Despite poor play, Tide finds a way

TUSCALOOSA — Terrence Cody has never actually met Tennessee offensive lineman Cory Sullins.

But the mammoth Alabama nose tackle has spent enough time on the field with the 6-foot-1, 270-pound Volunteer to know what was going through the mind of the man lined up across from him on Saturday's final play.

"He was probably thinking 'Oh snap. Here we go again.'"

At some point, all eight of Alabama's opponents this season have had to face that emotion.

There are some undeniable weaknesses in the Alabama offense, and the Tide kick coverage teams provide an adventure every time they take the field, but somehow this Alabama team always finds a way to bring the opposition to that "here-we-go-again" moment.

The Tide has not dropped a regular-season game in 23 months (last losing at Auburn). During that span, some games have been blowouts and others have been decided in the fourth quarter. But none has produced a finish as dramatic as Saturday's 12-10 win over bitter rival Tennessee.

Cody's blocked field goal with no time showing on the clock produced an explosion from the crowd that may have been louder than any ever heard at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"It was real emotional and thrilling," said Cody, the 6-5, 354-pound (give or take a dreadlock or two) fan favorite. "I knew it was crunch time. Once I knocked him (Sullins) on his back, I just closed my eyes and reached up with my left hand."

The block was Cody's second of the game. But if not for fans wanting to hang around to sing Rammer Jammer, many of the 92,012 would have probably missed it.

With four minutes remaining, Alabama was in complete control. Leading 12-3 — which amounted to three scores ahead in a game that had not produced a single touchdown — Alabama had the ball and a first down on its 38. With a running back who has never lost a fumble in his entire career, it seemed clear that a couple of handoffs to Mark Ingram would close out the game.

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