Nick Saban usually remains pretty even-keeled as a coach, but he’s starting to appreciate and celebrate wins more now than he used to. Saturday marked one of those instances.
Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide came back from down 10-0 in the fourth quarter against rival Auburn. They tied the game with a touchdown in the final 30 seconds of regulation and then won 24-22 in the fourth overtime.
Saban must have resigned himself to thinking the Crimson Tide might lose and have a shot at the playoffs spoiled. That probably explains why he was beyond elated for his team to pull off the victory.
Look at how happy he was in his postgame interview with CBS’ Jamie Erdahl.
“I can’t put it into words,” Saban said after the game. “I’m so proud of the way the players competed in the game. … It was unbelievable.”
The win improved Alabama’s record to 11-1 and keeps the Crimson Tide alive for the CFP. They need to beat Georgia to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. If they lose, they’ll be a two-loss team and almost certainly eliminated from the playoff.
At this point, Saban is probably just happy to have escaped with a win.
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