TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after the Clemson Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 35-31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Nick Saban names his No. 1 team, and it's not Alabama

This is huge respect from Nick Saban.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are the flagship program in the college football world and that is a massive credit to head coach Nick Saban. On an annual basis, there are teams that can approach Alabama from an overall perspective but, when you zoom out to the grand scheme, no program has been able to replicate the consistent level of performance that the Crimson Tide boast since Saban's arrival.

With that said, Saban paid a massive compliment to another program earlier this week in saying that the Florida State Seminoles "ought to be" ranked No. 1 ahead of his own squad.

It is worth noting that Alabama opens the 2017 campaign against Florida State in Atlanta and, well, some of this could be Saban posturing when it comes to an opponent he is already planning to face. Still, this isn't the first time during the lead up to game time that Saban has complimented Jimbo Fisher and company, saying previously that Florida State is "built like an SEC team" in the same way that Alabama is.

Florida State's roster is deep and talented, meaning Saban isn't exactly on an island here. It is entirely possible that the two best teams in the land will be matched up in the season opener and we'll learn a lot more about both squads at that point in time.