This is an opinion column.

That was no fluke, no last-second field goal in regulation, no two-point conversion in overtime, no one-score game that could’ve gone either way with one play here or there.

Texas 34, Alabama 24 looked and felt like so much more.

That was the worst home loss of the Nick Saban era, by margin and by first impression at the final horn. If the visitors hadn’t dropped two touchdown passes and a red-zone interception, it could’ve, would’ve and probably should’ve been worse.

That was Alabama’s only home loss in Saban’s 17 years as head coach in which the Crimson Tide did not touch the ball in the final five minutes with a chance to win. That’s because the home team never touched the ball at all in the final seven minutes and 14 seconds. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian made himself right at home and made quite the closing statement in his triumphant return.

Sark’s splendid Texas offense took possession of Alabama’s manhood in that fourth quarter and refused to let go until Saban had spent all of his timeouts and the small band of UT fans had sent out an “S-E-C! S-E-C!” chant that boomed all the way to the league office in Birmingham and throughout the conference footprint.