After No. 5 Alabama rolled to a 45–20 Sugar Bowl victory over No. 9 Kansas State in which several key players elected to participate instead of voluntarily sit out or transfer, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban appeared to take a veiled shot after the game at those who didn’t play.
“I think the guys who are here today, the team who’s here today, is a great representative of the University of Alabama,” Saban said at the podium as he accepted the Sugar Bowl trophy.
Much like other schools in the transfer portal era, the Crimson Tide had several players enter the transfer portal after the team’s regular season finale.
