Announcers always go out of their way to say things about guys like Terrence Cody like, "When he hits the ground, everybody feels it!" And that's probably true: just ask Bryant-Denny Stadium if the sinking feeling in its collective gut was preceded by a slight rumble when the 365-pound (wink wink) nose tackle went down at the start of the second half Saturday against Ole Miss.

The initial reports on Cody's knee were much worse than the early leaks ($) of Sunday's MRI results, but 'Bama fans still won't be happy: unofficial word is Mount Cody will miss three to four weeks with an MCL sprain. It shouldn't require surgery, but it would rule him out for Saturday at Tennessee and, if the Vols aren't exactly intimidating at this point to the No. 2 team in the country, for the Nov. 8 hate fest with LSU in Baton Rouge. Les Miles isn't even thinking that far ahead with Georgia coming up, of course, but the corner of his mouth did just involuntarily curl, just for a second. Nick Saban should have an official word at his noon (Central) press conference.

Kevin Scarbinsky is already calling Cody's absence the barometer for progress under Saban, since the last time an undefeated, top five 'Bama team lost its best player -- Tyrone Prothro in 2005, and I don't think anyone needs a link that gruesome ankle collapse, thank you -- the Tide struggled through the second half of the year, suffered the annual heartbreak against LSU and Auburn and wound up third in the division before returning to mediocrity for Shula's swan song. Cody is at least as important to this team, if not more: his size essential to Saban's 3-4 scheme because it commands double and triple-teams from the nose and keeps the linebackers clean. Until now, Cody is the interior line for the fourth-ranked statistical run defense in the country. Ole Miss not only scored on the same drive that Cody left the game, but took five of the next six drives into Alabama territory; in all, 17 of the Rebels' 20 points came after Cody's injury, which is more than enough concern to offset the Tide's fourth-and-one stop in the third quarter. There's literally a gaping hole in the middle, to be filled by someone -- maybe last year's starter, Lorenzo Washington, who was able to move out to end -- 75-90 pounds lighter and about half as intimidating. Tennessee's going to test the difference, repeatedly, and LSU will be very interested to see the results.