No longer sporting the Alabama logo on his lapel, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn’t shy away from offering up a bit of credit for his former team’s arch rival during his debut with ESPN’s College Game Day on Saturday morning.

While talking about the SEC — and specifically Auburn — ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said he thought Hugh Freeze and the Tigers could be a “thorn in the side” of the SEC.

Herbstreit’s comments opened the door for the former Alabama head coach to pipe up about Auburn.

And in what might’ve come as a surprise to some, Saban gave credit to Freeze and the Tigers.

“I think Auburn is going to be the most-improved team in the league,” Saban admitted. “I really do.”

The Tigers went 6-7 in Freeze’s first season at Auburn last fall, which included losing a heartbreaker to Saban and Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

Now heading into Year 2 with Freeze, all eyes are on the Auburn offense, which is expected to be improved as the Tigers return incumbent starting quarterback Payton Thorne, while adding a handful of talented receivers via the transfer portal and the 2024 signing class.