Nick Saban insists Indiana football isn’t getting enough respect ahead of Rose Bowl
By Mark Kern
Published:
Nick Saban has become one of the top college football analysts since retiring as the Alabama coach two years ago. The Crimson Tide are still among the nation’s top teams in college football, and they will be taking on the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers in a College Football Playoff matchup on Wednesday night.
While the Hoosiers are undefeated and the No. 1 team in the country, the former Alabama coach doesn’t believe the Hoosiers are getting enough respect from the rest of college football.
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Saban talked about what makes the Hoosiers such a great team.
“I’m just saying from a fan perspective,” Saban said. “Fans don’t look at the game from a technical perspective like we all do. Indiana is a damn good team, and I think on a national level, people don’t see them as the good team they are. I was so impressed with Indiana’s defense against Ohio State. I didn’t think they could play as physical as they played, and that could be a problem for Alabama because they struggle to run the ball.”
The Hoosiers defense was very good against the Buckeyes, but they did suffer when star defensive tackle Stephen Daley suffered a freak injury celebrating the win with fans. On the season, he had 24 tackles and 5.5 sacks, and was an anchor on the Hoosiers defense.
For the Hoosiers, the CFP gives them another opportunity to show the country what they are all about. While many across the country may not see them as a true contender, Saban believes that Indiana is more than capable of going on a deep run.
