Nick Saban Thinks Texas Was 'Built Like an SEC Team,' But Not Oklahoma

The former Alabama head coach thinks the two newcomers join the conference with different approaches.

Isa Almeida | Aug 24, 2024

Sep 10, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian talks with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban before the game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

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Texas Longhorns

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban had some thoughts on the two programs starting their first seasons in the SEC.

Saban is familiar with Texas and Steve Sarkisian. Sarkisian was his former assistant coach at Alabama, and the Longhorns upset his team in 2023 in their own field. The Texas coach knows the conference after three seasons under Saban in Tuscaloosa, and since joining Texas in 2021, has built the team SEC ready -- Saban agrees.

“Well, I’ll say this about Texas. Texas was built like an SEC team,” Saban said during the Pat McAfee Show on Friday.“ Sark built Texas like an SEC team. They have big people up front. They’re physical.”

The same confident thoughts can't be shared with Texas arch-rivals and fellow league newcomers Oklahoma. Though they are athletic, Saban doesn't think the Sooners fit the SEC style.

“You know, watching Oklahoma this offseason, they are one of the most athletic teams in the country but they are not as big and as physical up front,” Saban said. “I think – this may be a problem for Oregon too. Oregon is going to be extremely skillful but can they match up up front, even in the Big Ten?”

Oklahoma was the only team to defeat Texas in the 2023 regular season. Still, the Sooners' season wasn't as stellar as their southern neighbors. Brett Vanables' team finished its last Big 12 season with a 10-3 record, while Texas went 12-2 with a College Football Playoffs semifinals appearance.

No. 4 Texas kicks off its SEC schedule on Sept. 28 against Mississippi State, while No. 16 Oklahoma faces No. 15 Tennessee on Sept. 21

Published Aug 24, 2024|Modified Aug 24, 2024

ISA ALMEIDA

Isa Almeida is a writer covering the Texas Longhorns for SI/Fan Nation, having joined the team on June 1, 2024. Raised in Southeast Brazil, Isa is now a third-year Journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin. Fluent in both English and Portuguese, Isa brings a diverse background and a wealth of knowledge to her writing. In addition to her work with SI/Fan Nation, Isa also covers the soccer and women's basketball beats for The Daily Texan. Her journalism journey is firmly rooted in her academic pursuits and her passion for sports.