Nick Saban’s Daughter Kristen Takes Alabama Playoff Snub on the Chin but Shares Stern Reminder for Doubters

The writing’s on the wall, and there’s no turning back now. The first 12-team playoff bracket has been formally announced by the CFP Committee. They slammed the metaphorical nail into the coffin of the marginalized teams. At first, it seemed as though Miami had helped Tide slip through the gaps. However, Clemson winning the ACC Championship definitely made things tighter. It seems like there just isn’t room for a team with three losses in the playoff picture.

But as a devoted Alabama supporter, Kristen gave a lesson to those who have doubts. The description for a video clip that Kristen Saban posted on her Instagram account on December 9 read, “You know what happens every time you doubt them, right…?” By sharing that, Kristen wanted to draw attention to the outstanding play of the Bama players versus Georgia and Wisconsin, two formidable opponents.

If you are not aware, Bama got off to a fast start in the game against Georgia, taking a commanding 28-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter. QB Jalen Milroe spearheaded the Tide’s powerful offense. He helped Bama gain nearly 350 total yards in the 1st half by completing 18 of 21 passes for 199 yards and making a substantial contribution to the rushing game. The last few minutes of the game were intense. Milroe’s crucial 75-yard TD pass to Ryan Williams with just over 2 minutes remaining gave Alabama a 41-34 lead.

On the other hand, against Wisconsin, Bama was ahead 14-3 at the end of the 1st quarter when Milroe completed a 31-yard TD pass to Williams and then ran for a 3-yard score himself. Then, Bama’s 4th-quarter score completed their goals, extending their advantage and guaranteeing victory.

Safe to say, according to Kristen, the potential and caliber of Bama players should not now be questioned. Furthermore, her stern admonition is given further significance by the background music of her Instagram story. It was ‘LET HER COOK’ by GloRilla. The song’s lyrics, “Never gave a damn,” perfectly reflect Bama’s attitude: they know their worth and won’t let critics bring them down. But, despite all these, it’s hard to ignore Alabama’s playoff snub. 

Nick Saban preaches post-playoff snub

Alabama missed out on the SEC title game and faced a playoff snub after finishing 9-3. Former head coach Nick Saban didn’t hold back when addressing the issue, emphasizing the importance of schedule strength in playoff decisions. “If we don’t take strength of schedule into consideration, is there any benefit to scheduling really good teams in the future?” Saban asked, hinting that the Tide might need to rethink their approach to scheduling.

Despite the setback, Saban likely hoped Alabama would at least have a fighting chance. The team only needed a win over SMU to edge out Clemson, especially since they were already ranked higher than Ole Miss and South Carolina. But it wasn’t meant to be. Now, the program’s focus shifts to building its 2025 dynasty in the NIL era.

Adding to the conversation, Kayce Smith of Barstool Sports amplified Saban’s balanced perspective in a December 8 X post: “‘No coach should complain about their position in or out of the playoff. They all controlled their own destiny. This is a learning opportunity for those teams and coaches.’ – Nick Saban.”

Kayce later shared the post on Instagram, tagging Saban’s daughter, Kristen, with the caption, “Your dad is preaching @kristennsaban.” Kristen acknowledged the post with a simple “👏” emoji when she reshared it on her story. It’s clear Saban’s words resonate beyond the field, offering both critique and wisdom as the Tide looks ahead.