Nick Saban uses his College GameDay debut to deliver a forceful message about Auburn football.

Nick Saban uses his College GameDay debut to deliver a forceful message about Auburn football.

Giving credit to the team that gave him the most trouble when coaching the Crimson Tide and Hugh Freeze, who similarly gave him fits while at Ole Miss, Nick Saban believes Auburn football will be the most improved club in the SEC come 2024.

On August 24, during his College GameDay debut, head coach Nick Saban said, “I think Auburn is going to be the most improved team in the league” (h/t AL.com). “It’s true,”

Kirk Herbstreit, Saban’s co-host, described Auburn as a possible thorn in the side of the SEC opponents this season. The College GameDay panel does not think the Tigers are undervalued.

John Cohen worries that even without Nick Saban, Alabama football could still pose a threat to Auburn.
AU AD Although John Cohen is optimistic about Auburn’s future, he won’t presume that the Tigers will win Alabama simply because Nick Saban is no longer in charge. Following Saban’s retirement, Cohen acknowledged the Tide as a legitimate contender.

Prior to his arrival, Alabama had won national titles, and they still have a chance to do so once he leaves,” Cohen stated in January. “I have the utmost regard for both Coach Saban and Greg Byrne, the athletic director of Alabama. I believe that my expectation is for Alabama’s football program to remain on a strong trajectory.”

Cohen added that there is no connection between Saban’s retirement and the Auburn Tigers. And he is correct in a lot of respects. The Tigers’ success stems solely from their culture. not what occurs in other places.

One significant area in which Cohen erred was failing to take into consideration the deterioration of Alabama’s important ties during the transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer. Currently, Auburn has a Thompson pipeline.