Lee Corso is one of the most recognizable faces in college sports, and ESPN’s College GameDay has catapulted him to stardom.

Corso’s name and opinion carries weight — although maybe not as much as Kirk Herbstreit’s — and last week he joined The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile, Alabama. Of course, two of the most popular topics in the state are Gus Malzahn and Nick Saban.

Most notably, Corso was asked whether or not Malzahn is on the hot seat at Auburn.

“They better not put him on the hot seat at Auburn,” Corso said. “He’s as good a football coach as you’re going to get at Auburn. He’s got a good staff. He’s a good coach, and he knows what he is doing. His only problem is he’s in the same state as Nick Saban. Compared to Nick Saban, anybody would be on the hot seat.

“My opinion, Auburn is a great place and they have a great chance to upset the whole thing (next season). They have probably No. 1 Clemson at home in the opener. Don’t go to sleep on Auburn in that first game. It could be a major upset in that first game.”

Auburn is one of a few schools that won’t let Corso put on the headgear when he’s picking.

Corso also gushed about fellow in-state head coach Nick Saban, who is coming off yet another national championship at Alabama.

“He’s got to be one of the greatest of all time,” Corso said. “His only problem is that he’s at the same school at the Bear was at. I don’t know if they will ever appreciate the great job he has done because of what the Bear was doing.

“He’s done one of the great jobs in the history of college football. One thing that amazes me about him, and you can check this, I think in every single national title, Alabama has lost a game. They lost a game during the year and somehow he rallies the troops to win it all. That’s a sign of a great coach.”

The Nick Saban-Bear Bryant topic will be debated forever, and there’s many, many arguments for both sides. Corso, however, was wrong about Alabama losing at least one game every national championship. In 2009, the Crimson Tide went a perfect 14-0 while hoisting the crystal ball after they beat Texas in the Rose Bowl.

[H/T AL.com]