Breaking: Nick Saban Gives Shocking Prediction For Alabama Ahead of 2024 College Football Season

Seven months ago, Nick Saban was at the microphone after Alabama’s 27-24 SEC Championship win over No. 2 ranked Georgia, making a case for the Crimson Tide to be included in the College Football Playoff. For 17 minutes, Saban promoted his team as one of the top four in the country, and his efforts paid off as Alabama secured the No. 4 spot the following day, clinching the final playoff position.

Now, his perspective has shifted as a retired coach and ESPN analyst.

Nick Saban Believes Alabama Will Not be in SEC Championship Game

 

Despite still having many of the players Saban had last year, including starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, Saban does not believe that Alabama will be raising the SEC Championship trophy in 2024; in fact, he doesn’t think they’ll even be competing for it.

At SEC Media Days, Saban shared his thoughts:
“I believe in our Alabama team too. I believe in Jalen Milroe. But until the issues in the secondary get resolved, it’s hard to kind of jump on that bandwagon.”

Saban predicts that Texas and Georgia will be the ones playing for the Championship. This is quite unusual, considering most of the players on the current Crimson Tide team are those Saban recruited and coached last year. While many players transferred after he left, the 2024 Alabama team still bears Saban’s imprint.

There are Seven Teams With a Real Chance to Win the SEC

Alabama has been a fixture in four of the last six SEC Championship games, often setting up highly anticipated matchups against Georgia, which has occurred three times in that span.

However, this year presents a different scenario. Factors such as scheduling preferences for certain teams like Missouri, the addition of new teams such as Texas, and the impending departure of Nick Saban from Alabama contribute to a more open feel in the conference. Currently, eight teams have odds of +600 or better to make the SEC Championship game, highlighting the increased parity and unpredictability in the SEC this season.

• Texas (-110)
• Georiga (-160)
• Ole Miss (+250)
• Alabama (+300)
• LSU (+400)
• Texas A&M (+425)
• Tennessee (+550)
• Missouri (+600)

Last year, the odds for making the SEC Championship game were notably different. Only Alabama, Georgia, and LSU had odds higher than +600 to make it to the championship game. This underscores the more limited perception of potential contenders compared to the current season, where eight teams are seen as viable candidates with similar or better odds.

Alabama’s Schedule Isn’t Favorable

Alabama faces a challenging schedule that poses obstacles to their playoff aspirations, despite their talent level. Some of the notable games on their schedule include:

• Georgia
• at Tennessee
• Missouri
• at LSU

Alabama faces a particularly tough matchup on the road against Oklahoma in November, where weather conditions could potentially include cold temperatures and even snow, which isn’t typical for Alabama. With this game and others against tough opponents, it’s understandable why Alabama is not favored to make the SEC Championship game this season.

Comparatively, Georgia faces fewer top-tier opponents, playing only three of the top eight teams, while Texas plays against two. This difference in scheduling strength also factors into Nick Saban’s predictions favoring Georgia and Texas for the Championship game.

Nick Saban from the top rope 😨

“Texas ain’t gonna run the SEC.” pic.twitter.com/OsYiLCS52R

— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) July 15, 2024