The thrill of Auburn's victory meets the agony of Ole Miss' defeat in a frightful, fateful moment
Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell fumbles the ball away
just before crossing the goal line as Auburn holds on for a 35-31 win
Nov. 1, 2014, in Oxford, Miss. (Mark Almond/malmond@al.com)
(MARK ALMOND)
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on November 01, 2014 at 11:02 PM, updated November 02, 2014 at 7:20 AM
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OXFORD, Miss. - How thin is the line between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat? See Auburn 35, Ole Miss 31. One thrilling and agonizing image will stay with you for years.
It was hard to watch and impossible to look away.
How narrow is the margin between winning and losing an epic college football game, between staying in playoff position one day into November and slipping out, maybe for good?
Kris Frost and Laquon Treadwell arrived at that intersection near the goal line Saturday night in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with 90 seconds left on the scoreboard clock.
The pass play that all but ended the game started at the Auburn 20 with the visitors leading and Ole Miss driving and one final lead change in the air.
Treadwell, the tough and talented Ole Miss wide receiver who caught the ball, was fighting to drag an Auburn tackler the final 5 yards across the line. He was driving and striving to score the touchdown that would put the No. 4 Rebels a minute and a half away from an inspired come-from-behind win over the No. 3 Tigers.
That last-chance tackler was Frost, the tough and talented Auburn linebacker, who was fighting just as hard to drag down Treadwell from behind before he crossed the line. Frost vice-gripped his hands on Treadwell's hips and wouldn't let go.
It was a clinic on effort by both men, and the ride ended with a frightful and fateful take-down.
Frightful because it led to Treadwell getting carted off the field with what looked like a serious leg injury. Fateful because, as his knees buckled under the force of Frost's pull, his body crossed the plane and the ball followed - but not in his possession.
It was ruled a touchdown by the officials on the field, but replay revealed it was clearly a fumble. Auburn linebacker Cassanova McKinzy pounced on the ball in the end zone an instant before Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram could get to it.
As the replay official studied the visual evidence up in the booth, medical personnel attended to the wounded Treadwell down on the field. It was a powerful mixture of conflicting emotions for both teams and both sets of fans.
The medical personnel took Treadwell from the field in a cart, something no one who cares about this sport ever wants to see. The referee on the field conveyed more bad news to the third-largest crowd in Vaught-Hemingway history.
The ball had indeed come loose before Treadwell could control it across the goal line. It was a fumble, and Auburn had recovered it. The last 90 seconds had to be played, but they would fade into insignificance.
"It's a really, really sickening way to lose," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said.
It's hard to imagine one program, which had gained so much respect all season long for its skill and its will, losing more on one play.
Both players and both teams deserve our respect, and Treadwell
deserves all the prayers and best wishes we can send. There will be time
to sort through what the final score really means, but we can say one
thing for sure.
At that goal line, at that moment, that was college football at its thrilling and agonizing best.
It was hard to watch and impossible to look away.
How narrow is the margin between winning and losing an epic college football game, between staying in playoff position one day into November and slipping out, maybe for good?
Kris Frost and Laquon Treadwell arrived at that intersection near the goal line Saturday night in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with 90 seconds left on the scoreboard clock.
The pass play that all but ended the game started at the Auburn 20 with the visitors leading and Ole Miss driving and one final lead change in the air.
Treadwell, the tough and talented Ole Miss wide receiver who caught the ball, was fighting to drag an Auburn tackler the final 5 yards across the line. He was driving and striving to score the touchdown that would put the No. 4 Rebels a minute and a half away from an inspired come-from-behind win over the No. 3 Tigers.
That last-chance tackler was Frost, the tough and talented Auburn linebacker, who was fighting just as hard to drag down Treadwell from behind before he crossed the line. Frost vice-gripped his hands on Treadwell's hips and wouldn't let go.
It was a clinic on effort by both men, and the ride ended with a frightful and fateful take-down.
Frightful because it led to Treadwell getting carted off the field with what looked like a serious leg injury. Fateful because, as his knees buckled under the force of Frost's pull, his body crossed the plane and the ball followed - but not in his possession.
It was ruled a touchdown by the officials on the field, but replay revealed it was clearly a fumble. Auburn linebacker Cassanova McKinzy pounced on the ball in the end zone an instant before Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram could get to it.
As the replay official studied the visual evidence up in the booth, medical personnel attended to the wounded Treadwell down on the field. It was a powerful mixture of conflicting emotions for both teams and both sets of fans.
The medical personnel took Treadwell from the field in a cart, something no one who cares about this sport ever wants to see. The referee on the field conveyed more bad news to the third-largest crowd in Vaught-Hemingway history.
The ball had indeed come loose before Treadwell could control it across the goal line. It was a fumble, and Auburn had recovered it. The last 90 seconds had to be played, but they would fade into insignificance.
"It's a really, really sickening way to lose," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said.
It's hard to imagine one program, which had gained so much respect all season long for its skill and its will, losing more on one play.
At that goal line, at that moment, that was college football at its thrilling and agonizing best.
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