Alabama Crimson Tide Football

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban attempted to de-escalate his budding rivalry with Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher on Saturday.

According to AL.com's Mike Rodak, Saban appeared on ESPN's PGA Championship simulcast with Joe Buck and addressed his recent comments about recruiting, saying: "It was not my intention to really criticize anyone."

Per ESPN's Alex Scarborough, Saban discussed recruiting and the impact that college athletes getting paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL) has had on it during a local business leaders event in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday.

Saban specifically mentioned Texas A&M, saying that the Aggies "bought every player on their team" via NIL.

He also mentioned the Jackson State program coached by Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, saying that the FCS school "paid a guy $1 million" in reference to 5-star recruit Travis Hunter.

247Sports ranked Texas A&M's 2022 class as No. 1 in the recruiting cycle with eight 5-star commitments, followed by Alabama at No. 2.

Saban said his players who earned NIL money last season were "doing it the right way" and opined that remaining near the top of the recruiting rankings would be "tough" moving forward due to the NIL system.

Fisher, who once served as an assistant coach under Saban at LSU, did not take kindly to Saban's comments.

According to ESPN's Dave Wilson, Fisher called Saban's opinions "despicable" and referred to him as a "narcissist." He added:

"We never bought anybody. No rules are broken. Nothing was done wrong. It's a shame that you've got to sit here and defend 17-year-old kids and families and Texas A&M. Because we do things right. We're always going to do things right. We're always going to be here. We're doing a heck of a job."

Fisher rose the stakes even more after that:

"Some people think they're God. Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out ... a lot of things you don't want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football. Go dig into his past, or anybody's that's ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out, what he does and how he does it. It's despicable."

Sanders also responded to Saban's comments, telling Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN's Andscape:

"I haven't talked to Coach Saban. I'm sure he's tried to call. We need to talk publicly—not privately. What you said was public. That doesn't require a conversation. Let's talk publicly and let everybody hear the conversation.

"You can't do that publicly and call privately. No, no, no. I still love him. I admire him. I respect him. He's the magna cum laude of college football and that's what it's going to be because he's earned that. But he took a left when he should've stayed right. I'm sure he'll get back on course. I ain't tripping."

Sanders also shot down the notion that Jackson State paid Hunter $1 million to spurn Florida State, saying: "I don't make a million. Travis ain't built like that. Travis ain't chasing a dollar."

The Hall of Famer also expressed his belief that Saban's comments were a veiled appeal to Alabama's boosters in an attempt to get more money in order to compete in recruiting.

Saban and the Crimson Tide have been atop college football for well over a decade, winning eight SEC titles and six national championships since 2009.

Fisher and Texas A&M may be closing the gap thanks to their impressive recruiting, though, meaning the rivalry between Saban, Fisher and the fanbases of the two schools could reach a fever pitch in the coming years.

Tension between Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Texas A&M counterpart Jimbo Fisher reportedly started long before this week's verbal exchange.

Saban's outcry against college football's current name, image and likeness (NIL) rules Wednesday included him saying "A&M bought every player on their team," which led Fisher to call his former boss a "narcissist" during a press conference Thursday.

Brody Miller, Bruce Feldman and Matt Fortuna of The Athletic reported Friday that sources who worked alongside both coaches on Saban's star-studded staffs at LSU in the early 2000s said there were already issues between the duo back in those days.

"There was [friction] all the time," one staffer said. "Will [Muschamp] and Kirby [Smart] and all the defensive guys all bowed down to Nick, but Nick depended on Jimbo a lot. But Nick is so hard on his [offensive coordinators]. They were always at each other's throats."

Another source told The Athletic: "Oh, it ain't like Nick and Kirby. There is no love lost between Nick and Jimbo—at all."

Saban, who also made reference to Jackson State in his remarks Wednesday, appeared on SiriusXM Radio (via Yahoo Sports' Sam Cooper) after Fisher's press conference and issued an apology.

