Nick Saban Predicts LSU Football, Florida Gators To Take Next Step This Season

Saban believes Brian Kelly's crew can evolve with a new-look roster, Florida program make a move in 2025.

Coach Nick Saban stands on the turf inside Bryant-Denny Stadium during media day Saturday, August 3, 2019 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.] | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will enter the 2025 season with lofty expectations as the program looks to get over the hump and reach the College Football Playoff.

After dominating the NCAA Transfer Portal and revamping the roster in Baton Rouge, the Tigers will debut a new-look squad heading into the upcoming season.

College football icon Nick Saban believes that LSU can round the corner and emerge as a school that can be "really good" this fall.

Last season, Saban nailed the SEC Championship Game where he predicted the Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs to be two teams that make waves.

Now, heading into the 2025 season, Saban believes Texas will once again be really good, but LSU and Florida can take that next step.

"I think Texas is one of the teams that obviously is really, really good this year," Saban said. "I think LSU has got a shot to be really good. I think Florida's got a shot to be really good.

"I think Alabama and Georgia both have a shot to be really good. So I think there's a lot of sort of top-end good teams."

Saban spoke highly of the depth in the Southeastern Conference and how it can be viewed as a "disadvantage" for programs.

“It gets to be a little bit of a disadvantage, because you get penalized for losses more in college football than you (get rewarded) for strength of schedule, which was unfortunate for Alabama last year in terms of getting in the Playoffs” Saban said.

“But hopefully we’ll get that fixed and work together to try to do it in the future, so that strength of schedule becomes an important part of how you get selected to get the playoffs. And you shouldn’t get penalized for playing in a championship. So hopefully all those things will come to fruition.”

Now, heading into the 2025 season, the LSU Tigers will be a program to keep tabs on headlined by a new-look roster set to take the field.

LSU will open the season at Clemson in what will be a Top-10 matchup on the road in Week 1.

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