Saturday, November 26, 2016

2016 Game 12 The Alabama Game

Here we go again---another Auburn-Alabama game.  Auburn is a big underdog in Tuscaloosa for a 2:30 kickoff on CBS.  I haven't thought too much about the game this week for I am still getting over that 13 to 7 loss to Georgia.  If we had won that game. . . but we didn't.  Sean White has been injured which hurt us in the Georgia game.  Will he start today or will senior Jeremy Johnson get a shot a redemption?  Can our defense keep us in the game?  Will our offense have any kind of consistency?  How strong will Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson be?  Can we throw the ball at all?  We'll see.

FIRST QUARTER
Auburn 3 Alabama 10
The Tigers score first after a 58 yard punt return by Stephen Roberts but Alabama totally dominates the quarter.  Auburn has yet to make a first down.  Our offense is a no-show.  Jeremy Johnson is our quarterback.

HALF
Auburn 9 Alabama 13
Defense and Daniel Carlson.  Auburn has only one first down but with 2 interceptions by Daniel Thomas and the best placekicker in the country we trail by only 4 at the half.  With any offense at all we would be ahead in this game.

THIRD QUARTER
Auburn 12 Alabama 27
Field goals won't win it.  Defense is doing the best it can.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 12 Alabama 30
The game goes about as you would expect.  Our offense had no consistency.  You can't  win with 4 field goals.  The defense played well enough to give us a chance if the offense had done anything at all.  Kamryn Pettway played but was not a factor.  Jeremy Johnson was a nonentity.  Franklin came in the second half and completed a long pass to give us a spark but we had to settle for the field goal.
The Tigers finish 8 and 4.  We wait to see what bowl game.  Whatever.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

2016 Game 11 Alabama A & M

I will not recount this game in detail.  Auburn is a prohibitive favorite.  The game is a 6:30 kick on the SEC network.  Jeremy Johnson will start his first game of the season.  Auburn has several starters including Pettway and White not playing.   I predict it will be sloppy and Auburn will win but not by the margin you should expect.

FIRST QUARTER
Auburn 14  AAMU 0

HALF
Auburn 24 AAMU 0

THIRD QUARTER
Auburn 48 AAMU 0

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 55 AAMU 0

Monday, November 14, 2016

After Georgia

The Georgia loss in 2016 is one of the worst losses in Auburn football history.  There is no way to sugarcoat it.  It is what is is.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

2016 Game 10 Georgia

Here it is Georgia time again.  I have so many memories of this series.  Unfortunately most of the memories are bad ones.  The Bulldogs have won 8 of the last 10.  Auburn hasn't won in Athens since 2005.  The 7 and 2 Tigers are somehow a 10-point favorite over the 5 and 4 Bulldogs.  Kirby Smart is in his first year with UGA.  If Auburn wins, we play UA for the SEC West.  Kamryn Pettway is doubtful.  I think everyone else is good to go.

FIRST QUARTER

Here we go again.  It's about time we won again between the hedges.
Kamryn Pettway is not dressed out.
After the teams exchange possessions UGA drives to a first down at the Auburn 15 but on second down Tray Matthews intercepts in the end zone as their wildcat qb throws where on Matthews was stationed.
The Tigers move to a first down at the UGA 37.
Kerryon Johnson is in there but he is obviously not 100%.
The Tigers move to a first down at their 13.
Georgia calls TO as their defense is breathing hard.
First down to the 3.
With 28 seconds to go KJ runs it in on first down from the wildcat.
That was one impressive drive mixing up the run and pass off the Tray Matthews interception in the end zone  That was an 80 yard drive on 15 plays.

Auburn 7 Georgia 0

The clock expires with UGA facing 2nd and 4 from their 31.

SECOND QUARTER

Georgia moves to a first down to the AU 45.
Georgia moves no further and the Dogs are punting from there.
Auburn starts at their 15.
The Tigers move across midfield smartly but a big loss on third down leaves us punting from the AU 49.
The Bulldogs start from their 19 after Auburn drives but the drive bogs down.
UGA moves to the Auburn 45.
UGA moves to a first down to the AU 30 on a questionable third interference call on Auburn.
Their QB is crushed on third and 7.
That third down sack drives them out of field goal range.  Wow!
Georgia catches the punt at our 2 with 3:58 remaining.
After a first down to the 15 we are punting.
The punt goes out of bounds at the Auburn 47.
Plenty of time for the Dogs to score with 1:54 left.
There's a big sack on their QB on first down.
There's a good run on third down leaving them with 4th and 7 with 29 seconds left.
Georgia punts.
The ball rolls dead at the 8 with 17 seconds left.
The half will end with Auburn leading 7 to 0.
At the half it's anybody's game.  What else would  you expect at Sanford Stadium?

THIRD QUARTER

Having deferred the Tigers start the second half at the 25.
From there the Tigers open with two passes but on the third pass UGA intercepts and runs it back 34 yards for the touchdown.  Not the opening possession we desired and quickly we are tied with less than a minute expired in the second half.