"I should have never really singled anybody out. That was a mistake, and I really apologize for that part of it," Saban said.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey released a statement reprimanding two of the conference's high-profile coaches for their public remarks.

"The membership of the Southeastern Conference has established expectations for conduct and sportsmanship that were not met last night nor today," Sankey said Thursday.

Saban and Fisher spent five seasons together at LSU beginning in 2000. It was a successful run that included Saban's first of seven national championships as a head coach in 2003.

Despite the success, the coaches rarely saw eye-to-eye about how the Tigers program was being run and the frustration often carried over to the practice field.

"Jimbo would try to pencil-whip Nick to win the drill," a source told The Athletic. "And Nick would say, 'That's not what it's about. We're trying to get better getting ready for an opponent. That's not how they're gonna do it in a game.'"

Another added: "Jimbo wanted to run all these fancy plays. Jimbo is an 'offensive guru.' ... He wanted to showcase his playbook, and that was the biggest argument between those two."

Saban ultimately left in 2005 for a short stint with the NFL's Miami Dolphins before returning to the college ranks with Alabama in 2007.

Fisher stayed at LSU until 2007, when he left to take over as offensive coordinator at Florida State. He'd be promoted to the Seminoles' head coach in 2010 and won a national title in 2013. He accepted the A&M job in 2018.

Two decades after that initial friction developed, they're now major rivals, both on the field and on the recruiting trail in the SEC. Based on Saban's unprovoked attack and Fisher's response, it appears a lot of hard feelings remain.

It adds plenty of intrigue to the Oct. 8 clash between the Aggies and the Crimson Tide, which is now one of the must-see games of the 2022 college football season.

On a perfectly ordinary Thursday in May, a time when college football normally slumbers, a heavyweight fight broke out between two of the sport's most highly regarded coaches at two of the sport's most hyped programs. 

In another life, one that existed before student-athletes could legally capitalize on their star power through name, image and likeness legislation—and certainly long before programs could harness this newfound freedom to construct elite recruiting classes—Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher were co-workers. 

They were friendly—at least friendly enough.

They won a national title together at LSU before going in different directions and becoming rivals at Alabama and Texas A&M in the SEC. But now?

"We're done," Fisher said at a pop-up press conference Thursday morning when asked about his relationship with Saban. 

The reason for Fisher's disgust—and those two words were just the beginning—could be traced back to Saban's comments at a speaking engagement in Birmingham the night prior.

"A&M bought every player on their team," Saban said. "[They] made a deal for name, image, likeness. We didn't buy one player, all right? But I don't know if we're gonna be able to sustain that in the future because more and more people are doing it. It's tough."

This is not the first time Saban has gone after NIL rules, or a lack thereof. It's also not the first time he's targeted Texas A&M, whether purposeful or not, as an example while begging for extra guidance.

Beyond saying his relationship with his former boss was severed, Fisher uncorked a response befitting of a message board. He denied Saban's claim, at least somewhat. He then spent the next 10 minutes in his own multiverse, waxing poetic on a subject he was more than ready to tackle.

He called Saban's comments "despicable" on multiple occasions. He referred to him as a "narcissist." He even called into question the way Saban was raised, paralleling his own upbringing.  

"I don't cheat and I don't lie," Fisher said. "I learned that when I was a kid. If you did, your old man slapped you 'side the head. Maybe somebody should have slapped him." 

And, perhaps most sensational of all, Fisher called into question the very foundation of the greatest college coach to ever walk a football sideline. He used his own history as a catalyst, although he didn't stop there.  

In fact, he begged anyone willing to listen and go much deeper than that.

"Some people think they're God," Fisher said. "Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy that—a lot of things you don't want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football. Go dig into his past or anybody who's ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out; what he does and how he does it." 

This was football theater. This was a storyline seemingly constructed for a straight-to-TV movie; the GOAT and his understudy trading jabs through a microphone, speaking on a topic that has generated strong feelings throughout the sport.

