Alabama’s Nick Saban says Fresno State ‘much, much improved’

Don’t wait for Nick Saban to give an opponent bulletin board fodder. You’ll be waiting a lonnnng time.

The Alabama football head coach had all manner of compliments Monday for the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide’s next opponent, Fresno State.

“This is a much, much improved team,” Saban said of the Bulldogs, who last Saturday took their first steps toward burying last season’s 1-11 finish by waxing Incarnate Word, 66-0.

While the ’Dogs easily dispatched the lower-division opponent at home, Alabama topped Florida State, 24-7, in Atlanta to keep its preseason top ranking. Consequently, the Tide is a 45-point favorite for Saturday afternoon’s game.

Saban also described his counterpart, Jeff Tedford, as “one of the best coaches, I think, offensively, in the country.”

The game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Pacific on the Tide’s home field in Tuscaloosa.

This story was originally published September 5, 2017 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Alabama’s Nick Saban says Fresno State ‘much, much improved’."