Auburn 7 Georgia 7

Oh, my.  How will the Tigers respond?
I am surprised that we came out throwing.
Bad read by Sean White trying to hit Will Hastings.
First bit of adversity by the Tigers.  We have to overcome their momentum.
From the 32 we fail to convert on third down.
Auburn is punting.  This half is starting badly.
UGA fair catches on their 27.
Georgia is three and out and AU fair catches at our 31.
AU is three and out.
UGA moves out to around midfield where they punt.
AU is three and out again.
White is having a miserable night throwing and we don't have Pettway.
UGA has the ball again.  This game is moving away from us but we are still tied 7-7.
UGA is first down at their 43 with 3: 47 to go.
Georgia has all the momentum but we're still tied at 7-7.
Georgia converts a third down and they are in business at our 35.
We're in deep trouble.
After a penalty UGA is second and 15 at our 40.
Third and 9 at the 34.
First down pass to the 25 or so.
Our defense cannot get off the field.
UGA offense is in rhythm.
There is a bad snap or mishandle by their QB and a loss of 13 back to the 38 as the quarter ends.

FOURTH QUARTER

On fourth down UGA lines up for the field goal attempt.
The 45 yarder is good.  Georgia leads.

Auburn 7 Georgia 10

We have to find some offense somewhere.  We did not make a single first down in the third quarter.
It's crunch time.  Will Auburn respond in this longest running rivalry in the South?
13:44 to go.
From the 25 what can our offense do?
Pass incomplete.
Pass incomplete.
Third and 10.
Pass incomplete.
Auburn is quickly three and out.
Our offense has died in the second half.
There's a big punt return and UGA is at their 46.
Auburn has died in the second half.  It will take a 2013 type miracle to pull this one out.
The ONLY good thing at this point is that there is a lot of time left.
The Dogs drive to the AU 32 before they MISS a field goal attempt.
The Tigers get the ball back at the 32 trailing by three.  We have yet to pick up a first down in the half.
Can we come up with some offense to win the game?
Alas, we are three and out as Kam Martin drops a first down pass.
Still a lot of time left is the only good thing.
An interference call on the punt and UGA starts on their 31with 9:13 left.
This looks bleak.  As Coach Dye, there are no miracles on the football field.
Georgia drives to inside our 5 with 2:35 to go and a third and goal from the 4.
Incomplete pass into the end zone.
We have one TO left.  We still have a chance but it will take a miracle drive.
The field goal is good.

Auburn 7 Georgia 13

We have a little over 2 minutes left and one TO.
We have yet to make a first down in this half.
Our defense has yet to yield a  TD in this game but our offense is totally discombobulated.
We bring the KO out of the end zone but only manage the 13.
This will take a 2013 miracle and it's not likely.
We move to 4th and 2 at the 21 or so.
Over the middle pass incomplete.  That's the game.
When is the last time an Auburn team failed to make a first down in a half?
This is totally disappointing.  Sure, we missed Kamryn Pettway but you can't blame it on one missing player.  There is no excuse for the bad performance of our offense.  Unbelievable.  Perplexing.  So sad.  We needed a great game from Sean White and it didn't happen.
Over and out.  Auburn controlled its own destiny and failed.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

It's Simple

Auburn beats Georgia and Alabama and goes to the SEC Championship game.  The Final Four for the playoff takes care of itself.  But first, Georgia.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

2016 Game 9 Vanderbilt

After a 1 and 2 start the Auburn football has caught fire having won 5 straight.  Will it continue today against Vanderbilt?   The Dores come in 4 and 4 with what we read is a good defense that could challenge our run game.  The game is an 11 kickoff on ESPN at Joran-Hare.  Auburn is a 20 point plus favorite.

FIRST QUARTER

Just before kickoff we hear that Sean White will not be starring due to an undisclosed injury.  He did not take reps this week.  How could we not have heard about this?
Vanderbilt receives and moves right into Tiger territory one first down after another.
The Commodores move to a 52 yard field goal.

Auburn 0 Vanderbilt 3

Here go with JFIII.
The Tigers march from their 37 to a first and goal at the 6.
Franklin has had two good runs so far.
Kerryon Johnson runs around right end and stretches to the chalk line for the touchdown after a review.
It was all on the ground.  No passes.

Auburn 7 Vanderbilt 3

Vanderbilt drives to a 4th and 2 but our defense holds and we assume possession inside our 40.
We go three and out with a third & 4 pass to Macus Davis and he can't bring it in.
The Dores and three and out and after a poor kick AU is in business at the Vandy 41.
First play and Franklin fumbles the ball back to Vanderbilt.  Not good.  Franklin fumbles.
You cannot turn the ball over when you are playing a team you are supposed to beat.
Vanderbilt gets 16 yards on first down as the quarter ends.

SECOND QUARTER

 The Tigers are sluggish so far.  I still don't understand how it didn't come out that Sean White didn't take any reps this week.
The Commodores are at midfield at the start of the second quarter.
Vanderbilt moves to a first down at the 25.
This game is not going as expected early.
First down to the AU 14.
There is a touchdown pass from the 8 on an uncovered receiver.
This is not good.  Goodness, gracious.

