Both Dantonio and Saban are in the midst of their ninth year as head coaches of MSU and Alabama, respectively. During this time, Dantonio has an 87-32 overall record and Saban has a 98-18 overall record. Alabama had five wins vacated in 2007 for violations involving student-athletes and textbook sales, which would unofficially put Saban’s record at 103-18.

8

Dantonio has coached in eight bowl games as an assistant. And for half of those bowls, Dantonio was under the wing of former MSU head coach Nick Saban. From 1995 to 1999, Saban brought the Spartans to the Independence Bowl, Sun Bowl, Aloha Bowl and Florida Citrus Bowl – and more on that sour-citrus bowl follows.

7

The 1999 Spartans finished the season 10-2 and reached No. 7 in the season’s final AP Poll. This was Saban’s final year in East Lansing, but when it comes to the ranking, he wasn’t necessarily present for the final achievement. Prior to the Florida Citrus Bowl against Florida, Saban announced he was leaving MSU to become the head coach at LSU. Current Alabama special team’s coordinator and tight ends coach, Bobby Williams, took the reins of the team with a young Dantonio by his side. The Spartans won the game, 37-34.

6

Dantonio spent six seasons as an assistant at MSU. The first five seasons (1995-99) were all under Saban and in 2000 it was Williams at the helm.

5

MSU and Alabama have both had five seasons with 11-plus wins in the past six years under Dantonio and Saban, respectively.

4

Saban is the only college coach to win four BCS National Championships. His first came with LSU in 2003 and his championships at Alabama came in 2009, 2011 and 2012. That is four national championships in nine years.

Saban is also one of four coaches to have won four or more national championships in the poll era. Only Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama in the 1960s and 1970s has more championships than Saban at five.

3

Three current coaches at Alabama were previously MSU coaches. Saban, Williams and assistant head coach and secondary coach Mel Tucker. In 1997, Tucker was a graduate assistant at MSU.

But wait, there’s more.

Tucker spent three years at Ohio State while Dantonio was the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator.

Also, current MSU co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Jim Bollman was offensive line coach at MSU under Saban for three years.

And finally, current MSU assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett was coached by a young Saban for three years. Barnett played his college football at MSU (1985-88) while Saban was defensive coordinator for the Spartans.

2

Saban has coached two Heisman Trophy winners at Alabama. In 2009 it was running back Mark Ingram and now in 2015 running back Derrick Henry became the second.

As for twos, Alabama also currently has the nation’s No. 2 overall defense.

1

Dantonio and Saban have previously coached against each other only once. In 2011, MSU suffered a 49-7 loss to the Crimson Tide in the Capital One Bowl.

.73

Dantonio’s overall winning percentage at MSU is 73 percent.

.59

Saban had an overall winning percentage of 59 percent at MSU. His record over five seasons was 34-24-1.