Nick Saban shuts down Desmond Howard's latest attempt to discredit Ohio State's season

Desmond Howard has been a Michigan shill on ESPN since he started with the company in 2005, but recent years have brought over-the-top referendums from the Heisman Trophy winner and Wolverines legend. While picking against Ohio State every week and always favoring his alma mater is a fine trope, even his ESPN peers have grown […]

Ian Valentino National College Football Writer
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Former Alabama Football Coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban on the set of ESPN’s College Game Day, at the University of Texas on the South Mall, ahead of the Longhorns’ game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Austin, Oct. 19, 2024. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Desmond Howard has been a Michigan shill on ESPN since he started with the company in 2005, but recent years have brought over-the-top referendums from the Heisman Trophy winner and Wolverines legend. While picking against Ohio State every week and always favoring his alma mater is a fine trope, even his ESPN peers have grown tired of Howard's absurd comments this postseason.

Former Alabama head coach and all-time great Nick Saban finally shut Howard down on College GameDay this week. Howard again brought up Ohio State's loss to Michigan in late November as a referendum on why a national championship wouldn't be fulfilling for the Buckeyes. Saban wasn't having it.


“We lost (Alabama) to Auburn which is like Ohio State and Michigan," Saban said. "We went on to win a National Championship, and guess what Des, no one remembers.”

Howard pounded the table and said, “Well, I remember that coach.”

Even maligned alum Kirk Herbstreit came to Ohio State's defense and cited that game as a turning point for the Buckeyes in their title quest.


Howard's desperate plea that Michigan's win somehow has meaning at this point was embarrassing more than anything. Ohio State has to deal with losing The Game four straight times, but nothing can be done about that until this season is over. 

Entering Friday night, the Buckeyes can only worry about Texas and then Notre Dame, should they win the Cotton Bowl first. Regardless of how this season ends, Michigan will be topic No. 1 as they look toward 2026.