Per their nationally syndicated commercials, Alabama's Nick Saban and Colorado's Deion Sanders might be the best of coaching friends in college football.
Their riffs for Aflac, a national insurance company featuring a duck as a mascot, generate heavy discussion and replay.
Now that both are Power 5, Football Bowls Subdivision head coaches -- though, to be fair, only Coach Prime's Colorado Buffaloes remain undefeated -- Saban is weighing on Deion Sanders, the head coach.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Deion Sanders," Saban said on Wednesday's SEC coaches' teleconference. "First, he's a great person and he's done a great job of marketing the program to create a lot of national interest."
Indeed, data show that the Buffaloes' early-season games -- at TCU, home against Nebraska and this past week's double-overtime home win against rival Colorado State -- are among the sport's most-watched games, regardless of time slot or network.
But Colorado isn't 3-0 because of Coach Prime's marketing efforts. The Buffaloes are getting sublime play from quarterback Shedeur Sanders and, prior to his injury on a late hit, two-way sensation Travis Hunter.
"They play with discipline, they do a good job with executing," Saban said. "They've been able to score points; decent on defense.
"All those things, to me, are indicators that he's a really good coach."
Saturday, Saban's No. 13 Crimson Tide (2-1) host No. 15 Ole Miss, coached by former Saban offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
Coach Prime and No. 19 Colorado (3-0) travel to No. 10 Oregon, led by Dan Lanning.