The La. Monroe Game

Here we go again with an early kickoff. We're talking about an 11 a.m. on ESPNU. Auburn at 4 & 0 takes on 1 & 2 La. Monroe. The 10th ranked Tigers are a 34-point favorite. I hope we don't slop around. I hope our guys aren't sleep-walking as the game begins. But I fully expect us to mess around and have to win this game in the second half. Every time we hear that Auburn should win easily and get to play a lot of people, it doesn't seem to happen.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn receives and start scrimmaging from the AU 35. After a 15-yrd. pass completion to Zachary, Onterio McCalebb takes a handoff, turns the right corner, and he's gone! Auburn goes 65 yards in 2 plays. McCalebb runs 50 yards for the score.

Auburn 7 ULM 0

ULM reverses on the kickoff and takes the ball out to their 47. Auburn holds but ULM downs the punt on the Auburn 3 as Carr doesn't come up to make the fair catch.

On the second play of the possession Cameron Newton finds Emory Blake wide open on a post route for a 94-yrd. touchdown pass! This is the longest play from scrimmage in Auburn history. So much for my fear that Auburn wouldn't be ready to play!

Auburn 14 ULM 0

ULM starts from their 20. ULM start moving the ball with short passes. It seems that we have been vulnerable to short passes all year. We've got to play tighter on their receivers somehow. I don't understand why our defense isn't tighter. ULM is having success running an option play. Our Dbs are playing way too far off the line Stan White says. The Warhawks kick a 35-yrd. FG with 4:31 left in the first.

Auburn 14 ULM 3

Auburn starts at midfield with the help of a penalty on the kick return. Right down the half field the Tigers go. After a first down at the 4, the Tigers kick a FG from the 2. Should have been able to run it in with a first down at the 4. Instead we try 2 passes which are incomplete combined with one run by Dyer from the 4 to the 2.

Auburn 17 ULM 3

ULM starts at their 13 with 2:02 left in the first quarter. The first quarter ends with ULM in possession after one first down so far in this possession.

END OF FIRST QUARTER
Auburn 17 ULM 3

ULM continues to nickle and dime our defense. The Warhawks cross midfield. A pass takes the ball down to the AU 28. There's a sack and loss of 5. Now it's 3rd and long for ULM. The visitors go to 4th and 5. There's a fake FG attempt and Etheridge intercepts. Auburn ball.

The Tigers start at the 34. Fannin runs it to the AU 46. AU first down at the Warhawk 32. Fannin again carries for 12: he is running with some authority today. Dyer finishes the drive with a 3-yrd. run.

Auburn 24 ULM 3

The Tigers force a punt from the 15. Auburn starts from the ULM 49 with 4:22 to go in the half.

Down the field Auburn goes with almost no resistance. There's 16-yrd. TD pass to Quindarius Carr. Auburn scores quickly again in just 4 plays. The first half has gone exactly how we would wish. Cam Newton has not carried the ball a single time. I'm sure this is by design.

Auburn 31 ULM 3

Auburn substitutes liberally on defense. ULM has to punt.

Auburn starts on their 45 with 1:18 left. Cam Newton comes out again. Zachary runs for 35 on a reverse but a block in the back brings it back. Newton is dropped for a loss with 59 seconds left. There a good screen pass to Fannin for 8 yards. Fannin is running with power today. The Tigers go for it on 4th and 2. No, it's a quck kick by Newton. So the first half ends with Auburn's only poor possession of the half.

END OF HALF
Auburn 31 ULM 3

The Tigers roll in the third quarter taking a 38 to 3 lead with a first down on the ULM 2 as the 4th quarter opens. The Tigers recover 2 fumbles in the quarter. Mario Fannin is running well.

END OF THIRD QUARTER
Auburn 38 ULM 3

Fannin spins in from the 2 with his 16th career TD and Auburn builds its lead on the first play in the last quarter.

Auburn 45 ULM 3

The ULM punter drops the snap and Auburn is on the ULM 40. Trotter makes a nifty 15 dash for the TD. Trotter comes off limping---we have to hope he's OK.

Auburn 52 ULM 3

The game ends with ULM stalling, Auburn getting the ball back, and Clint Mosely finishing out the final AU possession.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 52 ULM 3

The Tigers do what they should have done: take an over-matched team out early and coast to a big win. Next comes Kentucky in Lexington. I see that Kentucky loses to Ole Miss today 45 to 28. All I know is that the Wildcats give up a lot of points. They beat us last year at home. It's time for revenge.