The 2011 Alabama Game

For me it will always be the Auburn-Alabama game, never the Iron Bowl. I have never cared for that nickname for this game. The game is at Jordan-Hare for a 2:30 kickoff on CBS.

FIRST QUARTER

After an exchange of 3 and outs, Alabama mounts a drive mainly on short passes, which we have struggled defending all year. The TD pass comes on a handoff to Richardson and then back to the QB to a wide open receiver as Chris Davis gets fooled. Can't let that happen. Also, our defensive tackles are not getting any pressure on their quarterback. We are giving their QB all the time in the world to complete passes. We are going to have to blitz and take our chances.

Auburn 0 Alabama 7

Quan Bray misplays the kickoff and lets the ball go into the end zone. The Tigers go 3 and out again. Our punt goes 10 yards. We are losing the special teams game. From the 35 Alabama strikes on the first play to a wide-open receiver. Just like that still in the first period we are down by two touchdowns.

Auburn 0 Alabama 14

This game is getting out-of-hand quickly. Alabama has some well-conceived passing plays. Both scoring plays were to two uncovered receivers while we are getting no pressure on their QB.
Auburn starts on the 30. This is our 3rd possession with no first downs yet.
Our offense has no rhythm against a very good defense.
Finally a first down on the Auburn 44.
Trovon Reed trips on his own feet and loses 3.
We go to 3rd and 9.
But after a short pass to read it's 4th and 3.
The punt by Mosely dies on the Alabama 10 with 13 seconds to go in the first.
First play lightning strikes!
Lemonoir drills the QB, the ball comes loose, and Kenneth Carter recovers in the end zone. Touchdown Auburn! What a turnaround. A turnover and a TD.

Auburn 7 Alabama 14

The kickoff goes to the end zone with 4 seconds to go in the quarter.

END OF FIRST QUARTER

Auburn 7 Alabama 14

The second quarter starts with Alabama 2nd and 6 on their 24.
The Tide drives 80 yards for the touchdown. We can't stop them.

Auburn 7 Alabama 21

Auburn goes 3 and out. After the punt Alabama starts on their 36.
An unfortunate late hit call gives Alabama 15 yards. The refs are not helping us.
That was a bad call.
Alabama is driving again. If we don't stop them here, it's probably over.
Alabama has converted 6 of 7 third downs.
Neiko Thorpe goes down.
First down on the AU 20.
We can't stop them. It's lots of little things with our defense---nothing new.
Alabama converts one 3rd down after another.
Finally we do stop them on 3rd down in the Red Zone.
Alabama settles for the field goal.

Auburn 7 Alabama 24

Our defense yields and yields & our offense simply can't move the ball. This would be the same halftime score as last year, but this team is not last year's team.
With a minute 44 left in the second quarter this game looks out of reach barring some strange happenings.
The Tigers start on the 23. At least Bray correctly fields a kickoff.
Dyer gains 5.
Dyers loses the 5 back on a draw play.
No blocking by AJ Greene our announcers say.
We're 3 and out. Our offense looks helpless. Mosely is pressured on every pass attempt. Auburn has to punt on the last play of the game. Alabama takes the same lead into the locker room as last year. There won't be any comeback this year.

FIRST HALF

Auburn 7 Alabama 24

THIRD QUARTER

McCalebb returns the second half kickoff 83 yards for the touchdown!!! We take points today any way we can. What a way to start the second half!

Auburn 14 Alabama 24

If only we could stop their offense. The first long run by Richardson takes Alabama down to the Auburn 34.
We move to another third and short.
3rd and 4 and Richardson runs up the middle for the first to the 12. This man is hard to tackle as we miss tackles.
With a delay penalty Alabama moves to a 3rd and 11.
Will we ever stop them on third? This time we as we stuff a screen play.
But the short FG attempt is good.

Auburn 14 Alabama 27

It's time for our offense to do something. That was something of a stop for the defense as we held them to a field goal, but unless our offense does something, and it doesn't look likely, it won't matter.
Our only scores have come from the defense and from a kickoff return.
8:47 to go in the third.
We get another good return as McCalebb almost breaks another one.
AU is at their 44
After one first down we go backwards when McCalebb drops a pitchback when Mosely misses a read to Dyer up the middle. That was a very bad sequence of plays after the first down crossing midfield. That was on our offense, not their defense.
Clarks punt to the Alabama 3. Great punt and recovery by Auburn McCalebb falling on the ball at the 3.
Richardson gains 2.
Richardson to the 10. Alabama is good at pushing the pile forward.
Finally we hold them to a 3 and out.
After the punt we have the makings of a drive, but a Tre mason lunge for the apparent first down is nullified when the ref says his foot hit the line before reaching for the first down. Our announcers are unbelieving that the play is not reviewed. They say it was a first down.
We hold Alabama to another 3 and out before they punt and we start on our 8 as the third quarter ends.

END OF THIRD QUARTER

Auburn 14 Alabama 27

It's amazing that we are still in this game given that we have way less than a hundred yards of total offense.
Oh, for a big play on offense. We have playmakers, but as has been the case all year, we can't get a big play from any of them.
A pass down the field to Blake goes incomplete. We are on our 8.
Another pass goes incomplete to Lutzkirchen as the throw was a little high.
There is another over throw, interception, and Alaama runs it back for the touchdown.
The pass was way too high and the sad thing is that the receiver was open and Mosely had time.
Alabama makes an easy two point conversion to a wide-open receiver and Alabama ices the game.

Auburn 14 Alabama 35

Well, there you go. Our defense kept us in the game until the start of the fourth quarter, givinng up only a field goal in the third, but our offense cannot get it going. Mosely can't hit open receivers from our 8, throws the pick, and that's that.
Our passing is 5 for 13 and an interception for a TD. Mosely floats the ball down the middle of the field and you can't do that Stan White says. Bad things will happen floating the ball down the middle of the field.
After the short kick AU starts on our 40 with 14:34 to go in the game.
Frazier comes in. Runs for the first down on the first play.
The Tigers push to a first and goal on the 10 but we are pushed back from there. Mosely can't get it done. On third down he goes down when he keeps retreating rather than stepping up in the pocket. Our rushing can't get it done.
Alabama is a better team, and their defense beats our offense most of the game, but we needed above average play from our quarterback, and we didn't get it. With a good QB, we would have been in this game even with their good defense. Our defense has played well in the second half. They may give way here late in the game, but still they've played well enough to win if our offense had anything at all.
Alabama takes ball and I'm sure they will lean on us the rest of the game.
But there's a big run by Richardson to the Auburn 16.
Late in the game our tired defense starts to give way as you would expect.
Saban is giving Richardson a chance to strut for the Heisman.
Alabama runs it in the touchdown.

Alabama 14 Alabama 42

Late in the game their power running is over powering our defense, which did play so well in the 3rd quarter.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 14 Alabama 42