Each situation is unique, with many disparate reasons for finding itself in a state of tumult, but there is one item on every list across whatever plagues the (insert name) SEC program near you.

Nick Saban.

Alabama hired Saban in 2007 and by 2008 he had college football's modern-day juggernaut up and firing. He's won three national titles since while going for a fourth this season, will play in his fifth SEC championship game Saturday against Florida and has gone 57-5 in regular-season play, including 35-5 in the SEC, over the past five seasons.

Essentially, no one can beat Saban's Crimson Tide, at least not regularly.

This is a key reason why Georgia and its longtime, highly successful and high-class coach, Mark Richt, parted ways on Sunday and why LSU tried to fire its longtime, highly successful and high-class coach, Les Miles, on Saturday (public sentiment forced the administration to reverse course).

View photos Nick Saban has Alabama on its way to another SEC title game. (Getty Images) More

Since 2008, Saban is 7-2 against Miles and LSU, including winning the past five, one of which was for the 2011 BCS championship. 'Bama's 30-16 Nov. 7 dismantling of previously unbeaten LSU led to the three-game slide that almost cost Miles his job, despite the Tigers being 8-3 overall. That Saban won the 2003 BCS title at LSU and recruited the upperclassmen that Miles won the 2007 title with, doesn't help.

Since 2008, Saban is 3-0 against Richt and Georgia, including one for the 2012 SEC championship, which was the de facto national title game since the winner got to play undermanned Notre Dame ('Bama throttled the Irish 42-14). Alabama's October domination of previously unbeaten Georgia led to the Bulldogs losing two of their next three games, essentially ending Richt's tenure despite a 9-3 overall record.

That Kirby Smart, Saban's defensive coordinator, is the favorite to take over in Athens is the most obvious sign of Tuscaloosa envy.

This would be an if-you-can't-beat-him-hire-as-close-to-him-as-possible move.

Richt and Miles are great coaches, future Hall of Famers who conduct themselves well, are beloved by their players, and yet neither is as good as Saban. Of course, maybe no one else in college football is.

The closest competitor is Ohio State's Urban Meyer, who battled Saban head-to-head for part of his tenure at Florida. He won two national titles – including in 2008 just as Saban got it going – but then struggled with the pressure of the job. Much of that was self-induced – Meyer is famously tightly wound and recruited way too many troubled kids. Some of that pressure, though, had to come from the reality of dealing with an immoveable object across the way.

Meyer's Gators entered the 2009 SEC title game as defending national champions on a 22-game win streak. Saban and 'Bama won. Meyer was hospitalized that night with chest issues and a few weeks later briefly quit as coach, only to return the next day, but never truly recovered. A year later he left for good, rematerializing in Columbus in 2012 – his Buckeyes beat 'Bama in last season's playoff.

The Florida program has floundered about ever since. Whether it's true or not, there's a perception that Saban at least played a role in pushing Meyer out. Saban gets his latest chance to humble Florida on Saturday in the SEC championship game, as 'Bama enters as a heavy favorite to advance to the playoff. Of course, the Gators are there, in part, because they hired Jim McElwain … Saban's old offensive coordinator.

Story continues