No matter how you feel about NIL and whether it's ruining college football, however, you were able to pull up a chair, prop your feet up on a cooler and bask in the afterglow of a good ol' fashion coaching feud. 

If only for 10 minutes, the sporting world seemed to stop. Social media, which was seemingly constructed for moments like this, caught fire. Coaches and players and media and fans, even those who don't spend their offseasons trolling messing boards, couldn't help but glue themselves to the exchange.  

It was perfect because it was imperfect. It was raw and awkward and confrontational. It was also generally harmless, which makes for the ideal kind of football drama. 

As the NBA and more recently the NFL have mastered the art of captivating the attention outside their seasons, college football is following that blueprint.

The active coaching carousel and a quickly evolving landscape regarding the transfer portal and player compensation have created plenty of natural fodder. But the next chapter in the sport, beyond the games themselves, is the one Saban and Fisher are crafting before our eyes. 

Things are evolving quickly. The NCAA, despite posting guidance in the past few weeks on the topic, is in a challenging position to somehow govern an issue that has captivated the sport. That is perhaps being kind on the matter, although it doesn't change the obstacles ahead.

It is precisely why Saban has taken matters into his own hands. And make no mistake about it: Saban knows exactly what he's doing—generating a tidal wave during a time when one is normally not to be found.  

The rules are somewhat hazy, and the guidance is, well, a bit misunderstood. The result is conflict between two coaches who don't much fear what people think about them.

Saban didn't directly state that Fisher broke any rules. Fisher didn't deny that A&M's immense resources helped bring together one of the greatest recruiting classes ever assembled.

They couldn't help but get swept up in both the topic and the response. And the greatest commodity in college football, emotion, once again served as the driving force.  

The good and the bad and the angry and the euphoric are what catapult the sport into its own stratosphere. Although typically these emotions are reserved for Saturdays in the fall. 

To see a small piece of that carry over into the offseason is welcomed. Quite frankly, we could use more of it. 

The SEC might not agree. (Well, at least publicly.) It swiftly reprimanded both coaches for their comments, and Saban has since apologized. 

"I should've never really singled anyone out," Saban said on SiriusXM College during an interview on Thursday (h/t USA Today's Paul Myerberg). "That was a mistake." 

No matter the apology or the original exchange, damage has been done. Entertainment has been generated.

A rivalry that was already brewing through Texas A&M's rise on the field and on the recruiting trail, headlined by its most recent upset over Alabama last season, has taken on new life. 

They will meet again October 8 in Tuscaloosa. This much we know. Alabama fans might as well start tailgating now. 

The matchup already carried great importance; it is likely now to be one of the most anticipated regular-season college football games in recent memory.

Perhaps the war of words is over. Or maybe it's just beginning.

Regardless, as the season inches closer and real games slowly appear on the horizon, the buzz has already begun to assemble.

Although the offseason can be lingering and everlasting for those who crave actual football, it doesn't feel that way right now.

The buildup has begun. At least for the moment, the games can wait.

Jackson State head coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has responded to Alabama head coach Nick Saban saying that the school paid Travis Hunter, the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2022 class, $1 million for him to play for the Tigers.

Sanders told Jean-Jacques Taylor of Andscape:

“I haven’t talked to Coach Saban. I’m sure he’s tried to call. We need to talk publicly — not privately. What you said was public. That doesn’t require a conversation. Let’s talk publicly and let everybody hear the conversation. You can’t do that publicly and call privately. No, no, no. I still love him. I admire him. I respect him. He’s the magna cum laude of college football and that’s what it’s going to be because he’s earned that.

Sanders' comments come after Hunter himself denied being paid $1 million to play for Jackson State in a social media post on Thursday morning. 

I got A mil?😂But my mom still stay in a 3 bed room house with five kids 🤣

— Travis Hunter (@TravisHunterJr) May 19, 2022

Sanders also tweeted that Saban's comments weren't true. 

