, “But you know what they say, ‘Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.’ We’re gonna let him hang around a little, but we’re not letting him into the locker room—that’s for sure.”
Nick Saban is set to make a return to Baton Rouge this weekend, accompanied by ESPN’s College GameDay crew, who are flying in to cover the highly anticipated LSU-Alabama clash in Louisiana.
When asked about Alabama’s resurgence following their 34-0 shutout of Missouri in Week 9, LSU head coach Brian Kelly couldn’t resist a bit of humor. “What’s that old self look like? What, is Nick Saban back? Nick’s on the sideline? He’s everywhere. GameDay, he’s at GameDay too. Did you know that? Oh, my God,” Kelly joked on Tuesday.
Shifting to a more serious tone, Kelly acknowledged Alabama’s strengths. “I’m not sure what the ‘old Alabama’ is. They’ve got great personnel. They’re well-coached,” he noted. “We certainly know it’s going to be a great challenge, but that’s the SEC every week. If our team is playing at their best when it’s needed, I believe we can compete with anyone.”
No. 16 LSU will face the Crimson Tide on Nov. 9, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT in Tiger Stadium, where both teams aim to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.