TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Long before kickoff, most of the Alabama campus had a good buzz on.

The toast of the day among the beautiful shade-yielding trees was: Auburn lost to Mississippi State.

A perfect day in these parts is when the hated Tigers from the plains lose and the boys of ’Bama ride triumphantly off the playing field.

That was why the back door to the bank was left open when the Alabama powers decided to lure (save ) Nick Saban from the Miami Dolphins.

ADVERTISEMENT

Where it took Bear Bryant three years for the Crimson Tide legions to think he could walk on water, a 3-0 start was all Saban would need.

At the end of the first quarter, it was surprising they weren’t moving the gigantic statue of Bryant from the entrance to the stadium to make room for Saint Saban.

The Tide roared to a 21-0 lead by putting five men on the line to slow Darren McFadden, and John Parker Wilson hit 6 of 9 passes for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns against a Razorbacks defense that seemed bewildered by a vertical game.

The Hogs had two weeks to prepare for this game but needed an additional 15 minutes of playing time to realize they were not playing Troy.

Thanks to McFadden, the game was a very long way from being over and might have been won if he could have finished.

McFadden is the best football player in UA history, and he doesn’t need the Heisman Trophy to prove it.

Behind him, the Hogs crawled back to 21-10 at the half, but just six minutes into the second half came a play that almost overshadowed McFadden’s incredible performance, and an action that might end up being reviewed by SEC officials.

With momentum swinging the Tide’s way, Terry Grant had peeled off a 9-yard run, but after the play ended came one of the ugliest incidents seen in recent years.

Arkansas defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell ripped the helmet off Alabama’s Justin Britt and hit him with it.

After a very short meeting among the officials, Mitchell was hit with a personal foul and ejected.

Yet, the players were unfazed, and Mitchell missed a classic football game.

Alabama took advantage of a meltdown on Arkansas’ punt coverage for a return inside the 5 that resulted in a touchdown and a 31-10 lead, but Arkansas rallied to another touchdown.

Then Wilson fumbled a snap, and the Hogs were in business at the ’Bama 42.

McFadden’s 1-yard run closed it to 31-24, and it left no doubt that you can only hope to slow McFadden.

He ran, passed, returned kicks and caught passes and had a target on his back all night.

If his Heisman Trophy stock ever drops, it won’t be his fault.

After McFadden cut it to seven, Antwain Robinson pressured Wilson into a bad pass, and Jerrell Norton intercepted. On third-and-8 from the 24, Mc-Fadden got 8, then 12 for firstand-goal at the 4.

Felix Jones was dropped for a yard loss, and McFadden returned for the WildHog draw to tie it at 31 with 12: 05 to play.

Arkansas’ defense, which improved as the game progressed, held the Tide, and a 20-yard run by McFadden (his last play of the game ) and a 32-yarder by Jones had the Hogs knocking on victory’s door.

It also had ’Bama thinking run, run, run, so Casey Dick passed 7 yards to Peyton Hillis for a touchdown and the 38-31 lead with 8: 08 to play.

Then the Tide drove 46 yards to the Arkansas 25, where Leigh Tiffin kicked a 42-yard field goal with 4: 20 to play.

With McFadden on the sideline, it was a good decision, maybe not a $ 4 million one, but good enough for victory.

The Tide held the Hogs after a third-and-12 pass was incomplete with 2: 26 to play.

Immediately, ’Bama passed to the Arkansas 35 for secondand-5.

Pass interference gave the Crimson Tide first-and-10 from the 29, and yet another pass-interference penalty left the Tide with a first-and-10 from the 13 and 33 seconds to play.

Parker hit Keith Brown for 9 yards, but the clock stopped at: 21 for a measurement. After an incomplete pass, Matt Caddell made a leaping catch in the end zone for a 41-38 victory.

That made it a perfect day in the Crimson Tide nation.