Nick Saban is siding with Florida ahead of Saturday’s SEC opener against Auburn, and he’s leaning on two things in particular: the Gators’ roster and their run game.
Speaking Friday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the former Alabama coach picked Florida to win on the road and said the Gators appear further along than Auburn after two weeks of the season.
Auburn enters the matchup with a slight edge in terms of resume. The Tigers already have a Week 1 win under their belt, edging Baylor 17-16. Florida, meanwhile, has beaten Florida Atlantic and Campbell but has not yet faced a Power 4 opponent.
Still, Saban believes Florida is better positioned in this matchup, especially with Jadan Baugh powering the offense. Through two games, Baugh has piled up 296 yards and five touchdowns on 28 carries, giving the Gators a ground threat Saban clearly respects.
“I think Jon Sumrall probably inherited a little bit better roster and added to it at Florida in terms of the kind of defense they can play,” Saban said, via a transcription from On3.
“I think Florida is a little bit further along as a team just based on the first two weeks of the season.”
Saban also had praise for Auburn coach Alex Golesh, saying he believes he’s the right fit for the job. But when it came to the quarterback battle, he pointed to Byrum Brown as a dangerous factor for Florida to deal with again.
“Byrum Brown is a really good quarterback,” Saban said. “Now he killed Florida last year, and Florida had a good defense, and he ran all over them and was the difference in the game. And maybe the best player.”
Brown’s performance in South Florida’s 18-16 upset of then-No. 13 Florida last season backs that up. He completed 23 of 36 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown, then added 66 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Saturday’s game will give either Auburn or Florida a chance to make an early push in the race for contender status under new coaching regimes. Alex Golesh and Jon Sumrall both have a chance to land their first conference win and set the tone for what comes next.
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