“I’ve really already said that I am not worried about winning the national championship,” said Coach Saban, his voice rising at the podium. “I don’t want our players to worry about it either. I would appreciate it if you didn’t ask them, although I know you will. What I want our players focusing on is playing their best football and assume that they are going to play the best football they have ever played and they are going to be playing against the best players they have ever played against.”

“That’s what they should be working to do and that’s what they should be focused on. So what you’re talking about is clutter and I’d rather them not be worried about that. The game is still going to get played on a 50-yards wide and 100-yards deep field and how they play in that game. And I don’t care what award they won, or how many made All-American or how many we had. None of that’s going to matter when the game starts.”

“What I want our players to focus on is playing our best football and assume they’re going to be playing against the best football team they’ve ever played.”

Linebacker Cory Reamer was even asked if he’d ever heard the words “national title” come out of his coach’s mouth.

“No. And I doubt I ever will,” Reamer said.

Tailback Mark Ingram captured the school’s first Heisman,Linebacker Rolando McClain won the Butkus Award. Those two were first-team All-Americans, along with Arenas, guard Mike Johnson, nose guard Terrence Cody and kicker Leigh Tiffin.

“The field’s still going to be 50 yards wide and 100 yards deep and how they play in that game-I don’t care what award they won, or how many All-Americans we have-none of that stuff’s going to matter when the game starts,” Coach Saban said. “It’s going to be how we play. That’s what the players need to understand.

“Unless you have success in the next game, it doesn’t really matter. I can’t even name anybody that’s played in this game the last three years that didn’t have success.”

The players voted to travel to Pasadena together by charter flight even if that means losing the NCAA bowl stipend. Alabama has appealed in hopes that they will receive at least part of the money.

The game supplies the biggest potential payday.

“You only get one shot at the national championship,” tight end Colin Peek said. “You want to give it your best.”