You best believe I will address that LIE Coach SABAN told tomorrow. I was & awakened by my son @ShedeurSanders that sent me the article stating that WE PAYED @TravisHunterJr a Million to play at @GoJSUTigersFB ! We as a PEOPLE don’t have to pay our PEOPLE to play with our PEOPLE.

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

I don’t even make a million! Lolololol 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/wagxbCJoWs

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

Saban turned heads Wednesday night after saying Texas A&M, which had the top-ranked recruiting class last year, "bought every player on their team" while speaking about how NIL is impacting the college football landscape. 

The 70-year-old also made a comment about the Tigers landing Hunter, who was originally committed to Florida State before flipping his commitment to Jackson State in December 2021. 

"Jackson State paid a guy a million dollars last year that was a really good Division I player to come to school," Saban said Wednesday, per Brett Greenberg of the Tuscaloosa News. "It was in the paper. They bragged about it. Nobody did anything about it."

There were rumors circulating at the time Hunter committed to Jackson State that Barstool Sports offered him $1 million to play for the Tigers, per Sports Illustrated's Dan Lyons. The speculation arose because Barstool Sports is associated with Sanders through his 21st and Prime podcast.

Sanders denied the rumor during an appearance on ESPN's Keyshawn, JWill and Max (h/t TMZ Sports) in December, saying that they didn't pay Hunter to play for Jackson State. 

"We didn't pay," Sanders said. "We ain't got no money! We ain't got no money! A million and a half? I heard a million and a half. And I heard Dave Portnoy over at Barstool—that's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

It's possible Saban only made his comments because a number of schools, such as Texas A&M, are landing top-ranked recruits due to NIL deals, and the changing landscape could make it more difficult for Alabama to land the best players in the country. 

Alabama head coach Nick Saban was the first one to apologize in what has already shaped up to be an explosive back-and-forth with Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher and Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders.

"I should have never really singled anybody out," Saban said during an appearance on ESPNU Radio (h/t Mike Rodak of AL.com). "That was a mistake and I really apologize for that part of it."

He continued and said, "I really didn't mean to single anybody out. I apologize for that. But it’s the whole system—is this a sustainable system and is this good for college football?"

Saban revealed he reached out to Fisher—who was on his staff at LSU—and Sanders but "never got a response. I feel bad about it."

He then expressed his concern with the current climate of name, image and likeness opportunities in college sports, adding he didn't insinuate Texas A&M or Jackson State were doing anything illegal but that "collectives are the issue."

Earlier this month, the NCAA released guidelines regarding booster-led collectives to reiterate that boosters cannot be involved in recruiting. In theory, there can be retroactive punishments for schools if they violated the bylaws, but potential antitrust lawsuits and a focus on the future could prevent that from happening.

While Saban was apologetic Thursday, he made headlines Wednesday when he told reporters, "A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness. We didn't buy one player. But I don't know if we're going to be able to sustain that in the future because more and more people are doing it."

He also said, "Jackson State paid a guy a million dollars last year that was a really good Division I player to come to school. It was in the paper. They bragged about it. Nobody did anything about it."

While the Alabama coach didn't single out the player, cornerback Travis Hunter was a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and responded to the comments:         

I got A mil?😂But my mom still stay in a 3 bed room house with five kids 🤣

— Travis Hunter (@TravisHunterJr) May 19, 2022

So did his coach:

You best believe I will address that LIE Coach SABAN told tomorrow. I was & awakened by my son @ShedeurSanders that sent me the article stating that WE PAYED @TravisHunterJr a Million to play at @GoJSUTigersFB ! We as a PEOPLE don’t have to pay our PEOPLE to play with our PEOPLE.

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

I don’t even make a million! Lolololol 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/wagxbCJoWs

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

They weren't the only ones who publicly criticized Saban in the aftermath of Wednesday's comments.

Fisher told reporters the suggestions were "despicable. We're taking shots at 17-year-old kids. We never bought anyone. When [Saban] doesn't get his way or things don't go his way. Go dig into [Saban's past]. It's despicable. It's personal to us. And I know the guy. Really well."

