No. 1 Alabama and no. 3 Florida State will face off in Mercedes-Benz Stadium next week in what is possibly the most anticipated season-opening matchup in college football history. And now things have gotten even more interesting.
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There’s really nothing you can say about the Alabama football program that hasn’t already been said. They are unbelievably talented year-in and year-out, but what makes Nick Saban the greatest coach of the modern era and possibly in the history of college football is his ability to motivate.
The end of almost every great college football dynasty comes when the players start to buy into their own hype. Urban Meyer and Pete Carroll are two of the best college football coaches in recent history, but those Florida and USC teams each had a tendency to play to their competition.
That’s not the case with Alabama football. No matter who is on the opposite sideline, the Crimson Tide always come ready to play. And now they might have even more added motivation.
Florida State University President John Thrasher may have just given Alabama some bulletin board material a week before the big game. According to a story from Al.com, Thrasher was addressing the room at an FSU kickoff luncheon, when he said this:
“I shouldn’t talk too much trash, but I think we’re gonna beat Alabama pretty bad next week. I really do.”
FSU Prez John Thrasher is ready: "I shouldn't talk too much trash, but I think we're gonna beat Alabama pretty bad next week. I really do."
— Tim Linafelt (@Tim_Linafelt) August 25, 2017
How would you like to be Jimbo Fisher right now? Not only are you one week away from probably the biggest regular season game of your coaching career. Now you hear about this statement that your university President expects you to blow out one of the most dominant dynasties the college football world has ever seen.
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It’s one thing if a coach or a player says something like this. They have the ability to back up their talk with their play on the field. All Thrasher did was pour gasoline onto the fire.
Nick Saban would never admit to anything or anyone giving him any added motivation. Winning, or just simply not losing, is motivation enough for him. But you can guarantee these Alabama football players will have a little something extra in the tank when they take the field in Atlanta next Saturday.
Jimbo and the Seminoles already had enough to worry about before their President’s comments. Now that Thrasher has poked the bear, he better hope that they have what it takes to back it up.