Nick Saban, Alabama face 'test of humility' amid 'bump in the road' - ESPN

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Saban, his Alabama football team ranked outside the top 10 of the Associated Press poll for the first time since 2015, is as realistic as he is resolute.

Even after six national championships, Saban understands the restlessness that surrounds his program right now. It goes with the territory when you build the kind of dynasty he has in the SEC, one that some in the college football world suggest could be crumbling.

«The standard here doesn't change, but this is also a test of your humility,» Saban told ESPN on Thursday. «You say, 'Hey, I don't care what anybody says. I know what the expectations are.' But, I mean, how many people have been able to go 16 years and not have a bump in the road?»

Alabama (2-1) faces No. 15 Ole Miss at home on Saturday. That's after the Crimson Tide slopped its way last week to a 17-3 win over South Florida, which went 1-11 a year ago and gave up 41 points to Western Kentucky in its 2023 season opener.

Two weeks ago, Texas came to Bryant-Denny Stadium and won 34-24 — the first double-digit home loss by a Saban-coached Alabama team.

«We'll respond. We've got a better team than the way we played last week,» Saban said. «I don't know if we've got a good enough team to beat Ole Miss or anybody else we play, but we've got a better team than we played last week. Texas has a damn good team, probably one of the best five teams in the country and we were ahead of them in the fourth quarter.

»I like this team. I like this group. They've worked hard. They've got a good attitude about things. We just got to execute better and pay better attention to detail, and we've got some areas on our team that need to play better."

Several former players who won national titles under Saban