Saban: No. 4 Alabama played poorly last 2 games

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Nick Saban puts Alabama's past two games in the same category. He doesn't mean it as a compliment.

The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide lost for the first time against No. 9 Texas A&M a week after barely beating No. 8 LSU.

Saban says Alabama didn't play well as a team in either game. Saban called it "a Bluegrass Miracle phenomenon.'' That reference is to a win over Kentucky on a Hail Mary in 2002 when he was at LSU. The Tigers followed that with a 31-0 loss to Alabama.

Saban says a team gets beat "because nobody responded to playing bad because you won. You won the Bluegrass Miracle.''

Alabama plays Western Carolina Saturday and can earn a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game with a win over Auburn.