Which former assistant coaches have defeated Nick Saban?

If you’ve ever watched an Alabama game in recent years, then one thing that you have likely heard is that former assistant coaches have not success head-to-head against Nick Saban.

In fact, there are only a few former assistants who have defeated Saban head-to-head. The only question left to answer is, just who are those coaches? (NOTE: As of Friday, September 22, 2023) 

Which former assistant coaches have defeated Nick Saban?

Jimbo Fisher

The first assistant coach to ever defeat Saban came during the 2021 season in College Station, TX, when Jimbo Fisher and the Texas A&M Aggies upset No. 1 Alabama by a final score of 41-38. In what was a back-and-forth contest between the two teams, the Aggies would use a 28-yard field goal by kicker Seth Small as time expired to hand the Crimson Tide what would’ve been their first-of-two losses that season.

Fisher previously coached under Saban while at LSU, where he was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Kirby Smart

Speaking of that second loss during the 2021 season, Kirby Smart got his first victory over Saban in the 2021 national championship game, as Georgia defeated Alabama by a final score of 33-18. Prior to this result, Smart had lost the previous four meetings against Saban since becoming the head coach at Georgia in 2016, which included a 41-24 loss in the SEC championship game in the weeks prior.

Smart was previously a long-time assistant under Saban at Alabama, where he was one of the top defensive coordinators in college football.

Steve Sarkisian

The third, and final, name on this list is a recent one in Steve Sarkisian, who picked up a win over Saban earlier this season when the Texas Longhorns upset Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 34-24. This was the second time the Longhorns and Crimson Tide squared off since Sarkisian took over in Austin, as Texas previously fell to Alabama during the 2022 season.

Sarkisian was previously an offensive coordinator under Saban while at Alabama.