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Published Apr 27, 2020
20 for 20: Which former assistant will finally beat Nick Saban?
Tyler Waldrep  •  TideIllustrated
Staff Writer
Twitter
@tylerwaldrep

We all miss football. While we might not have it at the moment, the promise of a 2020 season is a welcomed distraction in these trying days. To help pass the time, BamaInsider is answering 20 important questions concerning the 2020 football season.

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Coach Nick Saban’s success at Alabama has elevated several former assistants into prominent head coaching positions across the country. The Crimson Tide coach has faced his former pupils 19 times, but none of them have gotten the best of Saban yet.

Saban’s average margin of victory in those games is 24.79 points.

Saban assistants actively leading college programs by conference:

SEC: Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Will Muschamp (South Carolina), Jeremy Pruitt (Tennessee), Kirby Smart (Georgia)

Big 10: Mike Locksley (Maryland), Mel Tucker (Michigan State)

PAC-12: Mario Cristobal (Oregon)

Sun Belt: Billy Napier (Louisiana)

MAC: Jim McElwain (Central Michigan)

In the last two years, Saban’s streak has been put to the test seven times, including once in the SEC Championship game. In 2020, the Crimson Tide will face another four former assistants.

These showdowns are starting to dominate Alabama’s schedule. How much longer can Saban last before one of these games slips away, and what coach is in the best position to snap the streak?

Ranking the most likely candidates:

Lane Kiffin

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