He also called Saban a "narcissist" and said, "Some people think they're God. Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy, a lot of things you don't want to know. We build him up to be this czar of football. Go dig into his past."       

JIMBO FISHER OFFFF THE TOP ROPE pic.twitter.com/yVN6HobqkQ

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 19, 2022

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey issued public reprimands for both Saban and Fisher and said, "public criticism of any kind does not resolve issues and creates a distraction from seeking solutions for the issues facing college athletics today."

All of this comes after Texas A&M defeated Alabama last season and landed the No. 1 overall recruiting class of 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The Oct. 8 matchup between the Crimson Tide and Aggies will surely be one of the most anticipated games of the season.       

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher fired back at Alabama counterpart Nick Saban, who said Wednesday the Aggies "bought every player on their team" since the start of college football's name, image and likeness (NIL) era.

"It's despicable. We're taking shots at 17-year-old kids," Fisher told reporters Thursday. "We never bought anyone. When [Saban] doesn't get his way or things don't go his way—go dig in to [Saban's past]. It's despicable. It's personal to us. And I know the guy really well."

Fisher also called Saban a "narcissist."

The longtime Alabama coach has been an outspoken critic of the mostly unregulated nature of recruiting via NIL offers since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last June the NCAA could no longer bar payments to student-athletes.

Saban explained Wednesday coaches are aware of how much NIL money is available for deals through the school's collective pool and can give prospective recruits an idea of what they can earn by choosing their program.

"That's not what it was supposed to be," he said. "That's what it's become. And that's the problem in college athletics right now. Now every player is saying, 'Well, what am I going to get?'"

Fisher confirmed Saban has since reached out to have a conversation, but the A&M coach isn't planning to call him back.

"We're done. He showed you who he is," Fisher said.

He reiterated his desire for people to take a closer look at Saban.

"Some people think they're God. Go dig into how God did his deal," Fisher said. "You may find out about a guy, a lot of things you don't want to know. We build him up to be this czar of football. Go dig into his past."

JIMBO FISHER OFFFF THE TOP ROPE pic.twitter.com/yVN6HobqkQ

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 19, 2022

Fisher, who served as an offensive coordinator under Saban at LSU from 2000 through 2004, also defended his own reputation.

"You can call me anything you want to call me. You ain't call me a cheat," he told reporters. "I don't cheat and I don't lie. I learned that when I was a kid, if you did that, your old man slapped you 'side the head. Maybe somebody should have slapped [Saban]."

Fisher and the Aggies are scheduled to visit Bryant-Denny Stadium to take on Saban and the Crimson Tide on Oct. 8.

This week's exchange ensures there will be plenty of extra eyes on that SEC matchup.

Jackson State cornerback Travis Hunter responded to an apparent allegation from Alabama head coach Nick Saban about the name, image and likeness (NIL) deals he received to choose the FCS program.

I got A mil?😂But my mom still stay in a 3 bed room house with five kids 🤣

— Travis Hunter (@TravisHunterJr) May 19, 2022

Saban discussed the direction of college sports in the NIL era on Wednesday. He made headlines by saying Texas A&M "bought every player on their team," but also made a remark about Jackson State, per Brett Greenberg of the Tuscaloosa News.

"Jackson State paid a guy a million dollars last year that was a really good Division I player to come to school," Saban said. "It was in the paper. They bragged about it. Nobody did anything about it."

He didn't mention any player by name.

Tigers head coach Deion Sanders described Saban's comment as a "lie":

You best believe I will address that LIE Coach SABAN told tomorrow. I was & awakened by my son @ShedeurSanders that sent me the article stating that WE PAYED @TravisHunterJr a Million to play at @GoJSUTigersFB ! We as a PEOPLE don’t have to pay our PEOPLE to play with our PEOPLE.

