Brian Kelly on Nick Saban: "Keep Your Friends Close And Your Enemies Closer"

Kelly remains complimentary of Saban, praises the legendary head coach ahead of Saturday's showdown.

Nov 4, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban talk together at midfield before the Alabama vs LSU game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images / Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

No. 16 LSU (6-2, 3-1) will return to Tiger Stadium on Saturday night for a prime time Southeastern Conference clash against Jalen Milroe and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

All eyes with be on the pair of programs looking to remain in the College Football Playoff hunt with kickoff slated for 6:30 p.m. CT in Baton Rouge.

ESPN's College GameDay has revealed the Week 11 location with the crew heading to town for the LSU versus Alabama matchup.

A day that will have Nick Saban make a return to Baton Rouge without being on the sidelines, he'll prepare to be surrounded by a pair of programs he was at the helm of during his coaching career.

Now, the stage is set. Saban and Co. will amplify the pivotal Week 11 matchup with the GameDay crew slated to be in Baton Rouge.

The GameDay squad will be on campus later in the week leading up to Saturday's show where the group will take in a practice while catching up with players and coaches.

For Saban, who remains a pivotal piece to the Crimson Tide's program, it provides a unique situation for Kelly. What access will he give Saban later this week?

"He still has an office over there at Alabama so I'm not sure, but you know what they say, 'Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer,"" Kelly said sarcastically on The Paul Finebaum Show. "We're gonna let him hang around a little bit, but we're not going to let him in the locker room, that's for sure."

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.."

With @CollegeGameDay coming to town, @CoachBrianKelly jokes about how much access Nick Saban might get this week in Baton Rouge. pic.twitter.com/WvGvJx4zuu

— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) November 4, 2024

The Game Information: LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• Date: Saturday, Nov. 9
• Venue: Tiger Stadium
• TV Channel: ABC Network

Nov. 9 SEC Football Schedule

11 a.m. CT – Florida at Texas, ABC
2:30 p.m. CT – Georgia at Ole Miss, ABC
3:15 p.m. CT – South Carolina at Vanderbilt, SEC Network
* 6 or 6:45 p.m. CT – Oklahoma at Missouri, ESPN or SEC Network
* 6 or 6:45 p.m. CT – Mississippi State at Tennessee, ESPN or SEC Network
6:30 p.m. CT – Alabama at LSU, ABC

Saban will make a return to Baton Rouge this weekend with the GameDay crew hopping on a flight to make their way to Louisiana.

For Kelly, he was asked last week about the "old Alabama" coming back to form after taking down Missouri 34-0 in Week 9.

“What’s that old self look like? What, is Nick Saban back? Nick’s on the sideline? He’s everywhere. GameDay, he’s at GameDay too. Did you know that? Oh, my God,” Kelly said on Tuesday. “I’m not sure what the old Alabama (is). They’ve got great personnel. They’re well coached. You know, we certainly know that it’s going to be a great challenge, but that’s the SEC every week. It’s going to be the same. I don’t know that there is a sense that our team can’t, if they’re playing to their best when their best is needed, that they can’t compete and play with anybody.”

No. 16 LSU will return to game action on Nov. 9 against the Alabama Crimson Tide with kickoff slated for 6:30 p.m. CT in Tiger Stadium.

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