While all the current College Football Playoff hype centers around Ohio State's Cotton Bowl semifinal win against Texas, former Big Ten-turned-SEC icon Nick Saban learned on College GameDay that he'd been accepted into the 2025 Hall of Fame class.

The former Alabama coach and seven-time national champion learned he would enter the College Football Hall of Fame before Friday’s Cotton Bowl Classic kicked off. Saban received the news from the ESPN College GameDay crew, which was at AT&T Stadium for the College Football Playoff showdown between Texas and Ohio State.

Legendary former coach Nick Saban was surprised with the news of his induction to the College Football Hall of Fame on Friday. The announcement came during Saban's appearance on the ESPN pregame show leading up to the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal between Texas and Ohio State.

The Buckeyes defeated Texas, 28-14, in the Cotton Bowl to get to the championship game. Notre Dame defeated Penn State, 27-24, in the CFP semifinals at the Orange Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship Game can be seen on ESPN.

Both teams have performed exceptionally well throughout the season and have been among the favorites to win the national championship trophy for most of the year. According to ESPN BET, Ohio State is a six-point favorite in this matchup. However, Texas has a 50.5% chance of winning, according to ESPN's Matchup Predictor.

Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban has been high on the Ohio State Buckeyes since the College Football Playoff began. Saban, who blasted some Ohio State fans for their fury over the team's 13-10 loss to hated rival Michigan on Nov.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban was named to the College Football Hall of Fame's 2025 class on Friday. He first heard the news on "College GameDay."

To celebrate the news of Nick Saban heading into the College Football Hall of Fame, ESPN highlighted the former Alabama coach’s greatest moments on “College GameDay.”

On Friday night, just moments before the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas kicked off, ESPN's "College GameDay" made a surprise honor for longtime Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Host Rece ...

Nick Saban will be inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. This is not news to anyone who has paid attention to college football over the last 20 years, but it came as a delightful surprise to Saban on Friday night when he learned his induction will take place in 2025.

Texas’ Huff and Texas Tech’s Harrell will be a part of the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, joining legendary coaches Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.

The second College Football Playoff semifinal, this one at the Cotton Bowl ... has been the addition of former Alabama head coach Nick Saban in 2024. During the pregame show for the big CFP ...