Jimbo Fisher: Alabama knows it belongs in these games

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher joined ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum on Friday to discuss the upcoming matchup between Alabama and Georgia in the national championship game. The former Nick Saban assistant knows both how to win a title and how to know off his former boss, two things Kirby Smart hopes to achieve on the same night.

However, to make that happen, Georgia will need to overcome Alabama’s rich history and experience in these types of big games. The Crimson Tide is playing for its second title in a row and seventh under Saban.

Jimbo Fisher spoke about how difficult it is to beat Alabama in the big games, providing the difference their culture and experience creates.

“Alabama believes it should be in these games,” said Fisher. “Alabama’s been in these games for a long time. So I think culture plays a big part in this, and I think the comfort zone of being in these games and understanding how to play the games – and I know this sounds crazy – not about winning that game, but about playing well in that game. There’s a difference. When you want to win so bad, you don’t play well. There’s also, you can’t worry about the outcomes of the game, and you’ve got to play well to get the outcome. And I think Alabama’s experience probably showed in the first matchup.”

The first matchup between the two sides came in early December, when Alabama won 41-24 and upset the previously No. 1 ranked Bulldogs. After both teams cruised through the College Football Playoff semifinals, they reunite for an All-SEC championship on Monday night.

Nick Saban on future value of rematch

In college football, teams don’t usually play each other more than once a year. But in the NFL, teams play divisional opponents twice per season. So to Saban, having the opportunity to play Georgia again proves some valuable experience for the NFL futures of Alabama players.

“I also think that a lot of players wanna play in the NFL someday, so this is something that’s a common occurrence,” Saban said of Alabama’s rematch with Georgia. “You play all the teams in your division twice, so that means you’re gonna play the same team twice. I don’t think college players are actually used to that, but this is something that you have to learn from whatever you can do better from when you played the first time and try to have the right mindset to know that you’re gonna have to be able to persevere and play with the same kind of energy and intensity in the game for 60 minutes this time around.

“So it is different for college players, but it’s something and a good experience for them to get used to if they’re gonna play at the next level someday because it happens all the time.”