Nick Saban warns college football against 'underrated' SEC team

"I like Missouri... and I think Missouri might be one of the underrated teams in the SEC this year based on what I saw last week."

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban | Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nick Saban said on ESPN’s “College GameDay” that Missouri might be one of the SEC’s most underrated teams and picked the Tigers to win Saturday.

As the show wrapped up, the crew – consisting of Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard and Saban — made their picks for the day’s biggest games. Included in that is the showdown between the Kansas Jayhawks (2-0) and the Missouri Tigers (1-0) in Columbia, Mo. at 3:30 p.m. ET. Missouri enters the game as a 6.5-point favorite (ESPN Bet).

"I like Missouri. I think Beau Pribula really surprised a lot of people last week with his dual-threat ability a quarterback, and I think Missouri might be one of the underrated teams in the SEC this year based on what I saw last week. So I’m going Missouri"

Missouri opened 2025 by routing FCS Central Arkansas 61–6 behind grad-transfer quarterback Beau Pribula, who accounted for four touchdowns (283 yards, 2 TD passing; 65 yards, 2 TD rushing). The Tigers rolled up 560 total yards at 8.1 per play and converted 9 of 13 third downs while allowing just 227 yards.

Advanced metrics also like Missouri. Bill Connelly’s SP+ ratings this week slotted the Tigers No. 16 nationally with the No. 27 offense and No. 11 defense. Yet Missouri sits just outside the AP Top 25, receiving 42 voting points after Week 1 — fitting for the underrated label Saban attached.

Pribula arrived in July and immediately added a QB run wrinkle to Eli Drinkwitz’s playbook. In his debut, Pribula hit 23 of 28 throws (82.1%) with completions to eight receivers and posted two rushing scores, including a 31-yard keeper. WR Marquis Johnson (5 catches, 134 yards, TD) stretched the field, and RB Ahmad Hardy (10 carries, 100 yards, TD) paced a ground game that averaged 5.8 yards per rush.

Missouri has been on the rise in the past two seasons, closing 2024 with a 27–24 Music City Bowl win over Iowa and the year prior with 14–3 Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State.

The Tigers host Alabama on Oct. 11 and travel to Auburn, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Arkansas, but they also get swing games at home against Texas A&M and Mississippi State. If Pribula sustains even a portion of his Week 1 efficiency and Missouri’s defense holds top-15 form, there’s a plausible path to go from receiving votes into the top 15 later in the year.