2015 Game 12 Alabama

Alabama is a 14 point favorite at Jordan-Hare.  The team that is supposed to win this game almost always does.  People say it's the Iron Bowl and you never know.  Unfortunately we do know.  I wish it were different, but as they say these days, it is what it is.  Too many things would have to go right for the Tigers to win this year.

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive and go three and out.
Alabama starts their drive on their 42 and drive for a field goal.
Carlton Davis is injured on the play before the field goal but trots off the field under his own power.

Auburn 0  Alabama 3

The Tigers mount a drive moving to a 2nd and 8 from the Alabama 12 with a timeout mixing it nicely with between the tackle runs, speed sweeps, and a wheel route completion.
The Tigers settle for the field goal but it was good drive anyway.  We're doing quick hitting plays and doing misdirection.
The offense showed some spark.  Can we keep it up?

Auburn 3  Alabama 3

Our defense looks in forcing UAT to a three and out.
After a good punt return by Melvin Davis we are in business at their 49.
Again we have to settle for the field goal but that's okay. Carlson is good from 44.

Auburn 6  Alabama 3

Auburn almost gets a safety on the kickoff as their receiver runs the ball back from 9 yards deep in the end zone.  We had tacklers back there and with the right angle it would have been 2 points for us.
From their 10 UAT has first and 10 from their  as the quarter ends.

SECOND QUARTER

Derrick Henry is starting to ramble.  We have to stop him.
They cross midfield behind Henry.
So far their RB is their entire offense.
Our defense stiffens again and we force the 41 yard field goal.
So far their QB Coker is off target.  They depend on their heavy run game.

Auburn 6  Alabama 6

The key question so far: can our offense do enough to keep our defense off the field enough to give us a chance in the 4th quarter?  Unlikely.
The Tigers go three and out.  The offense does nothing on that possession.  After looking quick and crisp we look slow on those 3 plays.  We've had 4 possessions so far: 2 field goals and 2 three and outs.
Alabama starts their possession after the punt from their 36.
There's a 13 yard completion to the 49.
Come on, defense!
There's a long completion down to the Auburn 5.
Henry crashes to the one.
On second down from the one we drop Henry back at the 9 as our defense completely clogs up the middle.
On third and goal from the 9 the pass is incomplete.  Coker is erratic and that's good for us.
They get the chip shot field goal.

Auburn 6  Alabama 9

Coach Muschamp is livid on the sidelines perhaps pointing out Alabama's blatant holding.
Interesting game so far.  If our offense can just step it up we might be in this game.
The Tigers drive again but Carlson misses a 48 yard attempt.
On third and 2 JJ tries to hit Louis downfield.  A better throw and it would have been a touchdown.
Alabama drives.  Countess drops a potential pick with a clear field in front of him.  Should have been a pick 6.
Alabama gets a 50 yard field goal.
We had a chance there for huge play but Countess can't come up with the ball.
To win this game you have take advantage of your opportunities and we missed a big one there.

Auburn 6  Alabama 12

With 34 seconds left what will Auburn do?
 We are forced to punt but they ruff the punter.  No miracle on the attempted Hail Mary.
The Tigers are in this game.  This is the first time since 2004 that a touchdown hasn't been scored in the first half.
Our offense has to hold up in the second half.  We can't leave the defense on the field to win this game.
After the teams swap possessions Alabama drives for the touchdown.  The sad thing is that on third and long we should have dropped Coker for a loss forcing a punt but they get the first down and then get a 34 yd. TD pass where again we should have sacked him.

Auburn 6  Alabama 19

THEN on our next possession on third and 12 Johnson hits Jason Smith for a 77 yard touchdown!  Smith knocked the ball up into the air to himself and went the distance.  Shades of Ricardo Louis against Georgia.
At this point we have a ball game.

Auburn 13  Alabama 19

Alabama is driving approaching midfield as the clock winds down in the third quarter.
They are trying to lean on our defense and wear us down.
With 33 seconds left in the quarter UAT is punting around midfield.
The punt goes into the end zone as the quarter ends.
We go to the fourth quarter and we have a ballgame!

FOURTH QUARTER

The final quarter of this historic series begins with Auburn starting a possession on their 20.
Auburn has a chance.  Before the game we would certainly have taken this position.
Johnson hits Louis to the 45 on the first play.
We are pushed back to the 35 on third and 10.  On the previous play Louis was open but Johnson overthrows him.  We can get receivers open if our QB can only make accurate throws.
Alabama fair catches on their 19.  At least don't give them good field possession to start this drive.
13:43 to go.
Henry is carrying the load.
Third and one.
First down to the 35.
There is bad call on Auburn of course and they get 15 yards.  Once again a referee makes himself known in this game.  It's a bad call on a so-called late hit which wasn't.  Our announcers are livid as is Coach Malzahn.  To top it off there is another unsportsmanlike dead-all foul against our bench.  Unbelievable!
Saban rides officials for 60 minutes and never gets a call.  The refs are giving them the game.
They kick the field and it's a 9 point game thanks to the officials.
This is ridiculous.  Completely ridiculous.

Auburn 13  Alabama 22

10:04 left.
The unsportsmanlike call put them in field goal range.
We have to move the ball here and hope the officials don't take it away from us.
There is an out-of-bounds call on Reuben Foster and there is a sarcastic roar from the crowd.
Auburn is on their 45.
That's as far as we get and we are punting with 8 minutes left.
UAT fair catches at their 18.
7:49 to go.
Alabama leans on Henry and we can't stop him as the clock winds down.
This is the way it will end it seems as they run the clock down.
With 2:46 left we get the ball back but still trail by 9.
We go 3 and out.  An open Melvin Ray drops a first down pass on fourth down that's that.

We had some chances in this game that we didn't take advantage of.
Johnson threw behind some open receivers.
We had two drops on our last possession.  We've had drops all year.
The officials gave them 30 yards on their last FG drive.
We had the momentum at that point but the refs put them in field goal range.
On the out of bounds call against us Carl Lawson was blatantly held but there was no call.
The refs played a big part in giving them the game.
They deserved to win yet it's a shame that the refs took away our momentum at the end.
Henry gets a late score to rub it in.

FINAL SCORE

13-29

Too bad because it was a lot closer than that.