Saban says Alabama has a ‘difficult’ task taking on Mississippi State on the road

Nick Saban feels Alabama football has one of the most difficult tasks in college football this weekend.

The Crimson Tide will travel to take on Mississippi State on Saturday for a game that is set to kick off at 11 a.m. Nick Saban, who has led the Tide into Starkville numerous times, thinks playing the Bulldogs in Davis-Wade Stadium is a challenge for Alabama for several reasons.

“You got to do a great job in terms of focusing on good execution so that you don’t give the other team the momentum of the game,” Saban said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” I do think the two teams that have difficult tasks, the most difficult tasks you asked me about Florida, they’re going to Missouri; Missouri can score points. Alabama’s going to Mississippi State; Mississippi State can score points. So to me, those are the most challenging games. And it’s always a trap game for Alabama to go to Mississippi State. It was one of the hardest games for me to get our players up for, to respect Mississippi State for as good as they were, to play in that environment over there where you got cowbells ringing in your ears for days after you play there, and to be able to go there and have focus on that game and play well in that game.”

“It’s always tough for Alabama going to Mississippi State..

It was one of the hardest games for us in that environment” ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/8E3blgiNny

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 2, 2026