No. 1 Crimson Tide ready for stretch run

‘I think the toughest games that we have and the best teams that we have to play are ahead of us.’ Saban keeps raising bar for Alabama’s SEC juggernaut.

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TUSCALOOSA, ALA. — bama is unbeaten, scarcely challenged and dominating on both sides of the ball.

Now, the top-ranked Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC) get an open date to ready for the stretch run. And it’s clear the focus of coach Nick Saban& Co. is on finishing this one out, not spending much time savoring the accomplishments through eight games.

In fact, Saban said the team held a “come to Jesus meeting” last week leading up to Saturday’s 45-7 victory over rival Tennessee. He tried once again to explain after the game to reporters the

challenge of tuning out the hype that he has likened to “rat poison.”

“I talk about this all the time and you all don’t get it,” Saban said. “But it’s not human nature to have people say you’re unanimous No. 1, you’re 36-point favorites. You read in the paper every day that you don’t even need to play the game. So why should we get excited about practice?

“Those external factors cannot affect your team and sometimes it does. We had to have a little come to Jesus meeting about what is

this all about, what is your commitment to, what goals do we have as a team? And what’s more important, what we want to accomplish as a team for the guys in this room or what somebody else thinks or writes or says.”

Besides, Alabama players and coaches have more enduring motivation in their

bid for a fifth national title under Saban and fourth

consecutive SEC championship. They well remember the last-second loss to Clemson in January’s national championship game.

Against Tennessee, the Tide made a goal line stand that really didn’t affect the outcome of the game but

fans and players celebrated like it did. It was special to linebacker Rashaan Evans, who called it “probably one of the greatest moments I’ve ever been part of.”

That might have some- thing to do with the play

they couldn’t make against Clemson.

“It’s always a motivation,” Evans said of that game. “You don’t want to harp on the past too much but at the same time you want it to be a good reminder of what could happen if you don’t play your best game.”

Alabama’s last two games against Arkansas and Tennessee have come against struggling teams with inex-

perienced quarterbacks. The Tide returns from the opening date to host No. 23 LSU and also faces Mississippi State and No. 19 Auburn on the road. Saban points out that there are improvements to make.

Alabama leads the nation in scoring defense and the SEC in scoring offense. The Tide also has outscored league opponents by a whop- ping 238-38 so far.

“I think the toughest games that we have and the best teams that we have to play are ahead of us,” he said. “We’re certainly going to need to play better and with more consistency and continue to improve in several areas, like the balance we have on offense, being able to throw the ball effectively on a consistent basis.”

BRYNN ANDERSON / ASSOCIATED PRESS With his team at 8-0 and rolling through another SEC schedule, Alabama coach Nick Saban is challenging his top-ranked Crimson Tide to tune out hype and external expectations. Alabama has an open date this week.