Bama players unbothered Saban didn't pick team for SEC title game

Alabama players have no issues with Nick Saban - who retired in January after coaching the Crimson Tide for 17 years - picking Texas to play Georgia in the SEC title game this season.

Alabama's All-SEC offensive lineman Tyler Booker reacted to Saban's prediction on Wednesday by using the legendary coach's own words.

"He always used to say, 'Don't let some guy that lives in their mom's basement determine how you feel.' So I'm not gonna let some guy who plays golf all day determine how I feel," Booker said of Saban at SEC media days, according to Alex Scarborough of Bama247.

"Something Coach Saban taught us whenever we speak to the media is to not concern ourselves with external factors. He doesn't work in the facility anymore, he works in the stadium, so he's considered an external factor. So (I'm) not really paying attention to him," Booker jokingly added, per Rosie Langello of WSFA 12 News.

Saban outlined the concerns he thinks could potentially keep Alabama out of contention.

"I really like Texas," Saban recently said, according to Scarborough. "I think Georgia has got a really good team. I believe in our Alabama team, too. I believe in Jalen Milroe. I just think the question marks in the secondary - until those get resolved - it's hard to, sort of, jump on that bandwagon."

Crimson Tide safety Malachi Moore is fine with Saban's comments.

"It's a cool opinion for him to have," Moore said Wednesday, per Touchdown Alabama.

The Crimson Tide claimed nine SEC titles and six national championships under Saban from 2007-2023. They hired Kalen DeBoer as his replacement this year.