Nick Saban uses childhood breakup as motivation

“Texas A&M is the strongest team that we’ve played to this point, looking at them from a holistic standpoint”, Saban said Monday. The Tide won 27-19 to remain undefeated. “We’re ahead 24-3, we’re supposed to go ahead and put the game away, and we didn’t”.

On the other side, Sumlin wasn’t buying into moral victories but felt like his team may have learned something about itself by going toe to toe with the nation’s top team and controlling much of the second half. He also explained it is hard to get through to the players when all they hear in the media is continual accolades amid references to dominance. “It’s like poison. Like rat poison”. “We are actually helicoptering him tonight to a hotel in College Station”, Saban said. They’ve beaten Arkansas (in overtime) and SC by a touchdown apiece and also rebounded from a tough-to-swallow opening loss at UCLA. “I’m going to try and go to the A&M-Alabama game”.

From that point, momentum shifted to the Aggies who outscored Alabama 16-3 the rest of the game.

– Saban wasn’t, however, happy with how they finished on QB Kellen Monk.

– Minkah Fitzpatrick had a nice night, good INT.

“My biggest disappointment in the game is that we didn’t finish the game”, Saban said.

Saban said they are taking a “business trip” approach. Still, Alabama was within an onside kick recovery from really sweating this one.

All feuds must eventually end one way or another, and the fact that Kiffin is now openly campaigning for his former player to win the Heisman is a good sign.

My goodness. Nick Saban’s dad does not mess around. Sometimes when bad things happen, people actually respond better than when good things happen.

Passing defense – C: At times, Alabama looked good against Kellen Mond, but the Tide allowed him three throws of more than 30 yards and another of 25. Early indications from Las Vegas also has Alabama predicted as five touchdown favorites over Tennessee and almost four touchdown favorites over LSU.

Alabama football probably needed a slap in the face. “Whenever you get back around family and enjoy time with family, and are around the football team …”

Alabama is starting to find its groove after steamrolling its last two games, but this feels like a lot of points to be laying on the table. Luckily, he was able to be honored with his ’67 team on Saturday night.

Alabama made it to 6-0 with a 27-19 win against the Aggies, but it wasn’t a work of art.

– There were opportunities in the passing game “and didn’t do it”, Saban said.

It would’ve been impossible for Alabama to continue playing at the otherworldly level it put on display the previous two weeks. Junior receiver Calvin Ridley is having another solid campaign with 24 receptions for 322 yards and his 185 career catches are third most in school history behind Amari Cooper (228 from 2012-14) and D.J. Hall (194 from 2004-07). Tony Brown has a sprained knee but it is not thought to be serious.