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College Football

Nick Saban insists players are not ‘distracted’ by CFP ranking

Andrew Peters

By Andrew Peters

Published:

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Nick Saban is making sure his team stays locked in amidst the first College Football Ranking.

Alabama is knocking on the door of reaching the Playoff, ranked at No. 8 in the initial rankings. But Saban knows how much of a distraction the rankings can be, and he’s ensuring his team is focused on each game at a time rather than worrying about what their ranking is.

“We’re not even focused on — you said focus on winning,” Saban said during the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday.”We want to focus on the execution that we need to get so that we have the opportunity to have success when whatever you want to call it. Practice every day the technical things that are going to help you be able to carry over into games that will actually help you execute so that you will have an opportunity to be successful against really good players and really good teams.”

Saban knows that if he can get his team to execute and focus on each game as it comes, the results will come on their own.

“It’s more stay focused on the process of what you have to do and not become outcome-oriented and create a bunch of anxiety for yourself,” Saban said. “But just play the next play, play that moment, don’t look at the scoreboard, don’t care about external factors. That’s challenging, but I think that’s the best way to go about it.”

Alabama has a big chance to move itself further up in the rankings this week as it takes on LSU. The Tigers are looking for a big game to try and get in front in the race for the SEC West, but the Tide will be bringing their A-game, looking to secure another big win.

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