2011 The Clemson Game

Like last year I don't have a feel for this game. I have always liked Clemson. Both teams are 2 & 0. If I had to predict the outcome of the game, I'd say that Clemson will get out to a lead like last year and we will have to come from behind to win just like last year. I would expect the home team to come out fired and take it to our freshman and sophomores. This our first road game of the year in an SEC type atmosphere. There is no way to know how our players will react.

We hear before the game from Quentin Riggins that for some reason Jonathan Evans is not available today. I guess we'll hear later the reason why this is the case. This is not good for our ability to stop the run. Eltoro Freeman needs to have a good game.

I'd like to go to a game at Clemson some day.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn wins the toss and receives. Our Tigers start at their 25.
After one first down, Auburn punts from near midfield.
Clemson starts at their 13.
Clemson is 3 and out as we stop them on a third and short.
AU starts on their 31.
The teams have swapped possessions to start the game.
Our announcers say that Evans is injured which is why he is not playing.
AFter a passing first down, Mike Dyer sprints 52 yards down the right sideline.
Touchdown Auburn! Wow.
You couldn't ask for a better start to this game.
2 plays. 60 yards on our second possession.
Give TDs already this season for Dyer.

Auburn 7 Clemson 0

After another touchback Clemson starts on the 20.
Chris Davis is on the ground after a great tackle.
Clemson is 3 and out again.
That's two straight 3 and outs by our defense.
AFter a short punt AU starts on their 46.
AFter one first down we get a holding penalty.
Then going for it on 4th and short there's a TD pass to Blake!

Auburn 14 Clemson 0

Starting from their 20 Clemson converts on a 3rd and 6 and Clemson is at their 40.
But that's it. Clemson is punting again.
On the punt Trovon Reed catches the ball in the end zone and tries to run it out but he's dropped at the 5. Big mistake by Reed. Holy cow.
On a third down McCalebb runs it out to the 21 for the first down.
Auburn punts from around the 24.
They stop us for the first time.
Clemson starts on their 40.
Clemson tries to mount a drive.
Down the field they go.
The quarter ends with Clemson on our 5 yard line.

End of First Quarter
Auburn 14 Clemson 0

SECOND QUARTER

First play of the quarter there's a slant pass for the touchdown.

Auburn 14 Clemson 7

The runback by Mason is only to the 10. Good coverage by Clemson.
The Tigers drive mixing the run and pass.
Running that NASCAR as they call it.
This is a statement drive by Auburn playing smash-mouth football. Auburn is playing physical football. This is My kind of football. Nothing fancy: just dominating the line of scrimmage.
Dyer takes it in from the one in the Wildcat.
16 plays. 90 YARDS!

Auburn 21 Clemson 7

Clemson starts on their 19.
Clemson gets a big play on first down with the speed sweep to the Clemson 44. Their guy is fast.
Our guys say that Clemson is a second half team. This team will not give up.
Clemson is driving.
There's another 3rd down conversion that takes the ball to the AU 28.
We continue to give up first downs on third and long.
We come down to a third and goal on the 6.
There a toucdown pass to the back of the end zone.
We give another big play on third down.
We can't shake these guys.

Auburn 21 Clemson 14

With 5:06 to go in the first half the game tightens.
Auburn goes 3 and out.
Clemson gets the ball back on their 25.
We're stopping their run, BUT their completing pass after pass.
We can't stop their passing. I don't understand it. Poor coverage it looks like.
Clemson is driving down the field.
Stan White says Auburn is better than Clemson but our defensive players are not communicating on those passes.
Clemson has ALL the momentum as the first half winds down.
Clemson runs it in from the two.
Up 21 to 7 AU lets Clemson back into the game, giving up plays on third down, giving up pass after pass. Our defense looks discombobulated.

Auburn 21 Clemson 21 with 1:11 left in the half.

AU starts at the 21.
The half ends.

End of First Half
Auburn 21 Clemson 21
The Tigers started out strong, but Clemson came back and dominated the second quarter and they get the ball to start the second half. Auburn has to rally big time in the second half to win this football game. Can they do it?

