This is an opinion column.

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Nick Saban doesn’t use computers much. Turns out, he was right all along.

With cheating, no-good, God-bless-em Michigan sniffing around all the time, not even the players’ iPads are safe anymore.

The latest development in the ongoing odyssey of college football being the most amazing sport to cover as a columnist unfolded on Thursday in the sectioned off ballroom of a snazzy hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Alabama offensive players J.C. Latham, Jase McClellan and Isaiah Bond spoke with reporters and they all traded turns explaining how Alabama isn’t taking any chances with sneaky Michigan leading up to the Rose Bowl. After Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, Alabama has reason to believe that the Wolverines’ espionage department is also in the business of internet hacking.

Could this game get any better?

The Rose Bowl between No.4 Alabama and No.1 Michigan is in Pasadena on New Year’s Day (kickoff 4 p.m. CT). Saban and Alabama are taking extra precautions ahead of the College Football Playoff semifinal because, as you might’ve heard, klepto Michigan has a bad reputation for stealing everything that’s not attached to the walls.

In the old days, coaches used to worry about opponents watching practice leading up to a game. All manner of precautions were taken, including the construction of elaborate indoor practice facilities, electric fences of razor wire, moats with alligators and packs of attack dogs roaming campus. The futuristic version of that paranoia apparently involves the fear of IT nerds in Ann Arbor, Mich., hacking computers in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama is on high alert, and who can blame them? The head coach doesn’t even like to use email.

Of course it was 007 Alabama receiver Isaiah Bond who first tipped off reporters to the spy vs. spy stuff. Bond mentioned not being able to use his iPad to watch film, and then the other players confirmed that Alabama’s video staff is limiting access to the Crimson Tide’s cloud storage just to be on the safe side.

Bond is quickly becoming one of my favorite all-time players for Alabama. He says what’s on his mind and doesn’t care what people think. First he said that Michigan “ain’t never seen quite the load of players on our team,” and then Bond followed that up by throwing out the bombshell about the iPads.

“All that sign-stealing stuff isn’t going to help them,” Bond said.

Auburn couldn’t stop Bond on 4th and 31. What’s Michigan going to do when they don’t know what’s coming?

Latham, the Crimson Tide’s talented offensive lineman, said that Alabama has been watching more film as a team to prevent leaks.

“We just didn’t want to take no chances,” Latham said of the limited iPad use. “It’s a really big game. I think we have a really great film staff and guys who make sure our film is pretty secure but we’re just taking another precaution to make sure we’re all good.”

Translation: Alabama seems to think that its computers are at risk of being hijacked by Michigan before the Rose Bowl.

What a beautifully dirty sport. It’s a writer’s dream.

First Michigan was accused of an elaborate plot to steal the signs of opponents, and now this. If we’ve learned anything this season in college football, it’s that Michigan cannot be trusted. Oh, and also that Florida State is the redheaded stepchild of the SEC.

That we know for sure.

The Michigan hacking stuff? Well, let’s just say that Saban has been doing his homework. He’s not the greatest of all time by accident, folks. The GOAT knows all the tricks, and for the ones he doesn’t know he makes sure to hire the right consultant.

Remember a couple weeks ago when Alabama made headlines by hiring former Michigan assistant George Helow? It was an eye-catching move considering everything that has happened with Michigan since news broke about the sign-stealing scandal. That’s one of the major keys to Saban’s sustained success. He’s always thinking outside the box.

It sure seems like Helow’s knowledge of how Michigan operates is already coming in handy, too.

Michigan was busted for the sign stealing, but there were other rumors. The spy network of former Michigan analyst Connor Stalions, some say, was even more involved than what was first reported. Computer hacking certainly fits the profile.

Saban thinks of everything. For this one, he’s taking it back to the old school, and something tells me that Michigan is in for one of those Old Testament-kind of afternoons.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the most controversial sports book ever written, “We Want Bama”. It’s a love story about wild times, togetherness and rum.