2023 The Vanderebilt Game

 It seems like a long time ago since Auburn played in Nashville.  The Commodores (2 & 7) are dangerous.  Auburn (4 & 4) is favored but this game could go either way,

FIRST QUARTER

First possession Vanderbilt.

Missed FG.

First Auburn possession.

Second play from scrimmage Hunter goes the distance.

Auburn 7 Vanderbilt 0

10:00 in the first.

Vandy punts to the Auburn 20.

Tigers are three and out

Punt to the Vandy 25.

The Dores are three and out.

AU at their 21.  4:16 left.

This game could be like watching paint dry.

Auburn is changing the call at the line of scrimmage.

Same awkward offense so far.

There's a first down pass completion.

There's another one.

Once again pops another long run.  He gets thru a hole on both runs and no defense is there.  3:01 left

Auburn 14 Vanderbilt 0

The Dores are three and out.

Auburn on their 32.

Three and out punting on 4th and 11.

Auburn is called for interfering with the punt receiver as he it looked like the returner ran into our guys.

Good Vandy run on first down.

End of Quarter 14-0 Auburn.

SECOND QUARTER

Vandy is punting on 4th and long after one first down.

Punt is downed on our one.

OH, MY!

Vandy gets an easy pick 6 from our five.  Just awful on the part of Thorne.  For sure a momentum changer which we did not need.  Got to overcome this.  Bad play by Thorne.

Auburn 14 Vanderbilt 7

The Tigers are three and out.  There is no sign our offense can move the ball.  Except for the two long runs: nothing.

The Vandy receivers are open but drop the ball consistently thank goodness.

Auburn on the 20 after the black and gold punt.

First down to the 30.

First down across the 40.

Open receiver drops the ball. 

Third and 12 with 6:41 left.\

Fourth and long.

Punt muffled.  Auburn should have recovered but Vandy got back on the ball.

Big lost opportunity.

Three and out for Vanderbilt.

Short punt out of bounds in Vandy territory. 

Short completion inside the five.

Hunter rushes acrosss the line but chop block on Auburn.

Back to the 17.

Third and goal from the 14.

Almost an interception in the end zone.

FG good.

Auburn 17 Vanderbilt 7

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn starts the half by going 75 yards in 3 plays finishing with a 53 touchdown pass to Fairweather,

Auburn 24 Vanderbilt 7

Auburn drives quickly again.  This is the offense we've been waiting for all year the score coming on a 7yd pass to Cobb which was really a run.

Auburn 31 Vanderbilt 7

After s short punt Vandy gets a touchdown pass as the quarter winds down.plus a 2 point conversion.

Auburn 31 Vanderbilt 15

Auburn gets a long kick return but negated by a holding call.

Punting from midfield.

FOURTH QUARTER

Showing the most energy Vandy is driving.

First down to their 40.

This is getting scary.  Second half Auburn letdown after such a bang to start the third quarter.

Big stack back too the Tiger 21.

Fourth and goal from the AU 21.

Our defense holds on 4th and goal from the 21.  Yay!

Auburn punts; defense intercepts.

Hunter on a 20 yd TD scamper but they all holding of course.  Bogus call.  Officials obviously aware of  the spread.

FINAL SCORE

AUBURN 31 VANDERBILT 15

2023 The Mississippi State Game

 2:30 kickoff from Jordan-Hare.  State is 4 and 3.  Auburn is 3 and 4.  Auburn is favored by maybe 6.  The Tigers desperately need to win this game.  We can win the next four or we can lose all four.

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive and march 75 yds sharply down the field for the touchdown mostly on short pass completions and the score coming on a short pass.

Auburn 7 State 0

State gets a long completion to the Auburn 43.  A run to our 26.  Their skill players look fast.  We move  to fourth and one.  QB runs for the first.  This game looks dicey early.  Our defense is not tight.  The Bullies get a short FG.  Their offense looks quicker than our defense.

Auburn 7 State 3

Couple of first downs then a long TD completion to a wide open receiver 75 yds 2:08 off the clock.

Auburn 14 State 3

Kickoff goes out of bounds.  At best this is going to be a game to the end.  State punts to our one.

Ashford runs for the first down across the ten.  Second and nine as the quarter ends.

SECOND QUARTER

Long run by Hunter to open the quarter,  A silly offensive interference call stops a promising drive.  Punt  downed inside their five.   State punts from their 20.  First down Auburn on the AU 48.  39 yd FG.

Auburn 17 State 3

7:18 in the second.

State is punting on 4 and two.  Punt to our thirteen.  We punt back just across midfield.

Auburn scores a touchdown on a 7 yd pass to the freshman running back Cobb---  68 yds in 8 plays.  What a great first half.

