Paul Finebaum on what Texas loss says about Nick Saban: 'He knows it's almost over'

After Alabama’s home loss to Texas, SEC Network host Paul Finebaum believes it could be time to give Nick Saban a curtain call.

As always, Finebaum had some strong takes to share after another weekend of college football, but he had some particularly harsh words for the longtime Crimson Tide head coach. When discussing the Longhorns’ victory with the Inside Texas crew on their show, On Texas Football, Finebaum suggested that the loss may signal that Saban’s time atop the sport has passed.

“You didn’t just make Nick Saban look bad. You made him look old,” said Finebaum of Texas handling ‘Bama. “You pushed him almost to like — he looked like the Heavyweight Champion after losing to a challenger.”

Finebaum then took issue with Saban’s postgame comment that he was just happy to be apart of such a great game.

“He could barely talk. Saban, the greatest coach of all-time, talking about what a privilege it is after the game to play in a game like that. He’s only played in nine million. What has he played in, 10 national championship games? One at LSU and nine at Alabama? The second Saturday night in September is a privilege to play in? It’s the sense he knows it’s almost over.”

Wow. Those are some cutting words from the respected SEC Network analyst and a guy who has long praised Coach Saban.

Finebaum also spoke about Saban’s legacy and future during an appearance on ‘The Audible’ on Wednesday. He said there’s at least some level of vulnerability that comes with Saban these days considering how his age plays into this stage of his career.

“He has to feel vulnerable,” said Finebaum. “I’m a couple of years behind him so I don’t want to get too carried away with the age question. But he’s about to turn 72. There’s not a 72-year-old in America, except the two guys running for president of the United States, who don’t think about age and their place in history.”

“I think he has to be thinking about that,” said Finebaum. “I don’t think he wants to walk away nor do I think he’ll immediately consider that.”

However, all that outside noise is falling on deaf ears inside the program.

“I haven’t even heard or read any of those things because I don’t really pay a lot of attention to it,” Saban said this week. “I do pay a lot of attention to what we’re doing here internally and how we can get it fixed so that our players have a better chance to be successful.”