THIRD QUARTER

The third quarter starts like Clemson is going to win going away.
There's a long TD pass. Clemson makes it look easy.

Auburn 21 Clemson 28

Clemson gets the ball back and starts another drive. But they fumble and Auburn recovers at the Tiger 18.
First play and there goes Dyer! Down to the Clemson 37.
First down at the 27.
Cody Parky ends up kicking the 38-yd. FG. Thank goodness for the Clemson fumble. Let's see what our defense can do now.

Auburn 24 Clemson 28

We seem to have a bead on their running most of the time, but we cannot stop their passing. It's galling to see this. It's more galling to see such poor, poor tackling. I don't understand it.
Clemson goes to 3rd and 2 at the AU 47.
Auburn cannot tackle as a missed tackle leads to the moving of the chains. There were 3 missed tackles on that one play.
Barring a turnover, Clemson will score easily on another long drive.
On another 3rd down Clemson picks up the first with at least 2 missed tackles.
All you can say is poor, poor, tackling. This is all there is to it.
This is a horribly coached defense. Clemson 10 for 13 on third down conversions. This is simply horrible. Just like last year. Our luck is about to run out.
On third and 9 from the 20 Clemson gets the easy TD pass on a pass over the middle. Big-time blown coverage. This is ridiculous. We had nobody covering the receiver. The receiver all but walked into the end zone, and this was their best receiver.
I don't get it says Stan White.
Poor defensive coaching. Unbelievable.

Auburn 24 Clemson 35

The nation's longest winning streak is about to end as the third quarter winds down.
Our defense simply cannot stop Clemson. They are 11 for 14 on third down conversions. Our defense has been atrocious today. When a defense gives up that many third down conversions you know it's awful.

End of Third Quarter
Auburn 24 Clemson 35

The cries are going to get loud: FIRE TED ROOF!
Since midway thru the second quarter Clemson has completetly dominated this game.
We are going to lose this game.
The Tigers are 3 and out with our defense struggling.
Clemson starts from inside their 20.
We can't stop them.
Auburn had to lose sometime and it will be today even though it's only early in the last quarter. We trail by 11 and have no life.
We've seen poor tackling and poor defense since the beginning of this coaching staff. When will it change? Apparently it won't change with Ted Roof.
It will take a miracle for Auburn to pull this game out, and, as Pat Dye used to say, there are no miracles on the football field.
Clemson drives agin. Now we can't stop the run.
Clemson drives for the 39-yd FG.

Auburn 24 Clemson 38

The thought occurs to me that we win in spite of Ted Roof. Poor tackling. Receivers who don't turn around for if they do, we might have some interceptions.
From the 20 there's a long pass to Benton.
Auburn is quickly moving the ball.
The Tigers are first and goal at the 8.
But now with first and goal at the 8 after a procedure penalty Trotter throws the interception at the 5: tries to force the ball into a slanting Blake. Poor throw. That's a critical mistake that takes away any chance we have. That should be lights out.
Clemson has the ball and once again we can't stop them as the clock winds down.
We started this game leading 21 to 7. Since then it's been 31 to 3 Clemson.
The sad thing is that I can't see this defense improving. There is the youth factor, but more important, the poor coaching and tackling we've seen from the beginning with this coaching staff. With Coach Chizik a defensive coach, I don't understand it.
As the game winds down after that interception, Clemson is running clock and our defense can't get off the field.
Again and again the galling thing is the poor tackling. I don't understand it.
Late in the game Clemson has 603 total yards!
It's one thing to lose; it's quite another thing to lose this badly with such poor play.
Auburn's 17-game winning streak will come to an end.
Auburn was sharp to start the game. We had 2 defensive 3 and outs and then the roof fell in (no pun intended).
Auburn doesn't touch the ball again after the interception as Auburn had first and goal at the Clemson 8 but now Clemson runs off more than 9 minutes to end the game. This is remarkable in and of itself.

Final Score
Auburn 24 Clemson 38