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

He later joked about his own salary:

I don’t even make a million! Lolololol 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/wagxbCJoWs

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

In December, Dan Lyons of Sports Illustrated noted there was unconfirmed speculation Barstool Sports, which holds an association with Sanders via his 21st and Prime podcast, offered Hunter over $1 million on an NIL deal.

Khari Thompson of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger reported no such agreement was in place between Hunter and Barstool, and Sanders also denied the claim at the time.

"We didn't pay," Sanders said on ESPN's Keyshawn, JWill and Max (via TMZ Sports). "We ain't got no money! We ain't got no money! A million and a half? I heard a million and a half. And I heard Dave Portnoy over at Barstool—that's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

Hunter was the top-ranked prospect in the 2022 recruiting class based on 247Sports' composite rankings.

The defensive back, who was also a standout wide receiver at Collins Hill High School in Georgia, committed to Florida State in March 2020. He flipped his commitment to Jackson State in December and joined the program for spring ball ahead of the 2022 season.

At the Tigers' spring game in April, Hunter explained his choice of Sanders' program.

"They were just straight with me," he said. "They didn't play no games, they came right at me."

Jackson State has enjoyed a resurgence under Sanders, a former two-sport star in the NFL and MLB. He's guided the program to a 15-5 record across his first two seasons and has attracted high-end recruits like Hunter who've typically chosen Power Five schools.

Jackson State football head coach Deion Sanders heard the accusations from Alabama head coach Nick Saban on Wednesday, and he's firing back.

Saban alleged that Jackson State paid a player $1 million to commit to the program, and Sanders dismissed the notion as untrue. He also revealed that the player Saban was referring to was cornerback Travis Hunter Jr., who is ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the 2022 class by 247Sports' composite.

You best believe I will address that LIE Coach SABAN told tomorrow. I was & awakened by my son @ShedeurSanders that sent me the article stating that WE PAYED @TravisHunterJr a Million to play at @GoJSUTigersFB ! We as a PEOPLE don’t have to pay our PEOPLE to play with our PEOPLE.

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 19, 2022

"Jackson State paid a guy a million dollars last year that was a really good Division I player to come to school," Saban said. "It was in the paper. They bragged about it. Nobody did anything about it."

It's not the first time that Sanders has faced allegations of using a monetary incentive to land the top player in the country. Upon Hunter's commitment to Jackson State, it was rumored that he had a $1 million deal with Barstool Sports. Sanders denied those rumors and attributed them to jealousy.

"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard," Sanders said on a TV appearance with ESPN. "You know what that is? That means we kicked you butt, we took what was ours, and now you've got to make up an excuse why."

Saban has been outspoken about his concerns surrounding NIL deals for collegiate athletes. He revealed that 25 Alabama players combined to make a total of $3 million last season, but he still expressed apprehension with the model going forward.

"The issue and the problem with name, image and likeness, is coaches trying to create an advantage for themselves by going out and saying, 'Ok, how can we use this to our advantage?'" Saban said, going on to insinuate that a coach can be involved in paying recruits under the table.

Hunter's only known NIL deal is with a Black-owned, Mississippi-based coffee company called J5 Caffe.

It appears Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban might not be a fan of the NCAA's new name, image and likeness policy, which has affected the way college football programs recruit players. 

While speaking with reporters Wednesday, Saban claimed the reason Texas A&M finished first in recruiting last year was because the school "bought every player on their team" thanks to NIL. 

Saban said Wednesday, according to AL.com's Mike Rodak:

I know the consequence is going to be difficult for the people who are spending tons of money to get players. You read about it, you know who they are. We were second in recruiting last year. A&M was first. A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness.

“We didn’t buy one player. Aight? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to sustain that in the future, because more and more people are doing it. It’s tough.”

Saban on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)

“The team made $3 million off of NIL last season between 25 different players.”

