By: CrimsNkentucky
It’s a thin line between success and failure. Alabama has lost two games this season by a total of 10 points and won, excluding Western Carolina, by a total of 26 points or an average of 6.5 points, less than a touchdown’s difference per game. To make that line even finer, the last five games have been decided on the last play of the game. Now, if you ask any coach how much they want to win by, they will tell you they don’t care, as long as they win by one. Nobody wants the game to come down to the last play, however, that’s what football is all about. That’s what makes football so exciting. That’s what separates the winners from the losers, a thin line.
The Crimson Tide rolled into Oxford yesterday expecting a hard fought battle from the Rebels and that is exactly what they got. Both teams played with heart and came to win Saturday, but in the end only one could walk away victorious. In what has become Alabama’s fashion, the Crimson Tide came from behind in the fourth quarter, down 24-17 to retake the lead. Linebacker Ezekial Knight's interception set up a Leigh Tiffin 24-yard field goal with 5:14 left to take the lead.
With 4:09 left in the game and Alabama sitting on the Rebel’s 8 yard line, Coach Saban decided to try a fake field goal and run it in to put the game out of reach for the Ole Miss Rebels, but it didn’t work and Ole Miss got the ball back, now only a field goal away from sending the game into overtime or a touchdown away from winning it.
 After two incomplete passes and a sack the Rebels were looking at fourth and 16 with 2:56 left in the game sitting at their own 8 yard line, but the Rebels weren’t through. They refused to accept defeat. If they went for it and didn’t get it the game ended there, but that was a chance they were willing to take. It paid off. They started the final drive determined to drive a stake through the heart of the Nick Saban’s fighting warriors. They drove 41 yards down the field. Seth Adams hit wide receiver Hicks for a 21 yard gain, then a few plays later they hit Wallace for another 20 yard gain putting them on their own 48 yard line with just 1:31 left in the game. Adams then hooked up with McCluster down the middle for a 19 yard gain and putting the Rebels within possible field goal range at the Alabama 33. However, two sacks and an incomplete pass later they were facing 4th and 22 with 40 seconds left. This was it, the game hinged on this play. Rebels quarterback Seth Adams appeared to connect with receiver Shay Hodge, who out jumped and over powered Bama cornerback Lionel Mitchell at the 3-yard line to take the ball away from him. Victory was at hand for the Ole Miss Rebels, or was it? As the Rebels lined up with seven seconds left, Coach Saban called a timeout "so they could review it good." He contended that Hodge ran out of bounds and was the first player to touch the ball, thus making it an illegal touch.
Referee Doyle Jackson agreed, giving Alabama the ball, and the game. It’s a thin line and Hodge crossed it. Game over.
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