Nick Saban reveals what it takes to be on top and sustain Alabama's success in his 17th season - "Everybody is looking at you as the team to beat"

Nick Saban is one of the greatest college football coaches of all-time. Now in his 17th season leading the Alabama Crimson Tide, Saban does not appear to be slowing down as the program is once again contending for a College Football Playoff appearance. The legendary coach recently revealed the mindset that has led to continued success for Bama.

During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Saban stated:

"I think one of the things that I try to emphasize to our guys right from the beginning so that they understand the circumstance that they're going to be in when they play games, whoever we play against: When you climb the mountain successfully and you get to the top, which is very challenging and a lot of fun, but when you do it a couple times, you can sort of become the mountain," Saban said on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"Then, everybody's looking at you as the team that they want to beat. ... That's the team they have circled on the schedule where (they) want to play (their) best, and this could be something that could be a positive mark on (their) program on (their) team, be successful for the season, so our guys need to understand that.

"We have to have the kind of people that want to play to a standard. In other words, I'm not worried about all these external factors."

Check out Nick Saban's comments on being the target here.

The Crimson Tide have won six national championships since Saban took over in 2007. All in all, the legendary coach has an NCAA-record seven national championships. His dominance of the sport over the past two decades has led to his teams always having a target on their backs.

Can Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff?

Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1) are ranked eighth in the latest College Football Playoff ranking. They are one of just 11 Power Five programs with one loss or less as they enter Week 11.

Alabama will end its regular-season schedule with three games in which they should be favored to win. The Tide will face the Kentucky Wildcats (6-3), who have lost three of their past four games, before facing the Chattanooga Mocs (7-3), who are an FCS school, and the Auburn Tigers (5-4).

If they are able to win the two Southeastern Conference games, a showdown with the back-to-back defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs (9-0) would be waiting for them in the SEC championship game.

If the Crimson Tide are able to finish 12-1 as SEC champions, they would have a strong chance to make the postseason. Despite being ranked eighth, Alabama likely controls its own destiny.