Saban on slate quirk: 'It's not going to be an excuse'

The way the slate worked out was not some type of mass conspiracy looking to keep 'Bama down; rather, it was simply a quirk that the league is looking into, both in the here and now in an attempt to give the Tide some relief this season a prospect that's not looking good, incidentally and to prevent something which is admittedly inequitable from happening in the future.
Even if the Tide is forced to play under its current schedule, there's one person from whom you won't hear any wailing and gnashing of teeth the head coach.
Although, admittedly, he would not kick some relief in the week before the Iron Bowl out of bed for eating crackers.
By way of Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nick Saban stated that "sometimes a bye is an advantage, sometimes it's not", but, either way, he will not allow "it to be an excuse for us."
The Auburn game, however, is a different animal altogether.
The Iron Bowl is being held on the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday, and Alabama will be coming into the rivalry game on a short week as they take on Georgia State the previous Saturday. Auburn will be -- you guessed it -- coming off a bye, prompting Saban to say that "the thing [he's] concerned about is playing Auburn on a short week."
School officials are looking to move the date with Bill Curry and Georgia State but, as pointed out by Barnhart, the prospects of such a thing occurring do not look encouraging.