Chris Fowler Celebrates ESPN’s Major College Football News as Nick Saban Graces Emmy Honor

Nick Saban may have traded in his headset for a microphone, but the former Alabama coaching titan still commands center stage, and this time it’s under the bright lights of the Sports Emmys. Just 15 months into retirement, Saban has found himself in a new kind of huddle, surrounded by cameras instead of players, and it seems the wins just keep stacking. Now a full-time analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay, Saban added yet another piece of hardware to his already-bursting trophy case. As the show—and his new ESPN family—earned national recognition at one of sports media’s biggest nights. Alongside him in celebration? None other than longtime play-by-play voice and ESPN icon, Chris Fowler.

Chris Fowler, who leads the broadcast booth for Saturday Night Football on ABC, didn’t hold back his pride. As ESPN’s college football crew brought home a massive win for their coverage of the SEC on ABC, Fowler took to his Instagram story to salute the squad. “Congratulations to the @espncfb team on their 2025 #SportsEmmys win for the ‘Outstanding Live Series’ for @sec on ABC,” Fowler posted. The message was short but packed with weight—the culmination of a long grind that delivered not just big games, but a consistently elite product on primetime Saturday nights.

But this wasn’t just a one-hit-wonder kind of evening. ESPN walked into the 46th Annual Sports Emmy Awards already well-decorated—and they walked out with even more gold. In 2024, the network captured eight Emmys across various categories, solidifying its dominance in the sports broadcasting landscape. Most notably, the network kept its stranglehold on the “Outstanding Live Series” category, winning for the third straight year thanks to Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Manning. That win marked ESPN’s eighth all-time victory in the category, but 2025 added a new flavor to the mix.

As Chris Fowler continued reflecting on the moment, the historic weight of the College Football win came into focus. “While 24′ was franchise’s rookie season, this is ESPN’s 9th win & 4th consecutive victory in this category. This is the first time in 45 yrs CFB has won the category!” Fowler shared, highlighting the long-overdue recognition for college football in a space traditionally dominated by pro sports. The SEC on ABC crew broke through a barrier that had held for over four decades.

Last year’s 45th Emmys College GameDay, ESPN’s flagship college football studio show, added to its ever-growing legacy with a win in the “Outstanding Studio Show – Weekly” category. That marked GameDay’s ninth victory in that category and its 14th Sports Emmy overall. With 37 seasons in the books and 30 of them filmed live from game sites, the show continues to evolve without losing its soul.

Nick Saban’s addition has given the panel a new voice of authority—one shaped by decades on the sideline and sharpened by a new lens from the studio. And while the night belonged to the production teams and their creative genius, the pride radiating from figures like Fowler spoke volumes.

Nick Saban manifested the Sports Emmy, joked his way to the podium

Nick Saban can now add Emmy winner to his already stacked résumé. The former Alabama HC turned ESPN analyst took home a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Emerging On-Air Talent, the Emmys announced Tuesday.

Saban found out about the nomination while swinging clubs at his Nick’s Kids charity golf tournament, and in classic Saban fashion, he didn’t miss the chance for a dry one-liner: “Must have been not a good year for people in the Emmys,” he joked, before graciously adding that it was an honor.

He beat out a pretty stacked field, too—Ryan Fitzpatrick and Richard Sherman (Prime Video), Jason Kelce (ESPN), and Jay Wright (CBS) were all in the running. Saban joined ESPN in 2024 after stepping down from the Crimson Tide throne, and fans quickly took notice of how smoothly he transitioned into the College Gameday crew.

Not everyone was thrilled though. Three viewers filed FCC complaints about Saban’s on-air swearing, but because ESPN is a cable channel, the FCC shrugged it off. Reflecting on his first season, Saban said, “A lot of people helped contribute to learning how to do it… I certainly appreciate them and thank them for that.” Coach is coming back to College Gameday this fall.