TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --- The University of Tennessee football team came literally inches from a stunning upset over archrival, then-top-ranked Alabama.

But the reality is that big Alabama noseguard Terrence Cody blocked two fourth-quarter field goals in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, and a 12-10 loss sank the Volunteers to 3-4 with a 1-3 record in the Southeastern Conference.

"That was a difficult loss to deal with," UT coach Lane Kiffin said moments after the game. "You come into a hostile environment, play the No. 1 team in the country -- as I said before, by far the No. 1 team in the country, and the best-coached team around -- and come in here and out-gain them and miss three field goals ... gosh.

"I'm really proud of how hard our players played, but I don't believe in moral victories. We should have won that game. I think all of you guys would agree with that."

Kiffin slightly contradicted himself throughout the postgame press conference. After doubting the existence of moral victories, he essentially described one in great detail.

"They can't all of a sudden just become better players and start winning some matchups," Kiffin said. "But you can never discount effort ... and our guys played extremely hard. They played extremely physical, and they kept coming against the No. 1 team in the country.

"I'm happy about the way that we played. At times, we just got out-manned. That's what happens when you sign back-to-back No. 1 recruiting classes (like Alabama). I was proud of our effort. I was proud of the way we've played."

Now the Vols will be challenge to avoid the inevitable hangover from a stomach-punching defeat. And they'll have to do it this week, with No. 21 South Carolina coming to Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

"This is tougher than the Florida game, because this is a bigger rival for us, and we played so well and had a chance to win at the end," UT junior defensive end Chris Walker said. "It's going to be hard for us to get over this, but we really have no choice. We've got a really good team coming in to our house this week."

UT's players showed strong resolve in Saturday's immediate aftermath. Junior wide receiver Gerald Jones said he didn't even need the team's allotted 24 hours to enjoy a win or sulk over a defeat.

"The game is over," Jones said. "The end score is the end score. So we're moving on to the next opponent. This is not going to knock us back. Not one bit. This makes me even more hungry, for us to come in here and play the No. 1 team like that.

"We should have won -- really, we should have. That gives you a drive to come out and do better."

All-America junior safety Eric Berry said he'd already started "drawing some good" from the painful setback.

"We just played the No. 1 team in the country, the team everyone thinks is the best team in the country, and we lost by two points with two blocked field goals and another that was (short)," Berry said. "That was the No. 1 team in the country, and we're not ranked. That shows you what kind of coaching staff we have that puts us in the position to beat the No. 1 team.

"Obviously, we didn't win. We should have won, but we didn't. All we can do is build on it. This just shows us how good our coaching staff is. We really do have a good one. That's a good thing, really."

Coaches don't just earn their lucrative contracts on game days, though. And not just on the recruiting trail, either.

Locker rooms and practice fields can be sensitive times after games like Saturday's -- "that's how fragile a season can be," Alabama coach Nick Saban said -- and seasons often hinge on the team's immediate reaction.

"We've worked too hard and come too far to stop now," Walker said. "That just can't happen, but I don't think it will."

South Carolina and Ole Miss highlight the remaining schedule, but rivalry games with Kentucky and Vanderbilt also lay in waiting. The Vols need to win three out their final five regular-season games to secure bowl eligibility, but junior tight end Luke Stocker said five wins and an 8-4 finish is the goal.

"And I think we can do that," Stocker said. "I think we will bounce back. If you look at the polls, (Alabama) was the best team left on our schedule. Every team we play after this is not as good as this team, and we had this team down to the last second and had a chance to win the game.

"It's looking pretty good for us the rest of the season, I guess you could say."

Other contacts for Wes Rucker are www.twitter.com/wesrucker and www.facebook.com/tfpvolsbeat.