2011 The Mississippi State Game

Here we go again with another morning kickoff. We are the SEC game of the week.

State is favored by 7. They may be simply better than Auburn this year. They have an experienced offensive line and far more experience on defense. I assume they will try and run the ball down our throats. I assume further that they are bigger and more powerful physically than us. State must think they can run right through us. We shall see.

Before the game, Stan White predicts play action by State given that AU will probably try and stack the box.

FIRST QUARTER

State receives and starts on their 8 yard line.
State goes 3 and out! Our defense looks good on their first possession
The Bulldogs punt from their 5 after 2 penalities.
Auburn has good field position starting on the Bulldog 36.
After a first down but moved back by a penalty Mike Dyer dashes 35 down the right sideline for a touchdown. A dazzling run! We are off to a good start.

Auburn 7 MSU 0 with 12:37 left in the first.

State is held to the 15 but we are flagged for unsportsmanlike to move the ball out to the 30. Poor, poor call. Absolutely ridiculous celebration penalty.

Demetruce McNeil intercepts and runs it back 43 yards for the touchdown! We are penalized AGAIN for I'm not sure what and will be penalized on the kickoff. The referee said #27 personal foul and our announcers wonder if 27 was even in the game. What is going on with these officials??? Lots of flags so far---eight!

Auburn 14 MSU 0 with 11:39 left in the first.

With the advantage of the penalty State starts on their 38.
The Bulldogs start a drive.
Quickly State gets a long TD run of 40 yards from Ladarius Perkins down his left sideline. Whoosh! The Bullies started with good field position helped by a penalty on the Auburn kickoff on the last touchdown play.
Just like that State is back in the game.
This is going to be a wild and crazy game. Despite our big start, you couldn't expect a runaway.

Auburn 14 MSU 7 with 10:38 left in the first.

Auburn starts on their 21.
The Tigers go to the 29 before having to punt.
State has the momentum now.
State starts on their 32 after only a 39-yd. punt.
State comes out with QB Reif running effectively.
Auburn is getting pounded at the line of scrimmage right now as Relf runs like Cam Newton.
The QB option and trip is killing us. Their QB is more comfortably running than throwing. This is what I feared: State running the ball.
We aren't getting any pressure on their QB as a pass play takes the ball to our 15
Now a TD pass to a wide-open receiver in the end zone. AFter a blazing start by Auburn, the game is quickly tied.

Auburn 14 MSU 14

The Tigers need to regain the momentum.
Auburn starts on the 24.
Auburn needs to control the line of scrimmage.
Auburn is 3 and out after Dyer is stuffed on a 3rd and 1. Bad play call our announcers say. The play is too slow in developing.
The punt dies at the Bulldog 11. Big roll. We have them backed up. Gotta keep them there.
Once again we can't tackle Reif.
There's a first down by a half the length of the football.
It's all their QB running up the middle and we can't tackle him until there's a good gain.
On 4th and 6 after we drop Perkins for a big loss Auburn starts on their 30.
Auburn must move the chains.
AFter one first down the Tigers have to punt.

END OF FIRST QUARTER
Auburn 14 MSU 14

The punt rolls dead on the MSU 1. After two first downs with Relf running ball each time on third and long, our defense finally gets off the field. It seems that Reif is not comfortable throwing the ball but he's been hurting us running the ball.
The Tigers start on their 23 with 10:48 to go in the half.
On the second place disaster strikes. Trotter throws an easy pick and TD to the State DB.

Auburn 14 MSU 21

After a great return by Mason to near midfield, Trotter strikes back on a 46 yd strike to Emory Blake. What a game!

Auburn 21 MSU 21 with 8:37 left in the half.

MSU goes 3 and out. Auburn starts on their 41. Right down the field to the Tigers. The score comes on an incredible short 2-yd run by Dyer. He stretches and won't go down till the ball crosses the goal line. Great individual effort by Mike Dyer! Dyer is runs hard on every play.

Auburn 28 MSU 21 with 4:51 left in the half.

