The 2011 South Carolina Game

Here we go again with the Tigers and the Gamecocks. After we beat them twice last year, you know Spurrier wants this one. USC is undfeated and Auburn is 3 and 1 after losing badly to Clemson and looking sluggish against Florida Atlantic last week. South Carolina is a 10-point favorite. Dee Ford is out for the year. Trovon Reed and Chris Davis are out for this game giving Quan Bray a chance. We get the impression that we might see more of Kiehl Frazier today. I sure hope so. I do think that Auburn must stop the run and force their erratic QB Garcia to throw the ball and take our chances there. The Tigers are on the road for the second time this season for a 2:30 kickoff on CBS.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn wins the toss and defers.
USC starts on their 35---a bad kickoff by Parkey.
The Gamecocks go 3 and out. Good start for our defense.
From midfield the Tigers drive to a first and goal inside the 5.
We have to settle for the field goal. We miss a good opp for a touchdown but we'll take it. Trotter had an open Lutz but he hurries the throw.

Auburn 3 USC 0

On a second and one from the 29 Lattimore fumbles and Auburn recovers. The play is reviewed as it should have been and Auburn keeps the ball!
The Tigers are on the USC 36.
On the second play USC gets an interception on a trick play. Quan Bray could have gone up and caught the ball but apparently he thought he had an easy TD. Rather than fight for the ball, he lets the DB cut in front and get the interception. Too bad.
Oh boy. This has been quite a game already and we are still early in the first quarter.
USC is on their 31 after the double turnovers.
From the 50 there is a TD pass to their good receiver Jeffrey, who beats Bell. Jeffrey goes up and plucks the ball out of the air and muscles his way into the end zone dragging Bell with him. Stan White says Jeffrey gets away with a pushoff.
Just like that after we stop their running they take the lead on a long pass.
We do block the point after.

Auburn 3 USC 6

AU starts from the 20.
Three downs and we go backwards as Trotter is sacked on the 16. We are not doing well on first downs.
The momentum is all Gamecocks.
USC fair catches on their 38.
USC goes 3 and out.
Auburn starts on our 25.
Frazier takes it to the 36 in two running plays.
The quarter ends with AU on the USC 23 with a big 3rd and 2 coming up.

End of First Quarter
Auburn 3 USC 6

SECOND QUARTER

It seems like we've played a whole half already.
Kiel Frazier, shot out of cannon, runs the ball down the 1. Should have been a touchdown.
On the next play, Dyer pushes the pile for the TD. But it's overruled. But on the NEXT play Dyer runs it in from the wildcat.
BUT we miss the point after just like South Carolina as the ball hits the right upright. The wind is swirling out there today. Amazing.
11 PLAYS. 75 YARDS.

Auburn 9 USC 6

USC starts on their 20 after the touchback.
The Tigers push 'em back to the 13 and USC is 3 and out.
A bad snap and a safety is nullifed by a dead ball procedure penalty against USC.
After a personal foul penalty against AU we start on our 49 but we would have been on their 36.
Our offense can't do anything and we are punting at the 50.
Trotter is getting a lot of pressure and Trotter can't outrun anybody.
USC starts from their 4 after a great punt from Steven Clark.
Garcia fakes to Lattimore and runs it out to the 25.
There's another good run for about 8 yards.
I hope they aren't getting their running game going.
On second and two McNeal gets the pick at midfield! That's a bad throw by Garcia.
Yay!
Two runs and first down.
But we are pushed back and have to punt. We've had field position but our offense can't respond. I think part of it is Barrett Trotter. He holds the ball too long in the pocket and can never escape when he has to run.
The punt is downed at the one yard line!
We are winning the field position game but lead by only 3 points.
USC runs Lattimore to a first down to the 17 on two plays.
There is a timeout with 6:04 left and AU clinging to a 3 point lead.
Our defense stiffens and USC is punting.
The Tigers start on their 34 with a little over 4 minutes left in the first half.
We move to a field goal attempt as our offense once again bogs down after some sucess.
The FG attempt is a fake with Ryan White the hold trying to throw to Lutz, but the play never had a chance as USC intercepts. The Gamecocks run the clock out and we are the half.
No expected a defensive struggle. Our offense struggles. Our defense has played its best game of the year SO FAR. We've helf their running game in check. Their only score was a long pass play. We should be ahead by more than 3. WE crossed midfield 6 times but only score twice. This could cost us in the second half. We receive to start the half.

End of Half
Auburn 9 USC 6

THIRD QUARTER

The Tigers start what looks like another promising drive but it stalls and Clark punts to the Gamecock 11. We just cannot sustain an offensive drive and it may cost us this football game.
AFter one first down, the Tigers stuff Lattimore and the Gamecocks punt. One thing you can say: our defense has stopped their running game so far. The problem is that unless our offense gets it going, sooner or later their offense will score again.
Bray fields the punt at the 7 and squirms his way out to the 25. Questionable catch by Bray but a great runback.
Auburn starts on their 25.
Once again we punt the ball back. USC starts at midfield
There's a long pass completion and a 15-yd. run by Lattimore for the touchdown.

Auburn 9 USC 13

This is what I was afraid of. Our offense stalls and stalls and soon or later USC will score and now they have with 5:58 to go in the third quarter. The biggest thing is that we cannot throw the ball. They are getting pressure on Trotter and apparently covering our receivers.
AU starts on their 35.
Trotter throws the interception, but their guy fumbles on his return and Lutz recovers. What a wild & physical game this has been.
The quarter ends with Auburn on the Gamecock 39.

End of Third Quarter
Auburn 9 USC 13

Dyer has gone down but got back up. Dismikes is out right now and Cooper has moved to center. Blake went out injured. A South Carolina player went down on the last play. No one expected this defensive slugfest.
Somehow we have to find a way to throw the football.
On a third and 7 Trotter throws it up for grabs and USC intercepts in the corner of the end zone. Barrett Trotter is not very good.
After one first down running the ball, Spurrier inexplicably tries to throw the ball and the Gamecocks have to put.
With a little over 10 minutes left, Au starts on their 29.
Once again the Tigers need to move the ball and score.
The Tigers do it!
12 plays 57 yards.
Trotter to Lutz for the touchdown.
With 98 seconds left Auburn takes the lead.
McCalebb has a big run. Dyer gashes and gashes. Wow!

Auburn 16 USC 13

From the 20 USC gets a gift on a terrible ruffing the passer call.
USC has a first down on their 35.
Two incompletions.
Garcia runs for a first down.
Incompletion. 2nd and 10.
A holding call and its 2nd and 20.
Incompletion. 3rd and 20 from their 35 with 36 seconds to go.
They get the first down and with 12 seconds left USC is on the AU 42.
Incompletion.
8 seconds left.
There is a completion for a first down but the clock runs out.
Game over !!!
Auburn wins.
Our defense rises from the dead to win this game.
Our offense does just enough. The main thing is that late touchdown drive in the waning minutes of the game.

Final Score
Auburn 16 USC 13