2015 Birmingham Bowl

Thought about going, but decided to stay home.  It's raining and somber looking on TV as the game starts.  Auburn is 6 and 6 whereas Memphis is 9 and 3.  I think Auburn is something like a 3 point favorite.

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive and drive to a short field goal thanks to a fake punt from around midfield. Phillips to a wide-open receiver down the left side.   Disappointing in that we had first and goal from the three after the fake punt,  but had to settle for the 3 points.

Auburn 3  Memphis 0

After one first down Memphis is punting from their 38.  Auburn starts from their 30.

The Tigers drive for the touchdown.  Kerryon Johnson runs it in from the 8 in the wildcat.
Determined run by Johnson.

Auburn 10  Memphis 0

Memphis goes three and out and they punt to Davis at the AU 21.  Our defense looked good on that series.  Alas, our Tigers move to 4th and 1 as the quarter ends.  Our offense has to keep it going.  Didn't happen there.

SECOND QUARTER

After trying to draw Memphis offsides Auburn is punting.
There's an interference call on Auburn with the punt and Memphis starts at their 42.
Memphis goes for it on 4th and 2 at midfield.  The Tigers stop them!
Alas, on first down from midfield Jason Smith throws the interception on a sweep and he hits their safety on a bad attempt.
Memphis drives to the Auburn 35 helped by a 15 yard in the face penalty on Davroe Lawrence.  But our defense stands strong and holds them to a 53 yard field goal.
I will say this.  So far our defense looks good against what is supposed to be a good offense.  We are getting some pressure on their talented QB and our coverage is tight.  We are limited their yards after catch.  Little YAC!  We are stuffing their running attempts.

Auburn 10  Memphis 3

Auburn has another 3 and out.  On third and 9 Sean White has Louis open on a post but it's a bad throw and goes incomplete.  Then Phillips makes a bad punt and Memphis starts on their 48.  The Memphis Tigers are seizing the momentum.  How sad give the way our defense has been playing.  Our offense is not keeping up.  Our defense is carrying the load but sooner or later they will start to score.
On their next possession we push them back to a third and 25 but a proper face mask call gives them a first down on their 49.  They drive to a first down at our 20, but their FG attempt is BLOCKED!
Auburn starts at their 20 with 5:55 left.  First our defense and now our special teams come up big.
Now the sad thing is that Auburn goes for it around midfield on 4th and 1 and White throws the ball right to the defender who has clear field in front of him.  Our defense is playing so well but our offense is breaking us.  Maybe Sean White is rusty, yet we've had QB problems all year.  Our offense this year has been all about the quarterback play.

Auburn 10  Memphis 10

Sean White throws ANOTHER INTERCEPTION!  That's three on the day for our offense.  If we lose this game it will be because of offensive ineptitude.  Given how well our defense is playing this is so disappointing.
The half ends still tied.  Memphis gets the ball coming out in the second half.
With a proper offense and no turnovers we could have this game in hand.  Sooner or later their offene will score and we will end trying to catch up.
Our offense score 10 then give up 10.  Both of their scores come off of turnovers the TD straight to the end zone.
Our defense has its best half the year.  Kudos to Lance Thompson and company!
Our defense holds them to 91 yards in the half against what is supposed to be a great offense.
Our Gus Malzahn offense continues to disappoint just as it has all year.

THIRD QUARTER

Carlson kicks out of bounds and they start on their 35.
Quickly they go up-temps to our 45.
It sure looks like Memphis is heading to the end zone but from the 9 Carlton Davis tips the ball up into the air and Tray Matthews intercepts in the end zone.
The Tigers move from the 6 to their 39 but once again the drive bogs down.  Phillips gets off a great punt to the Memphis 9.
If nothing else we flipped the field.  But once again: where is our offense?  We simply do not have a good quarterback.
Memphis goes three and out.  You gotta like our defense.  Really!
Davis returns the punt to the Memphis 44.
Finally our offense comes to life.  White completes a couple of passes.  Jovon Robinson runs hard.
Then from the 11 on a first down Jeremy Johnson comes in for the first time and hits Jason Smith on a screen pass and Auburn takes the lead!

Auburn 17  Memphis 10

Memphis goes three and out.  What a game our defense has played so far.
The Tigers drive to a first and goal at the Memphis 5 as the quarter ends.  White hits Marcus Davis on a good pass play.  Jovon Robinson is running like a bulldozer.

FOURTH QUARTER

On the first play of the quarter Jeremy Johnson walks into the end zone from the 5.  I like it!

Auburn 24  Memphis 10

Memphis is three and out.  Marcus Davis gets a great punt return to inside their 10 to the 6.
Jovon Robinson POWERS in from the 4 for the touchdown.  Wow!  That was the kind of power running that I love.  This team has come on the second half.  Two plays 6 yards with 12 minutes and something left.

Auburn 31  Memphis 10

Quentin Riggins says that Jeremy Johnson has turned this offense around by forcing their defensive ends to stay at home which has opened up the middle.  It seems to vindicate the point that Malzahn needs a running quarterback.
Memphis moves the ball running.  Down the field they go finally getting some leverage on our defense.
At least they are using a lot of clock.
Memphis drives to a first down at the Auburn 16.
On fourth down from the 22 the pass in the end zone is INCOMPLETE!
Carl Lawson is chasing Paxton Lynch like he has down all day.  What a difference it would have made if he had been in there all year.
What a game our defense has played!  Where has this defense been all year?
Why shouldn't Lance Thompson be our DC???
He has put together an effective and aggressive game plan.
6:13 to go.
The Tigers run the clock our pushing to around the Memphis 25.
Auburn dominates this game even though it was tied at the half with turnovers keeping it close and then win going away in the second half.
I do not know how good Memphis is but they were 9 and 3, they beat Ole Miss, and all I heard was how good their offense was with their highly regarded 6'7" quarterback.  We got pressure on him all game, limited yards after catch and stymied any running game.  Memphis was averaging 510 yards and 43 points per game.  The defense only gives up 3 points.
Auburn ends the year on a high note.
Awesome!

AUBURN 31 MEMPHIS 10