The Clemson Game

It's been tough this week thinking about this game because I can't get a feel for it---can't get a feel for Clemson. Just have no idea how good they are. That Chick-Fil-A Bowl seems like a football lifetime ago. Both teams have changed coaches since then. Both teams are 2 & 0. The game is on ESPN with a 6 o'clock kickoff. Fans are supposed to wear blue. The stadium certainly looks different with blue instead of orange. There were internet rumors this week that Auburn would wear blue pants. Ain't so! The Tigers are a 6-point favorite at home.

FIRST QUARTER

Clemson wins the toss. The orange and purple Tigers will receive.

Clemson mounts a drive starting from their 24 running the football. This is not good if it continues. Clemson is being physical and beating AU at the line of scrimmage. From the Auburn 8 a shovel pass works, there is poor tackling as Craig Stevens misses the tackle at the line of scrimmage, and Clemson takes the opening possession and rams the ball down our gut. Our defense is not there. There was nothing fancy about that drive. It was physical running and Auburn could not stop it. This is the worst start imaginable if we can't stop the run. Clemson looks good or our defense looks terrible. Or both. The drive took 6:01.

Clemson 7 Auburn 0

Auburn starts at their 31.
The possession starts slowly as there are clock problems.
The Tigers are 3 & out.
The offense starts terrible also.

After the punt, Clemson starts on their 22.
This game is not starting well at all.
The defense desperately needs to stop Clemson here.
Last time Clemson made big plays off a screen and a draw. Quentin Riggins says that a rusty Craig Stevens missed two tacles that would have made a difference. Clemson goes three and out. Good!

Auburn starts on their 39.
Time is being kept on the field.
McCalebb loses 6 on the first play. Bad!
A long pass attempt to Adams goes incomplete.
A long run by Newton for the first down is called back for holding.
Auburn is 3rd and 25 and then 3 and out from the 34 and Auburn has to punt after two straight 3 and outs.

Clemson starts at their 30 leading 7 to 0 movong toward the end of the first quarter.
Auburn has 8 total yards so far.
Our defense makes a good play but then Clemson comes back with a good play.
Clemson is moving the ball again.
Stan White mentions again that Craig Stevens makes a miscue.
We are substituting a lot on defense.
On a 3rd and 8 at the Auburn 40 for Clemson the first quarter ends.
The first quarter is horrible. At least we are only down by one score.

END OF FIRST QUARTER
Clemson 7 Auburn 0

SECOND QUARTER

A complete pass leaves Clemson a yard short of the first.
Clemson continues to make the crucial plays to keep drives going.
So far it's been total stat dominiation for the visitors.
On 4th and 1 Auburn holds! Big defensive stop for Auburn.

Trovon Reed makes his first appearance of the the year in the Wildcat.
He runs up the middle for about 6 yards.
BUT that's it. Auburn is 3 and out again.

After the punt Clemson starts at their 23.
Auburn's defense is quickly back on the field again.
The offense has yet to pick up a first down.
It's hard to see at this point how Auburn can turn things around.
Clemson is picking the AU defense apart. Miscues by Craig Stevens. Our offense cannot get unwound.
Down the field they go.
This is disappointing.
Clemson makes the 3rd down conversions. They seem so smooth and polished compared to Auburn.
Clemson makes a 42-yd. FG.

Clemson 10 Auburn 0

So far Auburn has run 9 plsys for 16 total yards.
We know this offense can do better. Where is our offense tonight.
The Tigers start on their 18.
Dyer is dropped for a yard loss.
Clemson is pushing Auburn around.
Dyer carries for 3.
On 3rd and 8 Newton gets the first down pass to Darvin Adams.
McCalebb runs for 17.
Auburn is at the Clemson 40.
A holding call by the ACC officials against AJ Green negates our drive after we get inside the Clemson 20.
Auburn has to punt.
Let us note that on our third possession we move the ball but a holding penalty puts a stop to it.

Clemson starts on their 20 with 5:10 leading 10 to 0.
Clemson has success with a naked bootleg pass to their big tight end.
Clemson has 3rd and 8 on their own 48.
Pass incomplete!
Clemson punts.

Auburn starts on their 20 with 3:08 left in the half.
First down on the 30.
Clemson goes up over Kodi Burns and intercepts at their 39.
Burns was open but Newton doesn't gun the ball but floats it up for the pick.

