The LSU Game

Strange things have happened in the history of this series.  Auburn needs some strangeness to win this game at Jordan-Hare.  The game kicks off at 6:08  on ESPN.  LSU is a big favorite.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn receives and goes 3 and out.  Frazier hits a streaking Coates down the left sideline but he can't haul the ball in.  Would have been a touchdown.
LSU marches from their 46 and tghe  Fighting Tigers fumble at the goal line!
But Mason is brought down in the end zone for a safety.

Auburn 0  LSU 2

Another 3 and out for Auburn.  From their 41 LSU marches for the touchdown.

Auburn 0  LSU 9

Auburn punts again but the LSU QB is stripped of the football.  Another LSU fumble!  Auburn recovers.
Auburn on the LSU 26.
But McCalebb loses 4.  No blocking.
Mason sweeps left to inside the one yard line!
McCalebb bounces off a tackler and hits the left corner of the end zone.
At the end of the first quarter Auburn takes advantage of the turnover.
Touchdown Auburn!!!
The point after ends the first quarter.

Auburn 7  LSU 9

SECOND QUARTER

LSU starts on their 20 after the touchback.
I do see some good gang tackling tonight so far even though it is obvious that LSU is the better team.
LSU surprisingly punts on 4th and less than the football to go into the end zone.
AU on their 20.
A pass to Lutz and AU is on the LSU 49.
Jonathan Wallace is in at QB!
But after a procedure penalty Frazier comes back in.  Wallace doesn't get to run a play.
Big loss back to the AU 39.  The offense is going backwards.
Auburn is punting from the AU 42.
After a good pass our offense shoots itself in the foot.
After the punt and a penalty LSU is backed up on their 5 or 6.
Facemask penalty on AU away from the ball  gives LSU a first down rather than a 3rd and 8.  Yikes!
A tough penalty on Auburn.
On 3rd and 2 we stop them!
Bray faircatches on the AU 35.
AFter a 9-yd pass Wallace is back in and runs for the first down.
There is a strike to Blake!
Auburn is on the LSU 29.
But the 23 is as far as we can go.
The 40-yr.  FG is good!!!  With 1:21 or so to go Auburn takes the lead in this football game.

Auburn 10  LSU 9

After the touchback LSU is on their 25.
There is a 30 yard run up the middle.  How can we let this happen?
Big sack on the quarterback with only 4 rushers.  Timeout LSU with 53 seconds left in the half.
3rd and 10 just inside the AU 45 with 41 seconds left.
Incompletion.
4th and 10 with 34 seconds to go.
Fair catch on the 10 with seconds to go.
Frazier takes a knee and Auburn leads LSU at the half
A half does not a game make, but at least for a half against the #2 team in the country we seen definite improvement in this team.  The defense is certainly improved.  The offense has made some plays but is still inconsistent.  Frazier certainly looks better.  Our pass rush is pretty good.  LSU runs a conventional offense.  They are bigger and more experienced than our defense but they are conventional.  LSU plays power football with play action.  Our guys are standing in there.  Let us hope we can hold up in the second half.  We may lose this game but we have to be pleased with the first half.

Auburn 10  LSU 9

THIRD QUARTER

LSU on their 25.
On 3rd and 8 we jump offsides.  Yikes!
We stuff the run. 
The punt is controversial.  The refs say the ball hit our guy first on the ground,  but the replay shows it hit the LSU player first.  Hold your breath.  Strange things happen in this series.  The call on the field is overturned.  The officials get it right. It's Auburn football.
AU on the 16.
First down pass to Blake.
McCalebb loses 7 and a personal foul on Auburn.
We are going backwards.
AU on the 10.
3rd down from the 8.  An offisides on LSU is not called.
Auburn is punting.  After a first down pass to Blake Auburn is punting for their end zone.
After a booming punt and two penalities on LSU the visitors are back to their 12 yard line.  What a field position change! A 79-yd. revesal.
These teams are physically going at it.
These teams do not like each other.
3 straight incompletions.  LSU is three and out.
BRAY FUMBLES THE PUNT.  How tragic.  Our defense forces a great 3 and out and Bray has the ball go right thru his hands.
OK.  We are at a critical point in the game.
LSU starts on the AU 48.
Oh, my.  OH, MY.
A holding penalty moves the ball back to the LSU 49.
There is a pass to the Auburn 22. 
There is a run to the 14.  LSU can certainly power run.
3rd and 2 from the 14.
4th and 1.
The field is good.  LSU regains the lead.

Auburn 10  LSU 12

Bray's muff on the punt results in LSU getting the lead back.  At least it was only a field goal.
McCalebb runs it back to the AU 44.  That was ALMOST a touchdown run.
Frazier is dropped for a 5 yard loss.  Slow moving plays will not work on this defense.
McCalebb runs for 9 leading to a 3rd and 6.
Frazier floats an interception.  Come on Kiehl.  You can't have this.
After a penalty on LSU the Fighting Tigers start on their 29.  You just cannot have 2 turnovers like we've had in this period.  That was an ill-advised pass by Frazier.
Procedure on LSU.  First and 15 from the 24.
LSU is 3 and out.
Bray faircatches at the 18.  At some point in time our offense has to move the chains.
Auburn mounts a drive.
AU is at the LSU 39 as the quarter ends.

Auburn 10  LSU 12

FOURTH QUARTER

OKAY.  Here we go.  Can the offense sustain a drive?  We have the momentum of a drive starting the fourth quarter.
McCalebb is open on the wheel route but Frazier overthrows.  Oh, my.
Auburn has to punt.  We cannot sustain the drive.
The ball rolls dead on the LSU 8.  At least we back them up.  Our offense just cannot sustain drives.
LSU is 3 and out with 13:09 to go.
After a good punt AU starts on their 27.
On a 4th and 1 AU punts.
LSU at their 20 with 12:50 to go.  The game is still very much in doubt.  Our defense has to hang in there to keep the offense chances.  A turnover would be nice.  Sooner or later the offense will have to respond.
There is an 8-yd. gain on first down.  We must stop them.  LSU will power run now.
There is a first down.  There is another first down on 3rd and 8.  That hurt.  Good play by their QB to hang in there to get the pass off.
This time we hold them at midfield.
After a bad punt AU starts at their 30 with 8:04 to go. 
Wallace runs twice up the middle for the first down.
There was no pass protection and Frazier loses 6.  Oh, my.
From midfield we are 4th down at midfield.  Our defense has to hold one more time.  Our offense may hopefully have one more chance.
LSU gets a good bounce on the punt and starts on the 28.  That was a bad punt.
The defense must get one more stop if we are to win this football game.
The clock moves under 4 minutes.  LSU is using the clock.
3rd and 4 and a must stop for Auburn.
But there's a long pass completion unexpected and LSU is in business at the AU 34.
Jonathan Evans overuns the receiver to allow the big first down.
There is a run to the 23.  Looks like our defense is tired.
LSU at the 20.
With 29 seconds left to go LSU misses the field goal.  We have a slim hope with no time outs from the 20.
Auburn has a shot but can only advance to their 37.  Blake was open on one pass which may have given us a chance to try the game winning field goal but Frazier makes a bad pass.
One and three is not acceptable but Auburn was just as good as LSU tonight.
This team makes advances but still we lose.  If this team keeps improving we still have a chance to have a good team by the end of the year.  This team is close tonight to being a decent team.