2018 The Ole Miss Game

Can you believe that Auburn is a 5 point favorite?  Hard to figure.  The Tigers come in limping after losing to Tennessee last week with now a 4 and 3 record.  Ole Miss is 5 and 2.  The Rebels feature a high flying offense and supposedly a weak defense.  How on earth will Auburn contend with a high scoring offense?  I don't see it.  The game kicks off at 11 on ESPN at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.  Will Malzahn survive this game?  Lots of discontent this week about our head coach.

FIRST QUARTER

Ole Miss receives.
The Rebels move right down the field.
Jeremiah Dinson misses the first half due targeting from last week.
On this first drive Smoke Monday, his replacement, is almost called for targeting.
The defense stiffens and we block their 40 yard FG attempt.
Let's hope this is a spark.

From the 23 here we go with the offense.
Quickly Auburn moves to the Ole Miss 38.
First down on a third and 15 to the 5.
Whitlow to the three.
Third down and goal at the three.
Short pass to Whitlow for the score untouched.
Good start at least.  The offense needed that.

Auburn 7  Ole Miss 0

From their 25 the Rebels move the ball again.
First down at the AU 29.
First down at the 14 after an interference call.
Second down at the 19 after a procedure call on Ole Miss.
Third down at the 19.  Auburn gets pressure on their QB but he is so shifty.
Their quarterback is tough to contain.  We will have to continue to put points on the board to win this game.
Fourth down at the 19.
The field goal attempt is good.

Auburn 7  Ole Miss 3

Good kick off return to the Auburn 39.
Second possession looks like typical dismal offense.
We are punting on 4th and 13 after a three and out.
Ole Miss starts at their 19.

The Tigers force the three and out on 4th and 5.
Auburn starts at their 30 after the exchange of punts.

On first down Stidham misses an open receiver.
Whitlow is dropped for a loss in the wildcat.
Stidham is sacked at the 21.
The offense goes backwards.
This is not going well as usual after that opening drive.  Abysmal offense.
Ole Miss starts around their 40.

The quarter ends with Ole Miss just short of the first down near midfield facing fourth down.
As the quarter ends we see the usual Auburn offense and with their quick strike offense I see no way we will win this game.  I do not understand how our offense can be so bad except that Stidham is awful.  Their not so good defense has held Auburn to straight three and outs.

SECOND QUARTER

Ole Miss is short on the fourth and short.  Good stop by the defense.  They were short by less than the length of the football.

Malik Willis is in the game.  Why not?
Give him a chance.  Hope for no turnover.  Even so, give him a chance.  He can't do any worse than Stidham, can he?
Auburn starts at the Ole Miss 49.
Stidham back in on third and three.
Shivers crashes over the left for the first down.
Third down at the 34.
We move to fourth and two.
Carlson misses the 47 yard attempt.
After only two plays Stidham returns to the game, but to no avail.  Why not leave Willis in the game?

Good opening drive, then the offense dies.  Same old script.
Ole Miss starts around their 30.
First play long completion to the Auburn 39.  The Rebels have a big play offense.
First down to the 28 behind a shifty quarterback.
We move to fourth down at the 25.
The field goal is good.

Auburn 7  Ole Miss 6

After a botched fair catch on a pooch kick Auburn advances from their four to across midfield.
On fourth and less than one Auburn will go for it around the Ole Miss 45.
First down to the 42 behind Whitlow in the wildcat.
Slayton has a catch in the end zone before the defender rakes the ball away.
Driscoll is helped off the field.
Whitlow takes the short throw and runs to the 12.
We move to third and 8 at the 10.
After another incompletion Anders makes the short field goal.
The offense could not seize the moment.

Auburn 10  Ole Miss 6

First play long completion to the Auburn 30.
Their QB is SO much better than ours.  This is the difference in the game.
From there we get a third down sack and Ole Miss calls time out with 1:29 left.
Auburn fair catches at the four.
The clock expires at third and one.  We are at halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn receive and marches impressively 68 yards for the touchdown mixing the run and short passes as Malik Miller crashes over from the one.

Auburn 17  Ole Miss 6

The Rebels move quickly to the Auburn 20.
First down to the 8 on a pass interference call.
On third down we get the big sack back to the 20.
The field goal is good.

Auburn 17  Ole Miss 9

The Tigers score on a long run by Whitlow, who fumbles again right at the goal line but Auburn recovers in the end zone.  Whew!
Four plays, 75 yards, Schwartz on the recovery in the end zone.

Auburn 24  Ole Miss 9

Ole Miss drives but our defense stops them on 4th and 3 at our 38.

There is a long pass completion to a wide-open Seth Williams to the one yard line.
Miller crashes over from the one and the offense scores quickly.

Auburn 31  Ole Miss 9

From the 25 Ole Miss goes three and out.
Ryan Davis fields the punt and Auburn starts at midfield.

First play Whitlow breaks free to the Ole Miss 23 and goes out limping.
The quarter ends with Auburn facing third and long.

FOURTH QUARTER

Auburn dominated the third quarter, but there is still one more to go against a potent Ole Miss offense.  Best quarter of the year.

We move to another missed Carlson field goal attempt this one 45 yards.   Every miss is to the right.  That would have been a big one to make.

Ole Miss starts quickly.  Our defense needs to stay in this game.
On third down we sack their QB at midfield.  Nick Coe has been very active today.
Ryan Davis fair catches at the 10 with 12:18 to go.

First down after a 35 yard completion to Slayton.
First down at the Auburn 48.
The clock goes under 10 minutes.
Malik Miller runs for 9 yards.  Another big run but called back for holding.
Then a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike on Malzahn.
We move to third and long.
Auburn to punt as the clock moves under 8 minutes.
Ole Miss fair catches at their 18.

The Rebels move to the Auburn 38 with 4:22 left.
The Tigers try to keep Ole Miss without a touchdown.
First down to the 25.
Second and 10 with 3:31 left.
First down near the 12.
To the 7 as the clock moves under 3 minutes.
After a 5 yard penalty there is a TD pass from the 12 with 2:24 left.

Auburn 31  Ole Miss 16

Auburn recovers the onside kick at the Ole Miss 46.
First play Kam Martin runs for a first down to the 36 as the clock runs under 2 minutes.
Martin to the 32 as OM calls timeout.
Ole Miss calls another timeout surprisingly with 1:34 left at third and four.
Ole Miss calls their last timeout with 1:28 with Auburn facing fourth and less than two to go.
Miller loses on fourth.

Ole Miss back on offense with 1:24 left.
Ole Miss to their 45 with 1:14 left.
Third and three with 1:08 left.
Ole Miss doesn't give up but Ole Miss looks foolish trying to score again with the outcome not in doubt.  The last play initiated with :01 left on the clock is a pass batted away in the end zone.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 31  Ole Miss 16