Nick Saban Expects Longhorns to Have 'Outstanding Team'

Nick Saban said all of the right things about the Texas Longhorns at SEC Media Days

The Texas Longhorns are set to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide this September, in what will be one of the most anticipated games of the early season.

One year ago, the Longhorns nearly pulled off a massive upset of the Tide, falling just short in a 20-19 loss in Austin. 

And as a result, the nation, and Alabama coach Nick Saban, have taken notice of the Longhorns' progress. So much so, that Saban heaped praise on Texas at SEC Media Days this week. 

“I think Texas has a lot of players back from last year’s team,” Saban said. “Obviously it was a really close, tough game last year when we played that game. I think they are doing an outstanding job of recruiting and developing the players on their team and it’s going to be a real challenging game, no doubt... We expect them to have an outstanding team.”

Saban, of course, is typically complimentary of his opponents ahead of every matchup. That said, what the Longhorns did last year in Austin, in conjunction with how much their roster has improved over the spring and summer, has put the entire country on notice. 

So much so, that Texas has suddenly become a trendy pick as a dark horse in the College Football Playoff. 

Will the Horns reach those expectations and finally be 'back' in their final Big 12 season? Only time will tell. 

But if Saban is right about what Steve Sarkisian is building in Austin, the Tide, and the rest of the country, should be on notice going forward. 

You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan

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