Everything Kalen DeBoer said after Alabama avoids another upset vs. South Carolina

Alabama didn't respond to a humbling defeat at Vanderbilt as many expected in Week 7 against South Carolina. Instead, they nearly suffered their second consecutive upset loss, narrowly avoiding a stunning outcome in Tuscaloosa.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Gamecocks took a 19-14, leaving the Alabama faithful on the edge of their seats. Tension in Bryant-Denny Stadium was as high as could be after almost dropping back-to-back contests as heavy favorites. While the Crimson Tide escaped with a win, some questions need answers, which head coach Kalen DeBoer addressed during his postgame press conference.

DeBoer sounded content and relieved that Alabama defeated South Carolina by the narrowest of margins. However, he wasn't necessarily satisfied with the stunningly tight victory.

Everything Kalen DeBoer said after Alabama avoids another upset vs. South Carolina

"Another game down to the wire," DeBoer told reporters to kick off his media availability. "We've kind of been accustomed to those. I think there's some things that we can certainly do to make sure that it doesn't get to that point. But we always talk about finding a way to win. As many times as it looked like we weren't -- we did."

It wasn't pretty. Nonetheless, Alabama squeaked out a hard-fought battle over an SEC foe that had multiple last-second attempts from midfield after a recovered onside kick. They came out aggressively to start the showdown, which allowed them to take a 14-0 first-half lead, which they ultimately surrendered. Regardless, the quick scoring outburst helped tremendously, though it included some gutsy decision-making.

The Crimson Tide set the tone early, almost to an extreme, albeit it worked in their favor. They elected to go for it on the game's opening possession from their 34-yard line on fourth-and-one and converted, igniting a touchdown drive. DeBoer got asked about the bold play-calling and whether analytics guided his judgment.

" ... pretty much, the analytics say any fourth-and-one you should go for it," DeBoer replied. "But we just felt confident with the tempo ... great job of the guys executing something we hadn't really done much this year."

Overall, DeBoer's ostensibly glad Alabama dodged a bullet. They didn't win by multiple touchdowns, as sportsbooks projected, but he recognizes his team's preparation and ability to prevail despite the circumstances.