Alabama scored the most points of any team all year on Auburn's defense with 33 seconds left in the first half.

The Crimson Tide's backup quarterback kept finding those talented, lightning-quick receivers in space, putting possessions in Auburn territory at a blinding pace.

Auburn's defenders kept finding themselves gassed, on the wrong side of the time-of-possession battle and with hands on hips as Mac Jones, Najee Harris and the Tide came flying at them again and again.

But like Kevin Steele kept telling his defense, Auburn just had to keep punching.

"We just had to keep fighting. Coach Steele told us on the sidelines to keep fighting," linebacker Zakoby McClain said. "Fifteen rounds. It's a boxing match. Just keep going."

And when Jones had a touch of inaccuracy, Auburn punched like it hadn't all year.

The Tigers surrendered 515 total yards and nearly 7 yards per play to the Tide, but their first two defensive touchdowns of the season were more pivotal than stats in their drama-filled, 48-45 victory over Alabama.

"We was cornered," linebacker K.J. Britt said. "Just like in a boxing match, sometimes you get cornered, man, and you’ve got to swing your way out of there, swing your way out the corner, get it back to the middle of the ring. That’s the only thing that we kept talking about: ‘Hey, 15-round fight, 15-round fight.’

"Kudos to [Alabama]. Like I said, they fought hard and they played good. But we had to get the job done."

The first of the two pick-sixes was also a result of Steele's preaching. On third-and-8 at his own 28-yard line in the second quarter, Jones lofted one too far toward his own sideline over intended receiver Jerry Jeudy. Sophomore safety Smoke Monday lie in wait at the 30.

"Coach Steele made the call and I just knew I had to do my job at the time," Monday said. "Coach always told us, ‘Two steps to the man,’ and I took my two steps to the man and looked up, and the ball was there."

The second defensive touchdown was even more seismic in nature.

Alabama was trotting down the field with ease — 11 plays, 74 yards, helped by Auburn penalties — and was set up pretty with a first-and-goal at Auburn's 2-yard line.

Jones rolled to his right, but pressure from Big Kat Bryant forced him to release early — before Harris was turned around to look at the ball. It instead fell in McClain's arms.

"We had three on two, and I had the 'back go out. And I saw the quarterback threw the ball to his back, so I said, "I've got to catch that,'" McClain said. "I caught it, and I looked it first, then I was like, now I've got to score. So I went down and scored."

McClain said while he does remember being afraid he was going to be chased down by Alabama's speedy receivers, his recollection of the 100-yard touchdown return is otherwise blank.

"I was shocked in my head," McClain said. "I really don't know. I really can't remember it I was so happy. Just running."

As Auburn's side of the scoreboard changed to put it up 36-31 with 6:31 left in the third quarter, McClain was dog-piled by his linebacker running mates. Owen Pappoe was on the ground with him, smacking him on the helmet. Chandler Wooten came flying in to grab McClain's jersey and hug him.

Wooten and Pappoe then lifted McClain up as Britt, the leader of the group, came and put his arm around the young linebacker. McClain recalls their message: "They said, 'We're legendary.'"

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