Auburn 24 State 3

Georgia is waxing Florida.  Oregon Is beating Utah.

Without question this is the best Auburn has looked all year.  Efficient passing and running.  If not for a  foolish offensive  interference call it would be 31-3.

THIRD QUARTER

State receives.  We had them first and 27 but let them get out of it due to penalties.  State drives to a FG.

Auburn 24 State 6

We drive to a long FG.

Auburn 27 State 6

End of 3rd Quarter State driving.

FOURTH QUARTER

Touchdown State

Auburn 24 State 13

The pace of the game now favors the Bulldogs.

Auburn move to fourth and one.  State fair catches on their 33.

Auburn interception deep.

7:43 left.  Tigers take the ball on our five.

The Tigers had a first down but called for a man downfield.  Now punting from our end zone.

Six something left.

Our defense finished strong and our offense plays ball control at the ending the last possession in scoring position.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 27 State 13

2023 The Ole Miss Game

 I do not like being a 6.5 underdog against Ole Miss for heaven's sake and Lane Kiffin.

FIRST QUARTER

Ashford starts at QB.

To midfield but stopped there on 4th and two.

Ole Miss drives finding gaping holes in our defensive line and making huge gains of real estate on third down.

Then easy throw and catch for a touchdown.

Auburn 0 OM 7

Withe 2:58 left in the first Hunter runs 53 yds to the end zone.

Auburn 7 OM 7

On a fourth and one OM runs to the end zone.

Auburn 7 OM 14

SECOND QUARTER

After tying the game we stop the Rebs on 4th and three.

First stop tonight.

Ashford dashes to the one.  Easy peasy into the end zone on the next play.

Tied 14-14 midway thru the second quarter.

So far our porous run defense is killing us. Interception!  Small hope.

Ole Miss is going to win this game.

The Tigers block a FG attempt!

The third quarter winds down with Auburn taking possession after the missed Field Goal attempt.

Auburn punts after the blocked FG attempt.  OM muffs the punt but they recover with 2:21 left.

The Rebels hit midfield but we push them back and they are punting with about a minute lefts we are

finally getting some pressure on their QB.

Auburn punts back as the clock winds down.

HALF 14-14

THIRD QUARTER

Ole miss will win this game.  They have more offensive fire-power than we do.

OM receives and moves down the field.

OM crosses midfield goes for it on fourth and five but we stop them.  We made need Lane Kiffin to have any chance of winning this football game.

We punt the ball into their end zone in response.

Our offense doesn't have enough fire power to win this game and Lane will only take us so far.

Auburn punts to inside their 20.  NO doing with their offense.

Auburn ball around midfield.  With any kind of offense we would would have a chance to win this football game. Punt into the end zone but OM called for holding.  

Anyway OM ball.

Long OM completion on third down.

Facemask penalty on Auburn.

OM in the red zone about to score.

FOURTH QUARTER

AUBURN 14 OM 21

Touchdown Ole Miss.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 21 OM 28

At least we got to a final last minute onside kick.

But I am not in any way pleased.

2023 The LSU Game

 This is the end of an era.  After today Auburn and LSU will not be playing each year.  What a series!  This is a game where strange things happen.  The Tigers may need some strangeness tonight as LSU is an 11 point favorite at home where Auburn seldom wins.  LSU has a dynamic QB and they score a lot of points.  Auburn's offense struggles.  The defense has been good but hasn't faced an offense this good.  I don't give Auburn much of a chance.

FIRST QUARTER

LSU receives and starts right down the field.  Quickly LSU finds the end zone.  That took less than two minutes.  Our defense looks overmatched against their offense.  That was way too easy.

Auburn 0 LSU 7

We cannot get into a scoring match against this offense.  No way.

Auburn goes backwards on our first possession.

Away LSU goes again.

Their offense seems unstoppable.  

Auburn 0 LSU 10

Three and out again.  This is not going to give us any kind of outs hope.

LSU in the red zone.  So easy.

LSU fumbles at the goal line the call on the field is touchdown review upheld.

LSU 17 Auburn 0

No strangeness so far.  Just an LSU pounding,.

Finally we have the semblance of a drive.

In the red zone.

SECOND QUARTER

Auburn threatening.  

First and goal on the two.

Touchdown Auburn!

Auburn 7 LSU 17

We fail to hold them on third and two.

Their QB is really good.

35 yd FG

Auburn 7 LSU 20

Punt to the end zone.

We hold on third and six.

First down on our 20.

Thorne runs for the first on third and sixteen but we are called for holding.  That's about 50 yds in penalties tonight,

LSU starts at midfield.

Interception on a deflection!

The Tigers get to our 49 but no further.

HALF

The clear difference in this game is that LSU has a dynamic quarterback and Auburn doesn't.

The Tigers come out on fire behind Ashford.

