BATON ROUGE, La. — If you’re a fan of mythology or maybe just Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you’re familiar with the idea of having to pass difficult tests to prove being worthy of a quest.

It’s what the University of Alabama football team is going through this November as it tries to land a spot in the inaugural college football playoffs.

Coming off its bye the No. 5 Crimson Tide was looking at having to visit the toughest venue in college football followed by the toughest team in the nation and then play in the toughest rivalry. Win all three and Alabama is guaranteed a spot in the SEC Championship Game and a victory away from the inaugural four-team playoff.

Granted, it’s not “Answer thee these questions three,” but the mythology angle sort of fits.

No. 1 Mississippi State, which visits Bryant-Denny Stadium next week is kind of like the Scylla, the monster that lived on the other side of a geographic division, albeit a state border instead of a channel of water, and Auburn is similar to the Sirens. With its no-huddle spread offense that tries to get defenses confused, it’s the equivalent of sailors shipwrecking on the rocky coast of their island.

Saturday was reminiscent of facing the Cyclops in his lair, but instead of a single eye in the middle of his forehead he bore a big hat with purple lettering and grass sticking out of his mouth.

“It’s Saturday Night in Death Valley …” the speakers blared to 102,321 fans with the aim of invoking fear in those who dared to trespass, and then LSU tried to pound No. 5 Alabama into submission.

It very nearly worked, but like with a Greek odyssey there was a moment that all hope seemed lost, a hero, and a surprise element that no one saw coming.

The low point of course, came when junior running back T.J. Yeldon fumbled, giving the Tigers first down at the Alabama 6-yard line with 1:13 remaining and the score 10-10. Considering that LSU had dominated the third quarter and would finish with 183 rushing yards, the Crimson Tide looked more than doomed.

Saban’s message to his defense was: “This is when you show you know how to win,” and then aided by a personal-foul penalty only gave up a field goal with time still left on the clock.

The hero was senior quarterback Blake Sims, who had struggled most of the game and would finish 20 of 45 for 209 yards, but led a 47-second drive to get Alabama into field-goal range. Making up for an earlier attempt that clanged off the left post, sophomore Adam Griffith drilled the 27-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, 13-13.

“That was big,” Sims said.

Following Reuben Foster’s attempt to send Leonard Fournette back into the dark ages, which only gave Alabama even more momentum, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin dialed up his secret weapon. Brandon Greene, who has gone back and forth between tackle and tight end, entered the game and was left wide open over the middle for a 24-yard gain.

“I was like all right, here we go,” Greene said about the first pass thrown his way – ever. “Everyone on the sideline was telling me to just catch it and tuck … and I caught it man.”

That set up the fatal blow to LSU, the pass to junior wide receiver DeAndrew White, who had missed a big reception earlier in the game.

“I had to get that ball,” White said after the defense held and pandemonium on the Alabama side finally subsided with the scoreboard reading 20-13. It was reminiscent of Alabama’s win here two years ago, but this one even left Saban shaking his head a little before he kissed his wife and said, “That was hard.”

Test No. 2 comes next week.