The 2013 Alabama Game

The game each year has its own unique feel.  First of all, this is not the biggest Alabama game.  The 1989 game was bigger.  The 2010 game was bigger.  Of course, this one is still one of the biggest.  Mainly I'm curious.  How well will the Tigers compete with the Tide?  I type these words just before kickoff.  We will soon find out.

FIRST QUARTER

Alabama receives and from their 24 march right down the field, but on 3rd and 2 we hold and they miss a 44-yd. FG wide left!  Once again our defense gives up yards but holds.  Yeldon did gain some big yards rushing on that drive and we have to stop that.

Corey Grant sweeps for 15 yards from the 28 on the first play but we are punting after one first down.  On third down Marshall misses a wide-open Louis which would have been an easy touchdown.  Louis got his hands on the ball but couldn't bring it in.  Should have been 6.

The Tide goes 3 and out as we hold on 3rd and 3 from the 27.

Their punter drops the snap but gets the kick off.  AU starts on their 34.

There's a holding call on us on the first play after a good gain my Nick Marshall.  First and 20.   On this possession we have to use 2 timeouts as Alabama changes their defense continually.  We are slow getting our plays in to Marshall.  A penalty started this drive on what would have been a first down.  On 3rd and 19 there's a pass to Coates to the 47.  On 3rd and short Marshall runs 45 yards for the touchdown untouched after the fake.  Wild!!!  Wow!!!  7 plays. 66 yards.  This is Auburn offense.

Auburn 7  Alabama 0

The Tide is 3 and out and after a good punt AU starts on their 16.

After one first down we are pushed back on a QB sack and we are punting from the 24.

Alabama fair catches on their 33 as the quarter winds down.  The game seems to be settling down.  There's a first down run to the UA 44 on second and 10.  There's a 9 yard run as the quarter ends.  But UA moving the ball on the ground.  Gotta stop this running.

SECOND QUARTER

The quarter begins with UA second and one at the Auburn 47.  First down to the 41.  There's a big sack on McCarron and a loss of 6.  We move to 4th and 7 after an incomplete pass.  Auburn jumps offsides.  Oh, no.  Can't have that.  Now it's only 4th and 2.  Dee Ford jumped.  Auburn makes some defensive changes and it's Alabama's turn to take their second timeout.  There's a real chess match going on out there.  There's a first down pass to the 22.  We go after McCarron but not good enough.  First down pass again to the 10.  There's a run to the 3.  Come on guys!  There's a pass to the end zone for the score.  This game is tied.

Auburn 7  Alabama 7

Can our offense respond?

The Tigers start at the 21.  After one first down Mason fumbles and they give the ball to Alabama on a close play.  Alabama is on the AU 36.  The first big turnover goes to the Tide.  There is a 9 yard pass as Alabama holds all over the field.  Malzahan is yelling at the officials.  Yelden runs to the 20 on 3rd and 2.  The Mason fumble is haunting.  TD pass to Norwood in the end zone.  Chris Davis can't cover.

Auburn 7  Alabama 14

With 7:12 to go in the half a big possession is coming up for the Tigers after UA takes advantage of the turnover.  We can't get too far behind. 

 Alas, we are three and out and after a soft punt UA starts on their 44.  The Tide drives to the AU 29 the last play being a lucky catch on a tipped bll.  There's a 29 yard TD pass to Amari Cooper.  This game is getting out of hand.  Alabama has all of the momentum.  It will take an incredible turnaround for Auburn to come back and win this game.  Alabama has completly dominated the game after Auburn took the initial 7 to 0 lead.  The review overturns the touchdown but it doesn't matter as the ball is an inch outside the line and the score comes on the next play.

Auburn 7  Alabama 21

We need to do something before the half but our offense is comatose.  We are getting stopped on offense.  We have nothing going on offense.  What's to say?  We are getting beat.  We have only 110 yards of offense so far.

3:48 to go in the half.  Stan White says we are playing with house money.  We've heard that this week.  I disagree.  You never play with house money in this rivalry game.

We start on the 19.   Away we go!  We run the ball right down the field with Tre Mason carrying the load.  Marshall scores from the 16 but the officials take it away from us at the 2 but not to fear as Mason runs it in on the next play.  Wow oh wow!  We are able to move the ball Nascar as UA cannot adjust their defense.

