The Saban has arrived ...

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. — Take it for what it's worth, Alabama actually left its team hotel a couple of minutes early, as everyone was already on board and ready to go.

They looked pretty focussed as well coming off the buses.

For those looking for a little extra pre-game info:

Alabama and Texas A&M are meeting for the 12th time. The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series, 9-2, and won last year’s meeting, 45-23, on Sept. 22 in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama has won the last six contests between the two schools, including a 27-19 win in Alabama’s last visit to College Station in 2017. Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 6-1 in his career against the Aggies with all of the matchups occurring during his tenure at Alabama. Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher is 0-2 all-time against the Tide.

Of course, Nick Saban is 17-0 against his former assistant coaches.

Saban has three wins vs. Derek Dooley (Tennessee, 2010-12), Jim McElwain (Colorado State, 2013; Florida 2015-16), and Will Muschamp (Florida, 2011and 2014; South Carolina, 2019). He has two wins over Mark Dantonio (Michigan State, 2010-15), Jimbo Fisher (Florida State 2017, Texas A&M 2018), and Kirby Smart (Georgia, 2018 CFP National Championship Game and SEC Championship) and one victory over Billy Napier (Louisiana, 2018) and Jeremy Pruitt (Tennessee, 2018).

Saban has faced off with Texas A&M seven times, all of the matchups coming while at Alabama. He owns a 6-1 record overall and has won the last six meetings after falling in his initial contest against the Aggies during the 2012 season. Saban and the Tide won the last matchup in College Station, 27-19, during the 2017 season.

Amy Bragg, who serves as the Crimson Tide Director of Performance Nutrition, came from Texas A&M prior to the 2010 season ... Alabama special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Jeff Banks spent five seasons in College Station before joining the Tide staff last season.