ATLANTA -- Nick Saban wanted us to believe that he was worried. It was clear that he was concerned. He was probably worried because he was preparing for Alabama's first college football game in 2021.
Forget the fact that he was 10-0 in his previous season openers at neutral-site. Six of those wins were against ranked opponents. Or that the average score for those six wins was nearly 27 points per match.
The greatest college football coach ever, who just finished the best season his GOAT era had ever produced, remained steadfast in his exaggerated description of his unease on Saturday morning. Saban spoke almost in muted tones just hours before his Alabama team faced the Miami Hurricanes, the defending national champion. There were no smiles. Only foreboding.
"There's always that little bit more of, did you do a good job?" How is this going to work for us? When asked by ESPN's Marty & McGee about his first-game jitters, Saban replied that he still experiences them after more than a quarter century of being a college head coach. There's some anxiety there.
He spoke about the expectations and the task of replacing an unstoppable 2020 offense, which was led by a Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver. He also talked about the challenges of replacing a first-round NFL draft selection at quarterback. He said that he had to hire two new coordinators and had one remaining assistant on his entire offensive team.
It sounded convincingly impossible, Saban said.
His team defeated Miami, 14th in the rankings, 44-13. As replacement quarterback Bryce Young, the Tide threw for 501 yards. He also set Alabama's first-start passing records of 344 yards and four touchdowns. The receivers who were charged with taking on the role of all-stars last year had a lot to do with it. A staggering 10 players accounted for at least one catch.
After spending his morning trying to convince us about his lack of confidence, the man who was adamant that he didn't have enough confidence went home happy after his game.
Bryce Young looked like an experienced player in his first start. He threw for 344 yards with four touchdowns. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
After posing with the youngsters, the 69-year-old coach stated that "I think it's really important," while wearing an antique leather helmet that Chick-fil-A's Kickoff Game awarded. It really boosts their confidence when they are successful in the game. It will hopefully help them to continue to grow and improve."
Witnessing what took place inside the futuristic-looking Mercedes-Benz Stadium was like being in a Marvel Comics time warp. It was four hours of deja vu, complete with houndstooth-adorned devil.
If you have heard it before, stop me. Don't stop me. Continue reading. This history won't repeat itself after tonight.
2008. Week 1. Atlanta No. 24 Alabama defeats No. 9 Clemson wins 34-10. Alabama wins 12 regular season games after the win, igniting its return to the majors. Clemson is completely disintegrated and Tommy Bowden is fired.
2009. Week 1. Atlanta. Fourth-ranked Alabama defeats seventh-ranked Virginia Tech by a score of 34-24. Alabama wins his first national championship under Saban while the Hokies fall to three losses.
2013. Week 1. Atlanta No. 1 Alabama 35, Virginia Tech 10.
2014. Week 1. Atlanta No. 2 Alabama 33, West Virginia 23.
2019. Week 1. Atlanta No. 2 Alabama 49, Duke 3.
These are only the games that were played in Atlanta. In Orlando and Texas, the biggest wins at neutral sites were recorded. The 52-6 thrashing at No. 20 USC in 2016. The 2012 and 2015 beatingdowns of Michigan, Wisconsin and Texas, both in Arlington Texas. The most brutal mauling of them all was the 17-point victory over No. The Seminoles' 3 Florida State win in Orlando was the start of Jimbo Fisher's final season with them.
Each victory in the opening-act Battle of Atlanta or Orlando or Arlington has had the ultimate goal of putting someone in their shoes. Maybe it was an old-school powerhouse who needed to hear that Alabama was real. Maybe it was an upstart who thought it could break the Alabama playoff blockade. Maybe it was just a show, especially in front of thousands of potential recruits who live in the same neighborhoods as the Tide.
John Metchie III was the first to score and was one 10 Alabama receivers who caught a pass against Miami. David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
In at least two cases, it felt like Saban was letting the entire conference know its best team isn't ready for SEC primetime.
Saturday's victory over Miami felt like it covered all the above.
The thousands of Alabama fans that walked up Peachtree street on Saturday night celebrated the win, but also grieved the loss of such days. After a decade of openings at neutral sites, Alabama now has home-and-home series scheduled with Power 5 rivals all the way through 2035.
Is it worth the $5 million Bama receives from the Atlanta bowl people every September? They answer yes by adding more value for Tuscaloosa season ticket holders.
It's fair enough. It's not worth it.
Manny Diaz, Miami's head coach, said "I wouldn’t worry too much about Coach Saban” in a chuckle. "Things seem good for him so far."
