K&J's Oatmeal Cream Pies Score Big After Nick Saban's Viral Taste Test
October 14, 2026
By Chanda Temple
One bite by Coach Nick Saban was all it took for K&J’s Elegant Pastries’ oatmeal cream pies to go viral during ESPN’s College GameDay in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Oct. 10.
There Saban was, taking a bite. And then another for all to see on K&J’s Instagram clip, which also showed GameDay reporter Jess Sims pointing out the oatmeal cream pies to Saban and GameDay analysts Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit tossing them like frisbees into the crowd at Coleman Coliseum. The video gained thousands of views and interest.
"I was so excited I was able to have Coach Saban try my oatmeal cream pies,'' said Kristal Bryant, owner of K&J’s in downtown Birmingham. "I've been saying for years I wanted him to try my oatmeal cream pies. This is huge for me.''
Seven-time national college football champion and retired University of Alabama Coach Saban, who is an analyst on College GameDay, has long had a food routine of eating two Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies every morning with his coffee. So, even before it was confirmed that Kristal would bring desserts for GameDay, she knew she wanted to do an oatmeal cream pie. Once she was confirmed for GameDay, producers asked her to make oatmeal cream pies.
OATMEAL CREAM PIE 2.0
Kristal already had a recipe for oatmeal cream pies from when she opened her first brick and mortar in 2013 in Alabaster. But they never really took off, and she removed them from the menu, only offering them when people requested them.
But now that she was cooking for Saban, she wanted to do something different and create a cookie that was chewy.
She worked on several recipes on Wednesday, Oct. 7 until she cooked up what she felt would be perfect for the Oct. 10 debut: two big oatmeal cookies held together by a special marshmallow buttercream.
Today, the oatmeal cream pies are on the menu, along with Kristal’s variety of cupcakes, cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls, poundcake, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip pecan cookies.
For GameDay, Kristal filled display towers with 30 oatmeal cream pies, 30 pecan pie cinnamon rolls, and vanilla, red velvet and chocolate cupcakes topped with "Roll Tide'' and "Go Dawgs'' signs. She also made a GameDay themed cake. "As soon as the set cleared, everybody was like, 'Do you have a container?' '' she said. "The tower just went so fast.' ''
NO FEAR
Landing on GameDay happened, thanks to Kristal’s partnership with Next Move Bama, which assists students moving in and out of dorms at the University of Alabama; stores items over the summer for freshmen; and offers families ways to celebrate their students throughout the year with specialty desserts from K&J. It was founded by Birmingham businesswoman Andrea Silas.
Not knowing anyone at GameDay, Andrea simply took a chance and sent an email to GameDay, telling them that they need to know K&J's is offering the "best dessert'' they can have on their platform in Tuscaloosa. She added that she and Kristal were University of Alabama mothers, working together because of a connection between their children, all students at the school.
"This is someone who cannot be denied,'' Andrea told GameDay. "She just needs a national platform for everybody to know about her.''
A GameDay rep was intrigued by the email and immediately responded, wanting to know more about Kristal, who has appeared on Good Morning America, Food Network and the Travel Channel, received national coverage for her "Kolossal" milkshakes and has made cakes for celebrities.Within a day, Kristal’s desserts were booked for GameDay. (Birmingham's Full Moon Bar-B-Que was also invited, and showcased their savory meats.)
“I told Kristal, ‘We are about to put your product out before the whole nation!’ ‘’ Andrea said. “And then, we can say, ‘As seen on TV for College GameDay.’ ‘’
THE START OF SOMETHING BIG
Andrea started her company in March 2026, offering moving services for University of Alabama students, especially those from out of state needing assistance when their parents may not be able to be present during the move.
Parents celebrating their children at Alabama is big, and Andrea wanted to make it easier for parents to share sweet sentiments miles away from home. Andrea uses products from K&J’s Elegant Pastries to meet that need. Parents can order through her company, which will deliver the items for pick up at Rounders, a popular bar on The Strip in Tuscaloosa. Those in Tuscaloosa not connected to the school can also use Next Move Bama to order K&J desserts, have them delivered to Rounders and pick up the desserts there.
“That same family from New York, for example, who comes to me when their child moves in, is the same family I’ll introduce to K&J because everyone wants a ‘Just Because,’ a birthday or a celebration cake,’’ said Andrea. “They love these desserts.’’
Kristal and Andrea connected, thanks to their children. Kristal’s daughter knew Andrea’s twin boys, and all three were going to be freshmen at Alabama fall 2026. During a high school graduation party this spring, one of Andrea’s sons suggested that Kristal talk to his mother about a possible partnership to serve Next Move Bama clients.
Andrea and Kristal connected and clicked, with Andrea wanting to expand Kristal’s brand beyond Birmingham. Appearing on GameDay helped.
“Kristal and I want to take this very big. We want tailgaters, we want organizations,’’ Andrea said. “We want K&J’s all over that campus, and the way that they get it is to contact Next Move Bama.’’BEYOND THE BITE***K&J's is open Tuesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Friday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Uptown District of Birmingham. They are located at 2260 Ninth Ave. North, across from City Walk and next to Eugene's Hot Chicken. In 2022, the Alabama Retail Association named Kristal its Bronze Alabama Retailer of the Year.***The pecan pie cinnamon rolls from College GameDay are part of a special "topping'' series Kristal launched this summer. She's already done peach cobbler, apple and Biscoff cinnamon rolls. She released the pecan pie bun last week, and it will end on Oct. 24. After that, she will unveil her next flavor.
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