The first full Saturday of the 2025 college football season is a weird one for Notre Dame football fans, as the Irish don't play until Sunday night in Miami. However, while the Irish might have waited one more day to play their game, they still got some callouts on ESPN GameDay especially when legendary coach Nick Saban heaped praise on Marcus Freeman and Co.
The final show for the legendary Lee Corso made the waterworks hit in many places, but for Notre Dame fans, it was what Nick Saban said during the picks segment that should have stood out the most.
Notre Dame football gets love from Nick Saban
During the Saturday Selections segment at the end of the show, Notre Dame and Miami were briefly discussed. The show members shared their picks for the game, but what Nick Saban said of Notre Dame while making his pick should have Fighting Irish fans feeling that much more excited about where things stand under Marcus Freeman.
"Notre Dame is one of the top four teams in the country," said Saban.
ESPN plowed through the picks quickly, so there wasn't much follow-up to Saban's comment. However, Pat McAfee followed up by also complimenting the Golden Domers, specifically the running backs, before, like Saban, he also picked the Irish to beat Miami.
Getting praise from Nick Saban doesn't do a whole lot in determining whether or not Notre Dame football walks out of Miami with a win on Sunday night, but it does give more credibility to the Fighting Irish as a staying power.