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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Nick Saban says Notre Dame needs ‘ugly’ game to beat Ohio State

Cory Nightingale

By Cory Nightingale

Published:

Nick Saban is the perfect person to analyze the mental and physical aspects of competing in a national title game.

Saban captured 7 national championships, 6 at Alabama and 1 at LSU, and he lost a few title games, too, so he’s as well-versed in dealing with the pressures of playing for everything as anyone on the planet. Saban is now an ESPN college football analyst, and in the leadup to Monday night’s title game he gave his perspective on what heavy underdog Notre Dame needs to do to topple Ohio State in Atlanta.

“I think it’s who can play their game. Which team allows the other to play their game. If Notre Dame is going to win, they have to play ugly. Ohio State has too many weapons. If (Notre Dame) can make the game ugly, like Michigan did … if they can get some turnovers, play some defense, I think anyone can win the game. I think the team that’s going to win is going to play their game, their identity.”

Saban doesn’t have much experience as the underdog in these spots, but it doesn’t mean his perspective isn’t unique because he’s been in this spot so many times. And because Saban didn’t always win in these spots, he knows that Notre Dame has a shot if it can thread the needle and do what he suggested.

Cory Nightingale

Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.

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