https://youtu.be/8ikEqK3rgs8

Alabama head coach Nick Saban kept his final press conference of the week pretty brief but had a clear message for his team: stay focused and do your job.

The Crimson Tide heads to No. 16 Mississippi State on Saturday and it's the first of two huge matchups that will determine the SEC West champion, and Saban spent a couple minutes explaining the importance of doing what needs to be done to get ready to play at a high level.

"I think that November is the time of the year when you really need to play your best football if you're going to accomplish the goals that you have," Saban said.

All of the team goals are within reach and it starts with a trip to face Dan Mullen and the Bulldogs.

"Starkville is a really tough place to play. Every game that we've played there has been a really hard physical, hard fought game. They've got a great atmosphere. They have great spirit. So it's going to be a very challenging game for us and we've got to be able to handle and manage this."

Here are the topics Saban addressed during the full press conference:

  • The status of Minkah Fitzpatrick and his readiness to play this weekend.
  • How his relationship with AD Greg Byrne has been through and how they work together.
  • Defensive lineman Raekwon Davis' development as a pass rusher.
  • The personnel he's used on offense and what his strategy is for the rotation.
  • Tony Brown's development and what he needs to do to take advantage of his opportunities.

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