After the LSU football team lost to Texas A&M last Saturday, 38-23, they now have a bye week and prepare for the University of Alabama the weekend after. While LSU football head coach Brian Kelly spoke about the schedule before, he speaks briefly about the Crimson Tide with a joke about former head coach Nick Saban coming out of retirement.

Kelly was asked by the media about Alabama returning “back to its old self” as the two SEC powerhouses face off on Nov. 9. The 63-year old coach would poke fun that Saban is back on the sidelines while complimenting the current Crimson Tide coaching staff headed by Kalen DeBoer according to On3 Sports.

“What’s that old self look like? What is Nick Saban back? Nick’s on the sideline? He’s everywhere. GameDay, he’s at GameDay too. Did you know that? Oh, my God,” Kelly said. “I’m not sure what the old Alabama (is). They’ve got great personnel. They’re well coached. You know, we certainly know that it’s going to be a great challenge, but that’s the SEC every week. It’s going to be the same. I don’t know that there is a sense that our team can’t, if they’re playing to their best when their best is needed, that they can’t compete and play with anybody.”

LSU football team's Brian Kelly on motivation against Alabama

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While the LSU football team has potentially received shots from such as Mike Elko, head coach at Texas A&M, they look to get back in the winning column with one over Alabama being an emphatic one. Kelly would say that they need to play a consistently good football game for all “four quarters” which they predict will happen as they want to bounce back after last weekend.

“We certainly have to play four quarters,” Kelly said. “And I know that they’re anxious and excited about the opportunity to play at Tiger Stadium and look, and I think I said this in the presser after, you know, you have a 24 hour rule. But it’s easier to have that after a win. The 24 hours after a loss, (it) sticks around a lot longer, and these guys are going to want to play and they can’t wait to play Alabama.”

At any rate, the LSU football team is ranked No. 16 in the country as they look to defend home field against the Alabama Crimson Tide who is ranked No. 14 in the nation.