“The more supporters we have for UA in all sports, the better for our program. The thing I fear is we’ll have to eventually just start paying the players.” pic.twitter.com/Dsavek99Ix

— Brett Greenberg (@BrettGreenberg_) May 19, 2022

Saban's comments come after he said during an interview on The Paul Finebaum Show last week that there needed to be more "parity" in college football as things have changed with the addition of NIL and the transfer portal. 

"Same scholarship (count), same academic support, whatever it is," Saban said, as transcribed by USA Today's Taylor Jones. "I don’t think we have that balance right now, which can impact the parity of college football and college athletics as a whole. I know we have a lot of good people working on it and I’m sure they will come up with a good solution for us."

Finebaum later addressed Saban's comments after one of his callers mentioned that the Alabama head coach possibly mentioned "parity" in college football with the Aggies on his mind.

Finebaum said he didn't believe the caller's take was unrealistic because Texas A&M has the money and resources to eventually become a powerhouse. 

He said, via 247Sports:

Since the day A&M arrived, there's been a whispering fear about what would happen if they ever got it right because — this is just my opinion, but there's only one school in the country I think that can compete with A&M from a financial standpoint and that's Texas. Those two are standalone when it comes to ability and resources, and this is a money game right now that we're talking about here. I think, when you hear the Sabans of the world complaining, that's why he's saying what he's saying.

Texas A&M beat Alabama 41-38 last year, but the Crimson Tide have dominated the matchup over the years, owning an 11-3 record against the Aggies dating back to 1942. While Saban doesn't have much to worry about now as his team has won the national title three times since 2016, Texas A&M could one day be a problem.

The Aggies landed four five-star recruits in the 2022 class and finished with the No. 1 signing class for the 2022 cycle, per 247Sports. That said, Texas A&M has yet to land a 2023 five-star recruit, though there's still a number of high-rated prospects who have yet to announce their commitment. 

At the time rumors were circulating that Texas A&M had the top-ranked recruiting class for 2022 because of NIL, head coach Jimbo Fisher said the insinuation was "insulting" and that "the things that people say are very irresponsible."

Jimbo Fisher did not hold back reacting to Nick Saban’s comments today 👀

(@CBSSportsHQ)

pic.twitter.com/eF00t8HeRl

— Cover 3 Podcast (@Cover3Podcast) February 2, 2022

Alabama and Texas A&M are set to meet again during the 2022 season in October, and things should be quite heated between the two sides coming off of Saban's comments. 

Alabama football head coach Nick Saban told ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum that he would like to see more parity in college football.

"One of the things I like to see us be able to work back to is everything in CFB has always had parity."

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban on the state of college football. pic.twitter.com/tibfsUvUeM

— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) May 13, 2022

Well, you know, one of the things I like to see us be able to work back to is, you know everything in college football has always had parity.

You know, the same scholarships, the same academic support, health care, whatever it is, and I don't think we have that balance right now, which could affect the parity of college football and college athletics as a whole.

And I know we got a lot of good people working on it, and I'm sure they'll come up with a good solution for us.

There isn't much parity in college football these days. SEC teams have won 12 national titles since 2006, including six from Saban's Crimson Tide alone.

As far as college athletics spending goes, Sportico (h/t Nikki Chavanelle of On3) reported that eight of the top 25 spenders are SEC teams, while 10 are Big Ten schools.

Ohio State led the way during the 2019-20 fiscal year at $215,209,566. Alabama was fourth at $173,141,125. In comparison, Louisiana-Monroe notably had $18,140,989 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, per Emely Hernandez of the Monroe News-Star.

Obviously, greater spending can lead to far more success on the playing fields. The top 25 spenders are filled with blue-blood programs who post winning seasons every year. There's little to no parity in college football because of it, and the rich tend to stay richer, a la Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia.

Sometimes, less-heralded football programs crash the national landscape and fare quite well, a la Boise State, Cincinnati and Western Michigan. But ultimately, the powerhouses largely stay that way to a massive influx of money year after year. Parity will be impossible to come by because of it.