2017 The TAMU Game

This is a big game.  They're all big now.  This is November and it's down to basics.  Auburn has a daunting task ahead, and it begins today.  The Tigers are favored in College Station.  The visiting team has a habit of winning this game.  Let us hope this trend continues today.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn wins the toss and defers.  TAMU drives to  39 yard FG.  The defense played well except for giving up one long run of about 35 yards over their left side.  There is was nobody in our second line of defense on that play.

Auburn 0  TAMU 3

The Tigers drive to a 4th and a half yard.  The fake on the 39 yard attempt goes for the first down BUT Golson is called for holding.  The 49 yard attempt is blocked and that's a tough break on the road.  The game is not starting well on the road.  The offense showed it can move the ball.  Why did't we go for it on 4th and less than a yard instead of the fake FG attempt?  A big special teams breakdown here.
After the blocked FG the Aggies go three and out quickly.  There was a sack on first down.
Auburn fair catches the punt on the Tiger 24.
Stidham is  sacked for a 4 yard loss on first down.  TheAggies are supposed to be a good sack team.
Auburn is quickly three and out as the Tigers end up in 4th and 14.
This team cannot afford to get behind the chains on third and long.
The punt rolls out of bounds at the Aggie 30.
TAMU is quickly three and again.  That's three three and outs in a row by both teams.
Auburn fair catches at the 16.
On a 12 yard gain on first down Auburn is called for holding.
Stidham is sacked on second down and the Tigers are punting from the 18.
Penalties have been our nemesis so far.
The Aggies fair catch at their 35.
The quarter ends with TAMU facing third and 6.

SECOND QUARTER

So far all I can say is that this will be a close game.
Our offense has got to get it going mixing the run and pass.
No one-dimensional.
TAMU is getting too much pressure on Stidham.  Two penalties have hurt the most.
TAMU is three and out again.  Good job by the defense if only our offense can help the defense.
AU fair catches on their 25.
Finally the offense moves the football on the ground smartly.
First down to the Aggie 19.  Kim Martin has some good runs.  One breakaway by KJ.
After a two yard gain time out Auburn with 2nd and 8.
First down pass to Hastings to the four.
KJ to the three.
TD pass to KJ as Stidham rolls right and hits Johnson in the flat.
That's the way to do it!  Mostly on the ground but still mixing it up.

Auburn 7  TAMU 3

TAMU is three and out for the their straight time.
AU fair catches on the 14 after a booming punt.
After one first down Auburn is punting.
The punt goes into the end zone on a 70 yard punt.
7:12 to go.
TAMU changes quarterbacks and picks up a first down.
The Aggies move thru the air to the Auburn 39.
All of a sudden with a new QB the Aggies are moving the ball.
First down to the 29.
There is huge run to the Auburn two.
Big difference with the new redshirt QB.
Yikes.  TAMU is poised to take the lead.
Firt and goal for the Aggies at the Auburn two.
Touchdown TAMU as their runner bounces off an attempted tackle in the backfield.

Auburn 7  TAMU 10

The thriller is on.  The Aggies made the right call in changing quarterbacks.  Can Auburn respond?
4:01 to go.
The Tigers go three and out from the 25 on three straight incompletions.
After a poor punt TAMU starts at midfield,
First play on a middle screen the Aggies are immediately inside our ten.
Oh, my.  TAMU has all the momentum.  Gut check time.
Third and goal from the seven.
Fourth and goal from the seven.
Fortunately our defense stiffens and only gives up the three.

Auburn 7  TAMU 13

From the 25 after two first downs Stidham hits Slayton on a 53 yard TD pass.
That's how you do it!
The strike comes on a 2nd and one.  You can do wonders on a second and one.

Auburn 14  TAMU 13

TAMU has 90 seconds to work with from their 20 with three timeouts.
The Aggies go three and out and line up to punt with 29 seconds to go.
THE KICK IS BLOCKED!  THE KICK IS BLOCKED!  THE KICK IS BLOCKED!
A bevy of white shirts surround the ball in the end zone and Malick Miller recovers in the end zone for the 6.  Wow!  A special teams touchdown is a big deal.

Auburn 21  TAMU 13

What a way to end the first half!
The Tigers get the ball coming out in the second half.

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn starts at the 25.  Get to what looks like an inch or two short of the 35 on third down, but after a measurement the officials signal first down.  The play is reviewed.  Never seen this before.  It does look like the chains were not originally lined just right.  The ruling on the field is overturned.  We were short of the 35 but the on the field ruling was first down because the chains said first down.
TAMU starts on their 19.
TAMU is quickly three and out.
Roberts returns the punt to the AU 36.
Second Auburn possession of the half coming up.
First play short pass to Stove down to the TAMU 35.
Stidham keeps to the 11 on the next play.
KJ loses two back to the 13.
Stove to the 5 off a short pass.
Third and 4 from the 5.
TD PASS TO THE RYAN DAVIS WITH STIDHAM ROLLING RIGHT.  GREAT TOUCH PASS.
That's the way to do it!!!

Auburn 28  TAMU 13

TAMU is again three and out.  4th and 4 from their 29.
9:49 to go in the third with a timeout.
The punt goes off the back of one of their players and AU starts on the Aggie 47.
KJ loses one.
There is another deep completion  to Slayton to the Aggie two.
Kerryon Johnson lowers his head from the two for the score.

Auburn 35  TAMU 13

At the moment Auburn has taken over this game.
Seven straight three and outs and our offense has come alive.
TAMU hits a slant route for a long TD pass with 6:09 to go in the third.
It's not over yet as I knew it wouldn't be.
It looked like our defense wasn't lined up quite right on that play.

Auburn 35  TAMU 20

AU begins at the 17.
The Tigers drive to a 52 yard field goal attempt but the kick is blocked and TAMU starts at the AU 46.
This game is far from over.
Their possession to a third and 5.
First down to the AU 31.
This game is far from over.
First down to the 12.
After Auburn scores 28 straight TAMU has come back and we have a ballgame going into to the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER

The final stanza starts with the Aggies first and 10 on our 12.
It's time for some Auburn heroics.
Kyle Field must be rocking.
TAMU moves to 4 and 2 from the four.
Closer to three than two.
Incomplete pass!  Our defense holds.  TAMU goes for it rather than kick the easy FG.
First down Auburn from their four.
The Tigers drive 96 yards for the touchdown in one of the great Auburn drives that I have seen.
THAT was a championship drive to hopefully ice this game.
KJ did most of the legwork running determinedly and making a one-handed catch on a third down.
Stove sweeps right end on third and goal from the four for the score.
What drive!!!
13 plays 8:17 off the clock.  96 yards.

Auburn 42  TAMU 20

The kick is returned to inside our 40.  Our kick-off coverage needs some work.  We are so used to touchbacks we seem unprepared for returns.
The Aggies move to a first and 10 from the eleven. thanks to an unfortunate interference call on Davis.  Bad call.
On 4th TAMU gets the passing touchdown with 3:11 to go.
After the KO return they only had 28 yards to go.

Auburn 42  TAMU 27

We've too many special teams plays in this game.  Here comes the onside kick.  Auburn catches the pooch kick.  Our ball.
AU starts on the TAMU 49.
8 yard KJ run on first down.
Third and two.
First down on the KJ wildcat.
The Tigers run the clock out.
Big win!  Big, big win!
Now it's on possible glory.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 42  TAMU 27