Nick Saban is well aware of the conversations around Alabama and what had been a relatively slow start to the 2023 season. That said, the Crimson Tide have surged over the past number of weeks, recovering from a loss to Texas and a sluggish offensive showing at South Florida to climb to No. 8 in the College Football Playoff standings.

The Tide, winners of 8 straight, have clinched the SEC West and, considering they win their next 2 against Chattanooga and Auburn, may punch their Playoff ticket with a victory over No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 2.

“We had a lot of individuals on this team that had something to prove,” Saban said on Thursday during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”. “We had a young team so they were still trying to develop a reputation for themselves as players, as well as how our team would develop. And the team was important to these guys. They like each other. They get along well.”

Saban went on to say that the “high expectations” placed on a number of his past Alabama teams “took some of the fun out of it for the players”. Conversely, the current group of Tide players has perhaps been able to bask in the enjoyment of developing and performing well without the pressure other teams have faced during his time in Tuescaloosa.

“They’ve had fun. We’ve had fun coaching them, and they’ve gotten better, and hopefully we can continue to do that,” he said.