Net result FG

Auburn 10 LSU 20

Touchdown LSU

Auburn 10 LSU 27

Getting out of hand as the third quarter winds down.

Auburn 10 LSU 34

FOURTH QUARTER

Auburn 18 LSU 34

At least the Tigers are still playing.

Auburn 18 LSU 41

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 18 LSU 48

2023 The Georgia Game

 The South's older rivalry is here at Jordan-Hare in September and it's still hard to swallow that this game is no in September.  So much history in this series.  The Tigers are a 14 point underdog against the #1 Bulldogs who have won the last two National Championships.  Auburn is coming off a disappointing 27 to 10 loss in College Station, Texas.  Georgia is 4 and 0 coming to their first road game.  We're going need some 2013 magic.  The Bulldogs are favored by at least 14.

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive and go three and out.  Thorne is sacked on third and 9.  Looks like A & M with their pass rush.  Something has to be done to get the passing game going.

Georgia converts third and 9 as we have no pass rush.  Georgia goes to fourth and two punting around midfield.  The good punt goes out of bounds at our 8.

Thorne dashes down the sideline to the Georgia 30 on second and seven.  Hunter dashes around left end to a first down.  We move to third and four with 6:47 left in the first.  Fourth down and two.  The short FG is good.

8 plays 84 yds.

Auburn 3 Georgia 0 with 6:04 in the first.

On second down for Georgia a tie catch ruled an Auburn interception!  What a brilliant catch and pick coming over the back of the receiver by Jaylin Simpson.

Thorne is sacked on first down.  Third and 11 from the 50.  Thorne run leaves fourth and two.  Thorne fakes and runs for the first down around the right.  First down on an interference call.  Touchdown run by Hunter!

Auburn 10 Georgia 0

The Bulldogs gets a good kickoff return.  The Bulldogs are driving.  Third and two on our 35.  First down run bulldog run just across the 35.  End of Quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

First down Georgia to our 18.  All of a sudden they are running thru our defense.  First down to the AU  five.  Touchdown run from the two.

The score was abetted good field position from our 44 after the kickoff.

Auburn 10 Georgia 7 11:49 in the second

Our offense has to continue for us to have a chance.

We move to fourth and one from our 34.  Punt to their 20.

Georgia is getting hard running from their backs.  The Dogs are driving again.  37 yd FG.

Auburn 10 Georgia 10

Good runback on the kickoff to our 37.  

First down on their 29.  First down run to their 20.

Ashford in the ballgame.  We move to fourth and one from the 11. 11:18 left.  Just short on the attempted first down run.

UGA is punting on fourth down with 30 seconds left.  We fair catch on our 27.  

HALF

10-10

THIRD QUARTER

First scrimmage play UGA fumbles and Auburn recovers on their 32.

First snap Ashford goes to the 14.  From the 9 Ashford runs it in!

Auburn 17 Georgia 10

First snap UGA running coughs it up.  AU in business.

Play reviewed and the runner called down.  Too bad.  It was close but a knee did appear to be down.

UGA moves to fourth and three.

They go for it with 10:30 to around midfield.

But after a timeout send the punt team in.  Punt barely goes into the end zone.

First down run by Thorne.  First down to midfield.  First down to the 36.  Now 4 and 16.  Punt to inside the five.

UGA gets a good first down run.  First down to the Auburn 40ish.  Almost an Auburn interception.  First UGA to around midfield.  UGA to the Auburn 8 then TD run 1:03 left.

Auburn 17 Georgia 17

The quarter ends with Auburn facing third and one.

FOURTH QUARTER

Facing third and one to 4th and five.  Momentum now is all Georgia.  We need another fumble.  The ;unt helps ball on the UGA 9.  Good pass completion bails them out.

The Tigers have a lot players lying on the turf.

UGA on their 45ish..  UGA on our 25. After a penalty UGA on our 27.

UGA 4th down FG attempt.  Kick is good.

Auburn 17 Georgia 20

Kickoff return to the 25.  10:50 left in the ballgame.

First down to the 36.  Interfere call on UGA.  First down to their 49.  Third and four.  First down completion.  Third and six 7:09 left.  Fourth down FG attempt.  Good!

Auburn 20 Georgia 20 6:21 left

UGA to almost midfield not enough Pressure on heir QB.

UGA moves to third and 12.  Pass complete no pressure on their QB.

Pass completion and a run in touchdown.  I keep saying no pressure on their QB.

Auburn 20 Georgia 27

2:52 left.

Last possession interception on 4th and 9.

Ballgame.

Auburn 20 Georgia 27

2023 The Texas A & M Game

 FIRST QUARTER

From Kyle Field.  102,000 people in the stands.

Orange face mask.

