TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama doesn't lose very often, but when it does, the college football world turns upside down.
The Crimson Tide has been in the top-5 in the country in viewership for every game except for the ULM win. This includes four contests as the top-viewed matchup in the sport. Simply put, when Alabama is in a close battle, everyone tunes in.
The Tide lost its most recent game to Oklahoma at home this past Saturday. It was Alabama's first SEC loss of the season and also its first loss in Bryant-Denny Stadium after a 17-game home winning streak. So, what was the message after the game?
"Just focus on the process," Alabama linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green said on Tuesday. "Don't waste a second of any day and don't take any day for granted. So really, our process and just focusing on getting better each day. Not focusing on outcomes. Being process-oriented."
Alabama's defense played well against the Sooners, as UA's offense nearly doubled Oklahoma in total yards, first downs and had nine more minutes of possession. But OU had 17 points of Alabama's three turnovers, including a pick-six. The Tide's defense didn't have any takeaways, but Hill-Green missed an interception opportunity.
"We view ourselves as an elite defense and elite defenses get takeaways," Hill-Green said. "So, especially me, I've got to catch the interception that came my way and a few other key plays that I could have made and other guys could have made. Just elite defenses, we're on all the time. That's what we're harping on."
This was Alabama's second loss of the season, as it fell to Florida State on the road in Week 1. Hill-Green said there wasn't much of a difference in the locker room compared to the moments in Tallahassee, as "We're just onto the next after the game. You can't go back." With that in mind, Hill-Green explained why one game doesn't change the narrative of a team, like Alabama, which is put through with every loss.
"We can't take things for granted because we're Alabama," Hill-Green said. "We're everyone's Super Bowl. We preach that every day. Any play can change your season, that's how we look at it.
"I don't [respond to critics saying we're not a National Championship team]. Honestly, I just tune all of the noise out and I don't focus on what they say because they said we weren't going to win this many games after Week 1. I just focus on our process and continually getting better."
Alabama will face Eastern Illinois at home on Saturday afternoon and then Auburn on the road on Nov. 29. How will Alabama respond as the postseason nears?
"I'm not really worried about a conference championship. We have to win out. I'm just focused on these two games."