Nick Saban is among three West Virginia sports legends who appear in a political ad for United States Senator Joe Manchin.

The Alabama football coach has been public about his friendship with the Democrat who was previously the governor of West Virginia. Basketball icon Jerry West and West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins also appear in the spot.

The 30-second ad begins with Saban in a green golf shirt.

"Joe and I grew up together in West Virginia and he never forgets where he came from," Saban said.

A few shots later, Saban returns.

"I don't have a better friend or know a better person than Joe Manchin," he said.

Campaign finance records show Saban made a $2,400 contribution to Manchin's bid to win his senate seat in 2010. The only other political donation Saban made was $250 in 1993 to the campaign of Bernadine Healy who lost a Rebublican primary for a U.S. Senate seat. Saban was a Cleveland Browns assistant coach at the time.

Manchin is in a tight race to retain his seat with state attorney general Patrick Morrisey.

The Washington Post reported Manchin has a 9.4-point lead in when averaging polls taken since August while Republican polling shows a closer race.

Before Alabama faced West Virginia to open the 2014 season, Manchin spoke with AL.com about his memories growing up with Saban outside Fairmount, West Virginia.

"His size was always a challenge playing these tough sports," Manchin said. "But Nick was as tough as anyone could be. My god, if he had a little more size, he would have killed everybody. I think the biggest mistake WVU ever made was not giving Nick Saban as scholarship."

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.