AUBURN 0 TAMU 6

Auburn suffers self-induced wounds but our defense is playing tough.  Thorne missed a wide open Jarvius Johnson which would have been 6.

SECOND QUARTER

First down Auburn at midfield.

We punt from their 39.  It's time for a new QB.

The Aggies fair catch on their 9.

Aggies punting from their 10.

Zion Puckett is on the ground.

Tigers start at the Aggie 44.

Third and one.

Fourth and one.

Athletic jump around end by Thorne for the first down.

Clock under 2 minutes.

Thorne sacked again.  Either we can't pass block or Thorne can't get rid of the ball in time.  TAMU is having success blitzing.  We need to take advantage of that with some big plays.

4th and 11.

10 seconds left.

53 FG good!

HALFTIME

Auburn 3  TAMU 6

We have to feel good at the intermission.  We can win this game.

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn goes backward to start the half.

TAMU starts on our 46 after the punt.

We are not getting any pressure on their QB whereas they are getting all kinds of pressure on Thorne.

First down Aggies to our 22.

22 yd TD pass.

Auburn 3 TAMU 13

Not the start we hoped for.

Ashford in the game.

Tigers 3 and out.  This game is getting out of control.

Only way now is to get turnovers.

No pressure on their QB.

37 yd TD pass.

Auburn 3 TAMU 20

At the half I thought we might win this game but I did not expect this.  We have done nothing in the this third quarter.

Three and out again with Ashford again.

Here goes TAMU again.  No pressure on their QB and wide open receivers.

The quarter winds down TAUM facing 4th and 38 bu leading 20-3

The third quarter was a complete offensive meltdown.  In four possessions the offense has gained all of 2 yards.

FOURTH QUARTER

AUBURN GETS A FUMBLE AND ASANTE TAKES IT THE DISTANCE!

Auburn 10 TAMU 20

12:16 left

We cross midfield but the drive stalls.

TAMU gets a long run to inside out 10.

Touchdown Aggies.

Auburn 10 TAMU 27

Final Score

Against a defense that is no mighty force, Auburn’s offense was stuck in the mud or stuck in something for most of the day on Saturday at Kyle Field. Was starting quarterback Payton Thorne the problem? Was it play-calling? Was it the offensive line? Was it something else?

I am far from qualified to answer those questions, but if Auburn is to make something out of this season, something has to change. In their second game against a Power 5 opponent, the Tigers got little done on offense.

The Tigers spent most of the first half in Texas A&M territory but got just three points on a field goal with five seconds left in the half. They ran the ball well early, but with no threat from the passing game, that went away, too. And in the end, Texas A&M won it 27-10.

-Phillip Marshall

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Auburn undoubtedly had a hill to climb to get a win in its SEC opener, on the road, against a much more talented team, in Year 1 for a new staff, still with plenty of offensive imperfections to sort through.

But Saturday's loss at Texas A&M showed a lot more problems than simply a talent gap from a rebuilding program.

The Tigers' passing struggled mightily, and Auburn failed to score an offensive touchdown, as Texas A&M won 27-10 at Kyle Field.

-Nathan King

2023 The Cal Game

 So here we are late on a Saturday night kickoff in Berkeley at approximately 9:30.  I think Auburn is a slight favorite but I am not sure.  Both teams won their first game.  Before our game kicks off we have the pure pleasure of seeing Texas bludgeon Alabama 34 to 24.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn 0 Cal 3

On our ensuing possession we are punting from just outside out goal line.

The Bears start on about our our 33.

Not a good start on the road.

FG attempt no good.

Auburn ball.  One first down.

But now punting from our 38.  

I get the feeling early on that we should win this game but who knows.

Punt nullified due to Cal penalty.

Somehow Cal ball around their 20.

Auburn ball after their punt on our 33.

Auburn 0 Cal 3

SECOND QUARTER

The Tigers recover a fumble, but the play is reviewed and overturned.  Auburn ballon their 12.

Touchdown on third down from a short pass!

Auburn 7 Cal 3

11:50 in the second.

The Tigers return their punt to our 39.

Alsston fumbles.  The play is reviewed.  Cal ball on their 35.  That hurts.

First down Cal on about our 30.  This is hard to watch because I think Auburn is the better team.  They are completing short passes.

TD run from our 16.  This is disturbing.  

Auburn 7 Cal 10

44:47 left.

No go offense.  Cal ball on about their 17.

Auburn 7 Cal 13   

Disappointing half of football. Two very ordinary mediocre college football teams.  

THIRD QUARTER

Slow start to the quarter neither offense showing anything.

Late in the third Cal misses a FG attempt still leading 10-7.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Tigers get a late touchdown and our defense.

Defense strong all game.  Offense struggles all game.

Final Score

Auburn 14 Cal 10