Alabama still hasn’t played its A-game at home this year, but Derrick Henry and a swarming defense helped the Crimson Tide survive Tennessee despite another sluggish performance Saturday.

Henry scored on a 14-yard rush with 2:24 left to play as No. 8 Alabama (7-1, 4-1) rallied to defeat upset-minded Tennessee (3-4, 1-3) 19-14. On the ensuing drive, Ryan Anderson forced a fumble from Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs and A’Shawn Robinson recovered to keep Alabama’s SEC championship and college football playoff hopes intact.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of how our guys competed in the game,” said Alabama head coach Nick Saban. “They just found a way to win.”

For some reason, the friendly confines of Bryant-Denny Stadium haven’t produced the best results from the home Crimson Tide this season. After losing to Ole Miss and failing to put Arkansas away in earlier SEC home games, Alabama found itself in a close game again Saturday and even went into halftime tied 7-7.

Adam Griffith made a 19-yard field goal on Alabama’s first possession of the second half and later tacked on a 28-yarder that gave Alabama a 13-7 lead with 7:08 left to play.

After going scoreless for three quarters of game action, Tennessee put together one of its best drives of the game. Dobbs connected with Josh Malone for a 34-yard pass and Josh Smith on a 27-yard connection to move Tennessee deep in Alabama territory.

Jalen Hurd capped the drive with a 12-yard run around right end to give the Volunteers a 14-13 advantage with 5:49 left.

Alabama answered by dialing up a pass from Jake Coker to wide receiver ArDarius Stewart for 29 yards to move to the Tennessee 44-yard line. Stewart juggled the catch on a play that was reviewed and upheld by the replay officials.

After Henry picked up only 4 yards on the next two plays, Alabama was faced with a third-and-six at the Tennessee 40. With the game on the line, Coker connected with Calvin Ridley for a 15-yard completion that resulted in a first down. Henry got the ball on the next three plays and found pay dirt on the third to give Alabama the lead for good.

“We know we needed to score at the end to win the game and that’s what we did,” said Alabama tight end O.J. Howard, who set a career high with seven catches for 55 yards. Coker’s pass on the two-point conversion attempt was incomplete, giving Tennesse a chance to win the game.

The Alabama defense made sure that didn’t happen.

Dobbs was sacked five times, including two times in a row on the final drive for the Vols. The final one was the biggest, as he fumbled and Robinson recovered at the Tennessee 4-yard line to put the game away.

“It’s about closing games out, making critical plays when the game is on the line,” said Tennesse head coach Butch Jones.

Tennessee’s Aaron Medley missed a 44-yard field goal on Tennessee’s first possession. Alabama answered with a nine play, 75-yard drive that was capped by Henry’s 20-yard touchdown run. Henry totaled 143 yards rushing on the day on 28 carries.

Tennessee responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive where Dobbs and Hurd carried the ball seven times. Dobbs capped the drive by finding Smith wide open in the end zone to tie the game with 3:00 left to play.

Medley missed a 51-yard field goal on the last possession of the first half to keep the game tied at halftime.

Alabama totaled 364 yards on the day, while Tennessee had 303. Coker completed 21-of-27 passes for 247 yards and an interception.

Dobbs had 190 yards, with 171 of those coming through the air.

Alabama will take next week off before hosting undefeated LSU Nov. 7. Tennessee will play at Kentucky next Saturday.