The ripple effect of Nick Saban’s sudden Alabama retirement: Multiple programs feel the impact

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Following Michigan’s win over Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship, the conversation immediately switched to Jim Harbaugh’s future. 

Harbaugh had just completed the turnaround in Ann Arbor, bringing a national championship to the football program for the first time since 1997. 

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates following the CFP National Championship against the Washington Huskies on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With Harbaugh having brought his alma mater back to the top of the sport, and the program under multiple NCAA investigations, many looked toward a return to the NFL for Harbaugh.

And while a second head coaching tenure in the NFL may very well occur for Harbaugh, there was another head coaching vacancy that was about to have an immense impact on college football.

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Nick Saban, the seven-time national champion, was about to make an announcement that would shock the sport and have a trickle-down effect on multiple programs other than the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Let’s dive into the events of the last week and how Saban’s retirement was felt from coast to coast.

The news out of Tuscaloosa on Wednesday, Jan. 10, shook the sport to its core.

Saban announced his retirement from college football after 17 years as head coach of the Crimson Tide.

Under Saban, Alabama has been the envy of college football, winning nine SEC championships and six national championships since 2007. The Crimson Tide were coming off a 12-win season and another appearance in the