NEW ORLEANS — For some, Alabama's 10th Sugar Bowl victory marks the end of a disappointing season. Two losses that came down to the last play of the game cost the Crimson Tide an appearance in the College Football Playoff, the second time that has happened since its inception.

While 2022 didn't end the way the Crimson Tide wanted it to, head coach Nick Saban believes there are plenty of positives to take out of Saturday's 45-20 victory against the Wildcats.

Above all is re-establishing the proverbial standard at Alabama.

"Well, I think that there was a team out there today that cared; cared about how they played; cared about the pride they had in their performance; cared about each other, and they prevailed because of that," Saban said. "And I think that started way back when we started practice. There's a lot of guys on this team, including these two guys that are sitting next to me (Will Anderson and Bryce Young) that have given a lot to this program. And I think the way the team performed out there together as a group with something to prove.

"I'm proud that we came to the Sugar Bowl, and proud that we won the Sugar Bowl. But I'm most proud that there was a team out there that cared; that represents the University of Alabama in a first‑class way in the way they competed and the way they played in the game."

Earlier this week, Saban said he extended an invitation to all 12 players who have entered the transfer portal since the beginning of the season to play in Saturday's game. They all declined according to Saban most four of which started for the team this season.

Former left guard Javion Cohen started 11 games at left guard before announcing his transfer to Miami earlier this month. Receivers Traeshon Holden and JoJo Earle started five games apiece before announcing their departures to Oregon and TCU respectively. Cornerback Khyree Jackson, who is committed to Oregon, also started a game but hasn’t played since the Nov. 5 game against LSU.

The Crimson Tide were forced to start younger players, such as true freshman Tyler Booker, as a result of the players who opted into the portal. With the team losing that many players and not competing for a national championship, Saban recognized how easy it would have been for players to call it a season.

"Circumstances don't make you. They reveal the kind of character that you have. And I think this team revealed tremendous character, competitive character, in the way they prepared for this game and the way they played in this game," Saban said. "So you could say the circumstances ‑‑ and we've had teams in this circumstance before. We didn't get in the playoffs. We came and played in the Sugar Bowl and we didn't play very well. And we didn't practice very well, and we didn't prepare very well. But this team did. They went out there like a team, played together as a team, and they were rewarded for it because of what they put into it."

Alabama was buoyed by Young and Anderson who decided to play in Saturday's game despite being projected to be top five picks in the NFL Draft.

Both dominated in what is being considered their final game in an Alabama uniform, but it was Young who stole the show. Young threw five touchdowns going 15-for-21 for 321 yards passing and was named the MVP of the game.

"For us, the standard, that's something that we live by," Young said. "It's not just something that we can do one time or it's "We did this, we accomplished this, it's over." It continues for the future of the program, the future of everything. We have to live by that each and every day. But for us, what we did take from that was making sure that we had pride in how we played and how we prepared. Us wanting to finish, us wanting to push ourselves and hold each other accountable. So that was really what was the biggest for me."

Young's sentiment to finish what he started was shared by Saban and the rest of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Regardless of how 2022 finished, Saban noted that the way the team finished will be something it will look to use heading into 2023.

"I think we had a little bit of a taste in our mouth that if we had a dominant performance, it would show people that we probably did deserve to do a little better than we did in terms of the playoff picture," Saban said. "So great competitive character for this team to come into this game and play the way they played, prepare the way they did, to have an outstanding performance. So very proud of the group."