Column: Alabama Fans Will Never Forget the Corner Prayer at Jordan-Hare

Alabama's jaw-dropping 27-24 victory over Auburn will be forever remembered by fans, but also kept the Crimson Tide in the national championship picture.

Just give us a chance. 

It was the Alabama Crimson Tide's hope for the season as a whole, that a young, re-cast team would come together and grow enough to have a crack at the national championship. 

But on Saturday, it's also what Auburn was thinking as well in regards to the Iron Bowl. Coming off a horrendous loss to New Mexico State, the Tigers aimed to stick around long enough to have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. 

They both got what they wanted, and then a whole lot more with Alabama eventually pulling out the jaw-dropping 27-24 victory. 

In what can only be described as the most-Iron Bowlish of Iron Bowls, which is also known for its nicknames, fans went from thinking that this one might be known as "The Muff," to "The Collision," to "The Snap," to the "Insert Curse-Word" ending.

For now, we'll go with "The Corner Prayer at Jordan-Hare" — redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe to sophomore Isaiah Bond on fourth-and-goal from the Auburn 31, with 32 seconds remaining. 

"There's been some weird stuff happen here," Nick Saban said on the 10-year anniversary of the Kick Six, the play that dismantled Alabama's title hopes in 2013. 

"I must admit that you have to be a little lucky for it to work, but I'll take it."

For those wondering, Saban indicated that Alabama does practice that situation and play every Friday, just in case it comes up. Defensive back D.J. James gave Bond a 20-yard cushion on the snap, but the throw was designed to give the receiver a shot in the back corner. 

How we got to that point, though, was just as unbelievable, including a muffed punt return by LSU transfer Koy Moore that the Crimson Tide recovered at the 30 with 4:48 to go. Alabama subsequently drove inside the 10, when on second-and-goal at the 8 had a botched snap, followed by an illegal forward pass by Milroe after cross the line of scrimmage, his second of the game after the first nullified a touchdown.  

To say the season was on the brink would be a huge understatement, because even though Alabama (11-1, 8-0 SEC) had already cliched a shot at Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, the chances of a two-loss team making the College Football Playoff this time are about none. The Crimson Tide learned that the hard way last year when it was No. 5 in the final rankings.  

Moreover, it would have been Auburn (6-6) delivering the lethal blow, with the Tigers coming off a horrendous 31-10 loss at home to New Mexico State (and outgained 414-213 by the Aggies). Hugh Freeze's team had won three straight prior to that disaster, but they came against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas, which between them had a combined three wins in league play this season. 

At first, this looked like it could be a continuation of Auburn's misery as Alabama opened the game with a 69-yard drive on eight plays with senior running back Roydell Williams getting the 2-yard touchdown. It even provided its own handicap, when fired-up tackle J.C. Latham was called for a late hit, docking the Crimson Tide 15 yards.

Little did anyone know at the time that the Alabama miscue, and Milroe connecting with Malik Benson for 33 yards to convert third-and-17 at the Alabama 45, would both foreshadow what was to come.  

But then as Iron Bowls tend to do, the game turned in a way that no one could have foreseen. On the subsequent kickoff, Auburn's Sean Jackson blocked Ty Law in the back as he was beginning to reach out, and the sophomore grabbed returner Brian Battie's face mask in a way that caused his head to more than whip around. Jackson was flagged, Law was not, sparking everything from outrage to fury from both the Auburn sideline and Jordan-Hare crowd. 

Freeze got the emotional lift he needed, and then did everything he could to extend it into the second half, when the Tigers went up 21-20 and then extended it to 24-20. 

Alabama, meanwhile, had things like a holding call against tight end CJ Dippre nullify a 40-yard touchdown run by Law. Busted defensive plays resulted in things like Auburn running back Damari Alston's run for 56 yards, and the 27-yard touchdown by Ja'Varrius Johnson off play-action. Although senior wide receiver Jermaine Burton scored on a 68-yard touchdown, officials ruled he didn't get his foot down in bounds on a third-and-10 sideline play to end another possession. Kicker Will Reichard missed wide right on a 42-yard attempt after a penalty cost a first-and-goal opportunity. The list goes on and on ... 

"Never give up," Milroe simply said with a smile before bellowing his usual "Roll Tide!"

If anything, Alabama should feel like it's playing with house money when it squares off against the Bulldogs in Atlanta on Dec. 2, which in many ways could make this Crimson Tide team even more dangerous. 

Christopher Walsh's column regularly appears on BamaCentral