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Why Nick Saban is this week's college football coach on the hot seat

COACH ON THE HOT SEAT — He's already an Alabama icon, but if Notre Dame pulls the upset next Monday, Nick Saban will also be known as the coach who let slip the SEC's streak of national title dominance.

By Berry Tramel | Published: December 31, 2012 Comment on this article

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Saban takes his Alabama Crimson Tide into the national title game against Notre Dame, with the Southeastern Conference having won six straight national titles. Saban has two of those, 2009 and 2011, but the SEC's divine right of championships will come to an end some time.

Will it be in the Big Bowl on Monday night? Notre Dame has the defense to keep Alabama at bay. Can the Fighting Irish find enough offense to get to the 14 or 17 points it might need to win?

It's Saban's job to keep Notre Dame down and extend the SEC's streak to seven. If Alabama loses, Saban will remain a Bama icon. But he'll also be known as the coach who allowed the SEC streak to end.