Auburn 7 Vanderbilt 10

Vanderbilt is impressive.  Auburn is comatose.
From the 25 a promising drive ends in a 45-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson.

Auburn 10 Vanderbilt 10

What now?
Another pooch kick for some reason and VU starts at their 27 or so.
Vanderbilt is moving the ball again.
This game is going exactly like the Commodores wanted.
VU is first down at the AU 33.
I do not understand this.
(DeShaun Davis was ejected earlier for targeting.  Tre Williams was already out)
They are successful running and with the short passes.
As I type this MSU is leading TAMU 28 to 7.  If we lose this game it will be a tragedy.
First down Vanderbilt at the Auburn 20.
This is not good.
We finally hold for a field goal attempt.
The 34 yard attempt is good and Vandy leads.

Auburn 10 Vanderbilt 13

Auburn fumbles the kickoff on an attempted trick play and AU is backed up on the 7.
No chance to advance the ball from the 7.
This is Vandy's game so far.
JFIII is a problem.  Linebackers being out is a problem.  We are missing Sean White.  We seem to have no passing opportunity without him.

THIRD QUARTER

The Tigers are to receive and this could be the most important possession of the year so far.
From the 25 Sean White comes out despite not taking snaps this week in practice we were told.
Auburn moves to a first down at midfield but there is a holding call.
Auburn drives neatly but Pettway fumbles and Vandy recovers sat their 25.
That's two turnovers.  Behind Sean White we were moving the ball as we've come to expect but two turnovers so far have loomed large.  Pettway always drives for extra yards but he has to hold on to the ball.  Goodness, gracious.
The play is reviewed and the fumble call is overcalled.  AU retains possession.  Big deal for us!
Auburn is at the 25.
White to Slayton from the 21 for the touchdown!
What a big difference to have Sean White back!!!

Auburn 17 Vanderbilt 13

Not having practiced all week, White comes in and looks as sharp as ever.
After one first down VU punts and Auburn drives for a 53 yard field goal.
The offense is so much more fluid with White in there.

Auburn 20 Vanderbilt 13

Here comes Vanderbilt's second possession of the half.
From the 25 there's a first down pass to the Vandy 40.
Third and 5 from their 45.
Early movement makes third and 10.
First down pass to our 49.
First down pass again to the 33 on a third and 14.  Oh, my.  Great passing execution by them.
Vanderbilt has converted on third down all game long.  End of the quarter with Vanderbilt driving.

FOURTH QUARTER

This game is too close for comfort.  I'd hate for it to go down to the buzzer but it certainly could.
Third and 5 at the Auburn 28 for VU.
Auburn is supposed to be good on third down but not today.
Auburn holds on third down for once and they have to go for the 3.
Wow, the 47 yard attempt is good.

Auburn 20 Vanderbilt 16

This is anything but easy.  The Vegas line is way off.
KJ runs the kickoff back to our 42.
Auburn is quickly inside the VU 20.
From the 15 we have settle for the field goal attempt.
It's good as usual.

Auburn 23 Vanderbilt 16

We just cannot get separation and have to settle for field goals.
It's about time for a turnover.
After one first down we finally force a punt.
The punt goes into the end zone and with 8:15 to go Auburn starts at their 20.
One more score is desperately needed here.
What will our offense do?
Two consecutive dubious holding calls begins to disrupt this possession.
From the 25 we have third down.
Incomplete pass.  Holding calls and an incomplete pass to to Marcus Davis and AU is punting.
VU will have their ball on their 30 with 6:29 to go.
This Vandy possession maybe be the ballgame.
Time for a turnover.
Our defense steps and Vandy is punting on 4th and 15 and a three and out.
The punt stops dead inside our 20.
Come on offense!
Bubba Pettway breaks a long one all the way to the 11.
Pettway comes out favoring a leg at the end of the play.  Don't know the story on this injury.
We have to settle for the FG attempt without Pettway.
On the attempt an offsides against Vandy is not called as one of their players jumped over our center before the snap.  Unbelievable!  FG blocked on a blatant no call on the obvious offsides.
The Dores move to the AU 30.  Goodness!!!
INTERCEPTION!!! BY HOLSEY!!!
The game is closed won.  Thank goodness.
The no-call on the obvious offsides might have cost us.
Justice is served.

AUBURN 23 VANDERBILT 16

We hope that Pettway is okay.  Auburn is in control of its own destiny in November as TAMU loses at MSU.
Boy, oh boy






Thursday, November 3, 2016

Toward Vanderbilt

The Tigers ride a 5 game winning streak into Saturday's home game against Vandy.  The Commodores are not the Vandy of old.  The Dores are 4 and 4 with a good defense though they seem to struggle to score points.  The Tigers cannot take anyone for granted.  After a rough start, at this point this is an exciting football season.

Cubs Win!

I always hoped to see the Cubbies win a World Series. It finally happened last night, in extra innings of Game 7. Good for David Ross, former Auburn player, who at 39 will retire as a World Series champion.