The latest ad from Sen. Joe Manchin III just might get more views in the heart of SEC Country than in West Virginia.

In the video circulated Wednesday evening, Manchin picks up the endorsement of his old friend Nick Saban, the championship-winning football coach at the University of Alabama.

“Joe and I grew up together in West Virginia, and he never forgets where he came from,” Saban said in the ad. “I don’t have a better friend, or know a better person than Joe Manchin.”

But just getting the backing of Saban on camera wasn’t enough.

The Manchin spot also features endorsements from two other West Virginia natives and sports legends: 14-time NBA all-star Jerry West and current West Virginia University men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins.

Manchin’s race is rated Tilt Democratic by Nathan L. Gonzales of Inside Elections. He’s being challenged by GOP Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who in a recent poll appears to have narrowed the race to just a one-point advantage for the incumbent.  

“It’s a true honor to have three of my good friends come together to let West Virginians know why 2018 is such an important year for our state,” Manchin said in a statement. “They all know me well, and know that I’ve never changed and that I’ll never stop fighting to do what’s right for our people.”