Texas A&M came into Tuscaloosa, Alabama, ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Top 25. Nick Saban’s No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide made Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies look grossly overrated as UA won easily in lopsided fashion, 52-24.

It was a milestone win for Saban as victory No. 57 over teams in the AP top 15 and No. 20 against his former assistants as head coaches.

After the game, Saban answered questions from the media, touching on a variety of team and individual performances. Here are the highlights of what he had to say:

  • On Mac Jones: “I thought Mac played really well in the game.”
  • On Daniel Wright: “(He) is a playmaker, but he’s also a guy who has to stay focused on his job and that’s something we need to continue to work on.”
  • On third-down defense: “We have to play better on third down. We have to get off the field.”
  • On defensive front: “I thought the front did a good job… They pushed the pocket well they effected (Kellen Mond) some.”
  • On penalties: “We’re going to do everything we possibly can to eliminate those penalties (on offense).”
  • On pre-snap penalties: “There’s no excuse for them. That’s total lack of focus.”
  • More on Jones: “I think the experience he got last year was invaluable.”
  • On Malachi Moore: “Malachi’s one of those guys that really knows how to learn. He uses all the opportunities when he makes mistakes to learn.”
  • On John Metchie: “Very capable guy, has worked very hard, and I think this is something that’s gonna really help his confidence. … I was excited to see him have a good day today.”