Nick Saban evaluates Texas’ turnaround ahead of massive showdown with Georgia

Nick Saban has seen enough of Texas over the past month to believe the Longhorns are improving. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday, the former Alabama head coach made it clear that their growth has come from fixing a myriad of issues.

With Texas set to face Georgia in a game heavy with SEC and College Football Playoff implications, Saban offered a measured breakdown of why Steve Sarkisian’s team looks better, but why they still aren’t quite where they want to be this season.

“I think Texas has improved for two reasons,” Saban said. “I think in the last two games, Arch [Manning] has played better. He’s playing with a little more rhythm, not hurrying everything up, and he’s been more effective and efficient. His completion percentage is way up. And the offensive line has played better. So those two things, I think, have made them show improvement as a team.”

Moreover, Saban credited Manning’s recent poise and efficiency, and the offensive line finally stabilizing, as the main drivers of Texas’ progress. But the legendary coach stopped short of calling the Longhorns a finished product.

“They still haven’t been a dominant team,” Saban said. “I mean, even the games that they’ve won, they either had to come back and win in overtime, or just barely beat Vanderbilt. And then they had terrible issues that week in the secondary, where they gave up over 300 yards passing.”

All told, Texas sits at two losses entering Saturday night, meaning any slip-up could end their Playoff hopes. A win, however, would give them a major résumé booster heading into the final stretch of the season, and keep alive their SEC Championship Game chances if Alabama or Texas A&M stumble.

Meanwhile, Georgia has had their own flaws to iron out, but Saban believes they’re now boasting one of the conference’s most explosive offenses: “I’m telling you what, this Georgia team — their offense, I mean, they can run it. Gunner [Stockton] makes plays. They got some decent receivers who can make plays. I mean, they’re a good team,” Saban said.

However, Saban also highlighted where the Bulldogs have slipped from their usual standard: “The only thing that is Georgia’s issue is they don’t have a significant pass rusher, and they don’t create a lot of negative plays on defense, and they haven’t been able to get off the field on third down like they historically have been able, so that allows the other team to keep the ball,” he added.

Ultimately, Saban views this matchup as a battle of two talented-but-flawed teams, and a game that will hinge on who cleans up their weaknesses most effectively: “Both teams have some flaws that they need to improve upon,” he concluded, “and whoever can do it in this game best will have the best chance to win.”

With both teams clinging to their SEC title hopes, and Texas clinging to its CFP dream, Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. EST kickoff sets the stage for one of the most consequential games of the November slate. We’ll see who gets the dub when it’s all said and done.