ESPN - Aggies beat Bama again? Let's end the suspense. They...

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On the prospects of Texas A&M beating Alabama two years in a row: "Texas A&M fans are very proud. They think they are going to beat Alabama again. I will go ahead and end the suspense. They're not."

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On how Nick Saban keeps winning: "Because he's the smartest coach in college football -- maybe in pro football as well, although he didn't look that smart with the Dolphins. But he talks about a process, and it's like a good NFL club. And he doesn't look back. And he never takes his foot off the pedal."

On why college football strikes such a nerve in the South: "First of all, in the South, it's all we have. And I don't mean there aren't other things to do, although you could argue with that on a Saturday afternoon in Auburn or Tuscaloosa or Knoxville, Tenn. But it's a cultural experience. We don't have pro football, so we talk about college football 365 days a year. And we talk about it with great passion."

On the current state of Auburn football: "It's hard to believe it's only been two and a half, three years since the national championship and Cam Newton. But that's what happened. Cam Newton is now in Charlotte, and Auburn hasn't been able to recover. I think Gus Malzahn has done a very nice job. The recruiting was fantastic, and I think they will come back. I just don't think it will be immediate."

On Florida assistant Tim Davis calling Saban the devil: "That's the disappointing part for those of us living in the South. We would prefer that coming from Notre Dame or Michigan, but not from a brother school. But Nick Saban keeps those little things in his back pocket, and when he sees Florida one of these days, they will pay."

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