State drives for a 27-yd. FG. Our defense plays well until 3rd down. We give up third down after third down conversion.

Auburn 28 MSU 24 with 40 seconds left in the half.

Auburn is on their 30 with seconds left but a penalty moves the ball back on the kick. The Tigers move down the field adroitly for a 43-yd FG by Cody Parkay leaving only 5 seconds on the clock. We get the three back. Our offense is showing rhythm. The kickoff is in the end zone and the half ends in Auburn's favor.

This game will go the distance. It's anybody's game, but Auburn seems to have momentum at the half.

END OF HALF
Auburn 31 MSU 24

The Tigers receive to start the second half.
Tre Mason takes the kickoff back to midfield.
Dyer starts running down the field but we have to settle for a 37-yd. FG.

Auburn 34 MSU 24

State starts on their 20 after Parkey puts the kickoff into the back of the end zone.
The Bulldogs start moving the ball after we give up an inital 3rd and long from their 20.
We go from having them 3rd and long on their 20 to their moving the ball with relative ease.
On 4th and 4 from the 15 MSU gets the FG. At least we hold them on a third down. We have given up SO MANY first downs on third and long today. Our defene plays well for two downs but then give up the first.

Auburn 34 MSU 27 with 9:12 to go in the third.

The Tigers move to the MSU 45 but have to punt. Trotter was indecisive on a third and 6.
State starts on their 17.
Relf is running again. If we lose this game it's because we can't contain their QB.
Reif running and short passes are killing us.
No pressure right now on Reif.
Our defense needs a stop or better yet a turnover.
Now here's a 3rd and 4 from near midfield.
Once gain there's a pitch back to Ballard the running back and another State first on third down.
We hold on a third and long.
The punts dies on our 8.
Our defense needs to move the chains.
But we are a rhythm offense and barring a big play I doubt we get it done from our 8.
The third period is winding down.
Here is the big play!
Dyer runs for 52 yards!
At the Bulldog 31 Auburn is 4th and 1.
Wow! The Ref all but gets on his knees before giving the signal for the first down!
On a third and 3 on the 24 the quarter ends.

END OF THIRD QUARTER
Auburn 34 MSU 27

We begin the 4th quarter and it's anybody's game.
Trotter rolls out and hits McCalebb. First down Auburn!
THERE'S THE TD PASS TO LUTZ! Two great play calls by Malzahn.
The Tigers take a 2-touchdown lead early in the 4th.

Auburn 41 MSU 27 with 14:03 left in the football game.

The Bulldogs move out to midfield and on 4th and 10 they punt.
From their 18 there is long run by McCalebb and a roughing penalty on top it but on the first down play the Dogs drop Trotter for a big loss---a loss of 12.
The Tigers shoot themselves in the foot and have to punt but it's a good punt to the Bulldog 17.
The Dogs get a first down on another third down play to the 34.
There's another running first down.
State is on their 45.
If we could only tackle their QB we'd be OK.
MSU mauls their way down the field to score with 4:53 left as they physically manhandle our defense.

Auburn 41 MSU 34 with 4:51 to go.

Alot of time left. This is getting hairy.
Mason makes a good return to the AU 33.
The Tigers go 3 and out and have to punt with 3:04 left.
Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
State starts on their 33 with 2:52 to go.
The last time they physically gashed our defense. This is scary.
AS the game winds down I have to run Doo-Rail over to the vet and watch the final, exciting play over there.
State drives to the one yard line and we stop them with 10 seconds left.
Ryan Smith stops their QB at the one---hits him and drops him right there and the clock expires! This is an amazing tackle! Our defense saves the day. The offense does it last week and the defense does it today.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 41 MSU 34

Usually I don't take much pleasure in beat Mississippi State because Auburn is supposed to beat these people, but this one is special because they were favored and then there's the Cam Newton hangover and besides, I despise Dan Mullen. This is the best team MSU will ever have and they can't beat us when this is clearly a rebuilding year for us. Enough said.