7X National champ Nick Saban makes his pick for best G5 team in college football
Since retiring from Alabama, Nick Saban seems to have become a Memphis State fan. In a recent episode of ESPN's "College GameDay," the former head coach made a choice when asked about the best Group of Five (G5) team in college football.
The seven-time national champ, now a panelist for ESPN, chose Memphis State as his pick for the best potential G5 team in College Football. His thoughts were shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, by sports reporter Brad Logan. Logan wrote:
“The College Gameday panel was asked who the best team in the G5. Nick Saban chooses “Memphis State.””
The panel also talked about potential College Football Playoff teams to which Saban had the same response:
"I think Memphis State has a chance to move in there. Nobody knows who this team is going to be. There's always somebody that nobody talks about that moves up in the top 25, there's always somebody in the top 10 that falls out," Saban said.
"I mean, it's hard to pick who. I spent my entire coaching career accosting people who speculate, make predictions and ask hypothetical questions. Now I'm in this world. This is my gig, and it's hard,” he added.
Isaac Bruce, a former Tigers standout and Pro Football Hall of Famer, expressed his enthusiasm for Saban's recognition of the program.
While the season officially kicks off on August 31 against North Alabama, fans will have opportunities to assess the team's potential in upcoming matchups against Florida State and North Alabama.
Nick Saban predicts Conference Champions and National title
In his same appearance on ESPN's "College GameDay," Nick Saban shared his predictions for the upcoming season. Saban selected Florida State, Utah, Ohio State, and Georgia as the respective conference champions for the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC.
Saban acknowledged a potential challenge from Oregon in the Big Ten, but he ultimately favored Ohio State to secure the conference title. For the national championship, Saban confidently predicted Georgia to repeat as champions.
Saban talked about Georgia's dominance and Kirby Smart's coaching ability; however, he also recognized the potential challenges posed by Texas and Alabama in the SEC.
He also expressed admiration for the Oregon Ducks, and mentioned the team's ability to compete at a high level in the Big Ten. Despite Saban's predictions, the upcoming season is expected to be even more competitive because of the expansion of the College Football Playoff.