Nick Saban’s AP Poll domination shows he’s elite coaching as the hunted

Nick Saban is just better than you when it comes to owning the AP Poll.

If you had any doubts about who the best coach in college football is, check this stat out.

Of all the active head coaches in the sport, Nick Saban has coached more games at the top of the AP Poll than anyone in the country. The Alabama Crimson Tide head coach and former LSU Tigers, Michigan State Spartans and Toledo Rockets head coach absolutely crushes the competition. It’s so lopsided in his favor, it’s jaw-droopingly ridiculous.

In his illustrious coaching career, Saban has coached in 80 games as the No. 1 team in the AP Poll. Next up is Kansas Jayhawks head coach Les Miles with 14 from his time leading the LSU Tigers prior to getting fired mid-season in 2016. Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers comes in third with 13, followed by a handful of guys including LSU’s Ed Oregon and the UCLA Bruins’ Chip Kelly.

Nick Saban dominates the AP Poll unlike any coach in the sport today.

We may have mentioned this earlier, but of the seven coaches listed on FOX College Football’s graphic, four of them haven’t been anywhere close to No. 1 in the current jobs. Miles was championship-caliber at LSU, definitely not at Kansas or previously with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It is so weird to see something positive about football associated with a Kansas logo.

While Fisher and Orgeron have gotten to No. 1 at their current posts, the same thing can’t be applied to Fisher, Kelly or the Ohio Bobcats’ Frank Solich. Fisher got to No. 1 at his previous job with the Florida State Seminoles. Before he spent a few years in the NFL, Kelly got the Oregon Ducks to No. 1. And a very long time ago, Solich used to win big with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

So what does this graphic really tell you about Saban and the rest of college football? It’s simple really, as no college coach is better coaching as the hunted than Saban. Orgeron and Swinney have great programs at their respective universities, but you’re not seeing LSU or Clemson as the de facto No. 1 to start each college football season after college football season. It’s insane really.

Maybe one day Orgeron, Swinney, or even someone like Fisher will approach Saban’s level of AP Poll dominance. Though the AP Poll isn’t the end-all, be-all like it used to be, it still means something in college football. It’s a measuring stick to compare one college football team to another over different years, regardless of the current postseason format.

We should believe Saban will add a few more weeks to his AP Poll total this year at Alabama.

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