Clemson starts down the field. Our defense yields. Poor coaching it seems to me. Our defense is playing soft. No reason for it.
Stan White harps on how far off our DBs are playing.
Clemson gets a TD pass on a great catch by the Clemson receiver.

Clemson 17 Auburn 0

Clemson has come into Jordan-Hare and belted Auburn in the first half. There is no excuse for this. It seems to me that Clemson came to play and Auburn did not come to play. With 1:14 to play in the half, Clemson is in complete control. This is a disaster. This is the gut-check of all gut-checks now for Auburn.

Auburn starts on their 30.
We pick up our 3rd holding call of the game.
Auburn's offensive line is getting whipped.
We push the ball down to the Clemson 17.
Byrum makes the FG.

END OF HALF
Clemson 17 Auburn 3

SECOND HALF

After a good runback and a facemask penalty, Auburn starts on their 45.
There is another holding penalty. That makes 4 so far. Amazing.
A long pass to Adams and Auburn is at the Clemson 30.
But on the next pass Newton throws an interception at the goal line!
Another tough break I suppose.

Clemson starts at their 1.
A late hit and Clemson gets 15 free yards.
Clemson is on their 17.
Clemson is 3rd and 9.
Auburn holds.

Auburn starts at their 39.
Trvon runs for 2 in the Wildcat.
Newton hits Adams at the Clemson 18.
McCalebb runs it in from the 12.
Auburn comes back with 8:24 left in the third.
Maybe we've got a ballgame now.

Clemson 17 Auburn 10

Clemson is on their 32.
Our defense holds and Clemson punts.

Auburn starts from their 27 with a little over 6 minutes to go in the third.
The Tigers drive with gashing runs by Dyer and a TD pass from Newton to Adams for the score!
The game is tied!!!
Darvin Adams has EVERY completed pass on the night.

Auburn 17 Clemson 17

Clemson starts from their 20.
A run out to the 42 after an incomplete pass.
Antoine Carter is down but runs off the field.
Incomplete pass. Clemson has to punt.

Carr goes down at the Auburn 16 with 1:41 left in the third.
Newton hits Zachary on z 73-yd. scoring pass!
2 plays. 83 yards. 38 seconds.

Auburn 24 Clemson 17

Clemson starts on their 23.
A bad interference call on Washington gives Clemson good field position.
Clemson is at midfield.

END OF THIRD QUARTER
Auburn 24 Clemson 17

The third quarter was a complete turnaround from the first half. Auburn has scored 24 straight points. But thanks to a bad, bad interference call on Demond Washington, Clemson is at midfield to start the 4th quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

Clemson responds to Auburn's momentum with a touchdown drive, climaxed by a 2-yd. run, helped by two interference calls.

Auburn 24 Clemson 24

With 12:36 to go, Auburn starts from their 21.
Auburn is 3 and out. Our offense looks discombobulated once again. It's like night and day with this offense. They look great, and then they look awful and uncoordinated.
The Tigers have totally given the momentum back to Clemson.
It looks like the game will end with Clemson taking back control.

Shoemaker manages only a 29-yd. punt. You just can't have that.
Clemson is at their 48.
Fairly gets a big sack on third down and Clemson punts.

Auburn starts on their 16 with 8:12 to go.
The Tigers punt from the Clemson 43.

With 4:18 to go Clemson is at their 9.
Clemson has to punt from close to midfield.

Carr makes a 5-yd. return to the 13.
How will Auburn play it from their 13 with a little over a minute to go and the score tied.
The Tigers play for overtime. Probably good strategy.
The last time in Atlanta we had overtime. Here we go again.

END OF REGULATION
Auburn 24 Clemson 24

Who knows how this will end? I can't tell.

OVERTIME

Clemson wins the toss and goes on defense first.
Auburn kicks the 39-yd. FG after the offense can't move the ball.

Auburn 27 Clemson 24

Clemson dominates the line of scrimmage in their possession.
Clemson plays smash-mouth football and betters Auburn.
For most of the game Clemson has won the game in the trenches.
Clemson is 2nd and 6 on the 8. Play stops for a Clemson injury.
There is NO way this defense can hold Clemson.
No gain.
3rd down at the 8.
Pass incomplete to an open receiver. Clemson had the win on that pass.
On the first FG attempt, Clemson is guilty of a double snap.
On the second FG attempt, Clemson misses!!! Auburn wins!!!

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 27 Clemson 24