Auburn 14  Alabama 21

The clock expires as Alabama runs the clock out.  The crowd cheers for Auburn leaving the field.  We get the ball coming out in the second half.  We have a game.  If we win this game, it started with that awesome uptempo drive at the end of the half closing the gap to 7.

THIRD QUARTER

Coming out of the gate to start the half the Tigers drive for the touchdown!  9 plays 69 yards the score coming on a 16-yd scoring pass from Marshall to Uzomah in the right corner of the end zone.  Wow!

Auburn 21  Alabama 21

Alabama goes 3 and out as we get big pressure on 3rd down.

Auburn starts on their 22 after a big 52 yard punt.  Let's go again!

A promising drives stops at the UA 43.  The punt is downed at the Alabama one!  Great punt and coverage.

On third down they get a long pass to Amari Cooper to the AU 44.  Gotta stop this.  We miss a big chance to keep them bottled up inside their 5.  There is a first down to the 34.  Gotta stop them here with a tie game at 21 the third quarter clock winding down.  First down to the 22.  We need a turnover.  That third down conversion on their goal line looms big.  First down to the 11 on a third and 4.  The quarter ends with Alabama 2nd and 10 on the Auburn 11.

FOURTH QUARTER

Well, if Alabama wins this game we will look back to that long pass on third down from inside their 5 to the Auburn 44. 

3rd and 10 from the 11.  4th and 11 as our Red Zone defense holds when it has to.  We force the FG attempt.  After a 5 yard penalty against the Tide the 33 yarder is NO GOOD!  Their kicker misses another one!  Amazing!!!  He shanked it bigtime left.

What a great job our defense has done in the Red Zone this year!  That was a terrible kick.  Our guys call it a "duck hook."

Here goes our offense.  We are out to our 47.  But that's as far as we can do as the clock hits 10:52.  Still lots of time time left in this game.  Again the punt dies at the one!  Wow!  Let's hold them this time.

Alabama is at their one yard line.  We need to take advantage.

Alas, alas, on the first play the pass goes to Cooper down the sideline into 2-deep coverage.  Oh, my.  They did it again and this time the receiver is not tackled.  Oh, my.  You can't allow this.  You simply cannot allow this.  Alabama makes the big play.  How can this happen???

Auburn 21  Alabama 28

How can we give up a 99 yard TD pass???  This should not happen.  That's all I can say.  Cooper catches the ball at midfield but our two defenders cannot corral him.  But it's not over yet.

The Tigers start at the 26.  We gotta go with 10:21 to go.

Game of 6 yards on two plays and we're at 3rd and 4.  On 4th and a length of the football short we go for it at our 35.  Marshall keeps the ball and is short.  That may be the game.  A stop by Alabama and a first down at the Auburn 35.

8:28 to go.  If Marshall had handed the ball off we might have made it but it makes no difference now.

We really need a Georgia type miracle again.

On 4th down with the length of the football to go we stuff Yeldon!  Saban forsakes the FG attempt and loses the gamble on 4th down as Auburn stuffs the 4th down attempt.

There is still life left in the Auburn football team.

5:34 to go and we start at our 14.  It's uphill but it's not over yet.

Marshall is sacked back to the 5 on first down.  Alabama sells out to stop us on first down all game long.  The key to stopping our offense is to stop us on first down.  There is a long pass to Ricardo Louis that is JUST beyond his fingertips.  We have to punt from the 5.

They get a good punt return thanks to a blatant block in the back that is not called.  Unbelievable.

UA tries a 44-yrd. and the kick is blocked!!!

Auburn starts at their 35.

We move to a third and 2 with 1:43 as Alabama calls timeout.

WE GET THAT GEORGIA MIRACLE!

I'm watching the game and not noting every play.  Suffice it to say that Marshall hits Uzomah on an incredible pass completion.  Uzomah is wide-open.  We tie the game with 32 seconds to go.

Auburn 28  Alabama 28

 ALABAMA ATTEMPS A 56 YARD FG.  CHRIS DAVIS FIELD THE KICK 9 YARDS DEEP IN THE END ZONE AND RUNS IT THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD FOR THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN!

I am speechless.  I am ecstatic!

More later.