Nick Saban on Alabama: 'We didn't come this far to get this far'

Nick Saban is a man of wisdom based on his long coaching career, especially at Alabama. He knows what it takes to win a national title, he has seven of them after all.

Could 2023 be the latest in his GOAT resume? It could be. But first: Georgia in the SEC Championship Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.

The last time these two schools played each other, Georgia got the upperhand in the national championship. Now that Alabama is back in the SEC title game with a chance to get to the CFP, Saban’s message was clear.

“I always want to tell our players you know, we didn’t come this far to get this far,” Saban said on College GameDay. “So what are we gonna do to try to take the next step? And that’s what I want. I want them to focus on what they have to do. To play well in the game, to move forward, to be the best version of themselves. 

“But you know, I don’t like to put anxiety on the team. I don’t want them to think about that. I want them to play one play at a time, play the next play, focus on that, put all your energy into that. See what happens at the end of the game.”

Nick Saban not stopping at SEC Championship Game

At 11-1 this season and ranked No. 8 in the country, Alabama needs to make a big jump to get into the top four. The lowest ranked teams to make a jump after the penultimate weekend were No. 6: Oklahoma and Georgia in year’s past.

Saban is well aware of how to get and win in the College Football Playoff. The team was in the national title game just two years ago.

But, as coaches say, it’s always one game at a time. Saban’s message is clear though: this isn’t the end of Bama’s run.

Since losing to Texas at home back in September, facing questions about Jalen Milroe and whether he lost his touch, the Crimson Tide head coach could be better than ever.

Under the head coach, Alabama lost just one SEC Championship Game. That 10-1 record is as good as the United States’ war record, according to one Bill Murray. (See the film Stripes if you need to look up that reference).

It’s all on the line for Saban and Alabama to keep their title hopes alive this season when they take the field Saturday. But there’s no question it’s about to be a heavyweight war.