Bang!
Lawrence's vision went black as an overwhelming force hit him, nearly crushing his insides. His heavy body flipped backward like a sack of rice, silencing any sound before it could leave his throat.
One second he thought he'd tackled #23 perfectly, but in reality, Lance had anticipated his move. He took advantage of Lawrence's momentary distraction and countered with a direct, forceful collision that sent Lawrence flying backward.
As Lawrence lay there, disoriented, the only thing he could make out were chaotic footsteps, and through the confusion, he saw a blur of red streaking past.
And then—
"Roar, Crimson Tide!"
"Roar, Crimson Tide!"
Bryant-Denny Stadium erupted with energy.
Lawrence clenched his fist. A fake run and pass play! Damn it!
It finally dawned on Lawrence that it was a play-action—Lance had completely drawn their attention, leaving a gap in the defense, allowing Bateman to complete a quick short pass for a first down, pushing forward 15 yards.
They were now within field goal range.
The Tigers' defense, united in their goal of forcing a three-and-out, had instead been hit with a gut punch as soon as they took the field. The situation was dire.
Lawrence got to his feet, exchanging glances with Watkins and Wilkins. Though their faces were dark with frustration, their silent communication made it clear—they had been too focused on #23's rushing ability, and that had left them vulnerable, allowing a major defensive breakdown.
It wasn't looking good.
If they couldn't stop the Crimson Tide here and now, the game's outcome would be out of their hands once Alabama entered field goal range.
Damn it!
On the sidelines, Watson was visibly restless, standing tall and fuming with agitation. His mood swung from anxious to outright furious, knowing that if not for that interception...
The Tigers' defense had refocused; they wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Now the question was, what would the Crimson Tide's next play be? And how would the Tigers' defense respond?
"Hike!"
Bateman's voice rang out, but instead of moving, he stood still, holding the ball in place, creating space as Lance moved in.
Lance took the ball without changing direction, charging straight into the mass of bodies on the offensive line—
Up the middle!
Bang!
A shadow came crashing in head-on—this time, it wasn't Lawrence but Wilkins.
In fact, the entire defensive line had been ready for this. Swinney had called for a blitz.
A blitz is when the defense aggressively charges forward, aiming to break through the offensive line and pressure the quarterback—either sacking him, disrupting the pass, or causing a turnover.
The Tigers' defense played this blitz aggressively, looking to take the upper hand.
Not only was the defensive line charging, but the linebackers and corners also tightened their coverage.
As soon as Wilkins and Lawrence noticed #23 moving up the middle, they immediately realized the target had shifted.
The blitz continued, and the pressure remained intense, but now, the target was Lance.
Tear.
The Tigers' defense, using their individual skills, ripped through the offensive line. Wilkins charged at #23 but realized too late—Lance wasn't holding the football.
Another fake run?
No, Saban had cleverly countered Swinney's blitz by using Lance as a decoy. The fake run wasn't the real play; instead, Lance acted as a sixth offensive lineman, blocking for Bateman, who was given just enough time to throw.
Wilkins was stunned, his momentum halted just in time to feel Lance slam into him. He was knocked to the ground as he heard the crowd's murmur—
Another short pass had been completed.
In the blink of an eye, Alabama gained another 7 yards.
Second down, 3 to go.
Now they were inside the Tigers' 35-yard line, pinned at the 31-yard line. The Tigers' defense was faltering.
#23 again.
Though Lance hadn't rushed for yardage this time, his blocking and presence had opened up space for the short pass, laying the foundation for the Crimson Tide's progress.
Swinney was frustrated. He finally realized his impatience had backfired, revealing his game plan too soon. His rush to get things done had been exposed by Saban, and twice now, they had misread Lance's role. Beyond rushing, Lance had become a key factor in blocking and protection.
So, what now?
Swinney took a deep breath. Even if Alabama entered field goal range, it didn't matter. At worst, they'd tie the game. As long as the Tigers could force a three-and-out, Watson would get another chance to take the field and seal the game.
Swinney glanced at the clock—1:15 remaining.
Sure, maybe Watson wouldn't have enough time to finish the game, but going into overtime wasn't the worst outcome. In overtime, anything could happen.
The immediate task was clear: stop the Crimson Tide and don't allow a touchdown.
With this in mind, Swinney adjusted his strategy—
The focus shifted.
Instead of trying to stop the Tide completely, the goal was now to prevent a touchdown. They would close down long passes and defend tightly in the short-yardage areas.
Even if the Tide completed passes, they could tackle the receivers quickly and burn up time.
That would be enough.
Swinney factored in time management, knowing that running plays would eat up the clock, leaving passing as Alabama's only real option. With this shift in focus, the Tigers' defense tightened up, and their pressure in the short passing lanes grew more effective.
Sure enough—
Alabama tried two quick passes to control the clock, but after burning through two timeouts, they had only gained 5 yards.
With a new set of downs, they now faced a second-and-8, stuck at the Tigers' 26-yard line. The closer they got to the red zone, the harder things became.
There were only 55 seconds left, and Alabama had just one timeout remaining.
Things were getting tense.
If Alabama couldn't secure another first down, they'd have no choice but to attempt a field goal, leaving about 40 seconds for Watson to make a comeback—
As long as Watson got back on the field, anything could happen.
The upcoming second-and-8, and potentially third down, were becoming critical. Bateman's previous two passing plays hadn't worked out well, and the clock management for rushing plays was a disaster.
What should they do?
Despite the tense situation, Saban wasted no time in deciding. The Crimson Tide quickly lined up for the next play.
"Hike!"
Bateman's voice pierced the air.
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Powerstones please.