Alabama 26, Auburn 21. When Alabama escaped an upset bid by Tennessee last month, I argued that every championship team at some point has to win those kinds of games, when the offense is stagnant, the situation looks bleak down to the closing seconds and the only "style points" are relative to losing. After Tennessee and the fourth quarter comeback against LSU and the epic touchdown drive to put away the hated Tigers today, count Alabama the reigning master of pulling out games that, technically, it probably should not win.

I don't know if 'Bama fans will protest that characterization, but this one carried the stench of impending doom almost from the opening kickoff. Auburn followed the same script Utah wrote for its Sugar Bowl upset over 'Bama last January, with nearly identical results. Just like the Utes, the Tigers came out fast, flooring the pedal with a surprise end-around that broke big for a 67-yard touchdown on their fourth snap from scrimmage, immediately followed by a shrewd onside kick and a subsequent touchdown drive that put the Tigers up 14-0 before 'Bama had even had a chance to catch its breath -- or, you know, get its offense on the field.

They weathered the Tide's counterpunch in the second quarter and struck big again to back on top in the second quarter. They literally took the Heisman frontrunner out of the game, limiting Mark Ingram to a long run of eight yards and relegating him to the sideline in the second half in favor of freshman Trent Richardson, who didn't fare much better. They pressured Greg McElroy, dropping him three times. They held the Tide to a pair of field goals to preserve the lead following an interception and punt return on consecutive drives that set up the 'Bama offense in Tiger territory and threatened to turn the mounting momentum. With the lead in the fourth quarter, they forced the struggling Tide attack to start its final two drives at its own three and own 21, respectively.

The Tigers held 'Bama to fewer yards than all but one other defense this year, gained more yards against 'Bama than all but one other offense and outgained 'Bama by more than a yard per play. They hit every note in the script, ticked off every line on the checklist ... and still lost. Whatever else they may be missing in the way of panache, you can't accuse the Tide of lacking resiliency.

What makes this game different and more satisfying than the thriller against Tennessee -- other than coming on a hated rival's home field -- is that the Tide actually had to rise up and seize this victory from the jaws of defeat, rather than hanging on for dear life as the seconds wound down on a narrow lead. The 15-play, 79-yard, seven-plus-minute march for the winning touchdown is a Daniel Moore painting waiting to happen, with McElroy's 7-for-8 effort and touchdown toss to Roy Upchurch surely surpassing Terrence Cody's blocked field goals against the Vols as the defining moment of what may still be one of the greatest seasons in school history.

Well, pending next week's inevitably dramatic, winner-take-all showdown with Florida, of course. Officially, nothing about that game has changed. But after today's eggshell routine, it's going to be an interesting battle in the Yellowhammer State this week between the feeling of "destiny" and "nausea."