Surprised by No. 8 Alabama's latest magic act to rally past Tennessee? Don't be.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Want to see a magic act? Just check out an Alabama game this season.
The Crimson Tide will spend a portion of the game doing its best to convince you this is a helpless team short on talent. Then, it will transform almost seamlessly into something closer to the Alabama we’ve come to expect while it supplies a dramatic escape.
Alabama-and-Hyde was on full display Saturday against No. 15 Tennessee, as the Crimson Tide continued its season of pivoting between good and bad.
Little comes easy for No. 8 Alabama. Little seems to rattle it, either.
Tennessee tormented Alabama for two quarters, while Josh Heupel schemed circles around Nick Saban and Joe Milton masterfully conducted Heupel’s symphony. Vols fans repeatedly sang “Rocky Top” – a cappella, even – as they reveled in a 13-point halftime lead.
Just when I thought a Big Orange party was ready to dance on the grave of Alabama’s season, the Crismon Tide resurrected.
Still alive and kicking is Alabama, after a 34-20 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Still in the driver’s seat to win the SEC West. Still determined to back itself into a corner before punching its way out.
Alabama remains awfully comfortable on that high wire. A little too comfortable, perhaps.
Teams that require weekly escapes usually encounter trouble somewhere along the line, but the Tide’s College Football Playoff chances will tiptoe into November thanks to a halftime transformation not unlike the one that occurred at Texas A&M two weeks ago.
HIGHS AND LOWS: Winners and losers from Week 8 in college football
The debates about Saban’s most dominant teams won’t include 2023 Alabama, but what the Tide lacks in dominance, it combats with resilience and cool under pressure.
Tennessee led 20-7 at halftime after Heupel won the Xs and Os tic-tac-toe game, but for all that dominance, the Vols had just a two-score lead to show for it. Twice, Tennessee settled for field goals inside the 10-yard line. The chickens came home to roost. Alabama rope-a-doped the Vols.
Alabama’s defense turned up the disruption after halftime, and Heupel’s schematic mastery ended. Jalen Milroe looked half-clueless during the first half. Just as all hope for Alabama's offense looked lost, Milroe and Jase McClellan diced up the Vols in the third quarter.
And that Alabama defense, oh my. What a transformation after halftime. The Vols mustered 109 yards and no points in the second half.
One of the SEC’s most ferocious pass-rushing teams had no sacks at halftime, and Milton delighted in the pass protection. He completed his first nine passes. The Vols alternated between quarterback runs and midrange passes to keep Alabama off balance. Heupel schemed his best wide receiver, Squirrel White, onto a linebacker for one touchdown. He dialed up a pass to a tight end for another score.
And then Alabama’s defense came out of the locker room with its teeth bared and put a quick end to the Joe Show.
Chris Braswell’s strip-sack on Milton uncorked euphoria inside Bryant-Denny. Jihaad Campbell scooped up a football that once belonged to Milton and ran into the end zone while Alabama fans high-fived each other, then danced and sang as “Dixieland Delight” played. Next came the victory cigars.
Stressful as this victory was, it had to feel cathartic for Alabama after its 15-game winning streak over Tennessee ended in dramatic fashion last year at Neyland Stadium.
After Saturday's agonizing first half for Alabama, it resumed its old habit of torturing the Vols.
The Vols had Alabama in a vise, but Alabama specializes in slipping out of tight spots.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.