2019 The Ole Miss Game

This is the essence of a "trap game."  Auburn is favored by about 19.5 points with an off-week next week before Georgia.  Lose this game and the season is shot, and Malzahn seat will get hot quickly.  Joey Gatewood is gone.  We are an injury away from QB disaster.  The Rebels are second in the SEC in rushing.  They scored 31 on Alabama.  Ole Miss could win this game if Auburn does not play well.

FIRST QUARTER

Ole Miss receives and crosses midfield but our defense gets a stop on 4th and two at the AU 42.

The Tigers quickly move to the Ole Miss 28.
Alas, as is too often the case, we move to 4th down and a 41 FG attempt missed wide left.
Not a good start.  Sporadic offense as usual.  I am really nervous about this game already.

Ole Miss at their 24.
Ole Miss punting from their 49.
Auburn from their 15 after the punt.

Second play long completion to Schwartz to the Rebel 35.
As usual all we get is another missed FG attempt, this one about 49 yards.
Two catchable passes dropped are the culprits.
5:09 to go in the first.
This game is giving me a bad vibe.

From their 31 Ole Miss goes three and out.
Auburn starts on their 27.

The Tigers march sharply mostly on short passes to the Ole Miss 34 whereupon Nix fumbles the ball away.  Ole Miss on their 38.  This is not going well.  Our offense finds some way to botch a drive.

Ole Miss punts from the AU 47.  The Tigers take the ball back at their 18.

The quarter ends with Auburn on the move again crossing midfield.

SECOND QUARTER

The drive ends at midfield with a punt to the Ole Miss 10.

Ole Miss punts.  Auburn at their 25.
This is a lackluster game so far with Auburn having a yardage advantage but no points.

The Tigers drive to a first and goal at the Ole Miss 8 mostly on an efficient short passing game.
Second and goal from the five with a Rebel timeout.
Harold Joiner in the wildcat looks like he will score but fumbles at the one and fortunately Driscoll recovers at the two.
Incomplete pass.
Auburn has driven the ball up and down the field but as usual we have to settle for the FG attempt again, fortunately good.
So frustrating but we've become used to it.  How Joiner could have dropped that ball is amazing to me.  If it's not one thing it's something else.

Auburn 3  Ole Miss 0

Ole Miss punts from their 48 into the end zone.
If our offense doesn't pick it up Ole Miss will remain in this game to the end.

There is a 79 yard completion to the Ole Miss one to Joiner down the left sideline wide open on the catch.  We need to see more of Harold Joiner.
First and goal from the one and on the first play Williams punches it in.
That is more like it.
80 yard drive in three plays.

Auburn 10 Ole Miss 0

Three and out for Ole Miss and Auburn gets the ball back on their 28 with 1:38 left.

We can move only to the our 34 after trying a long pass completion rather than going for the first down, and we're punting with 1:24 left and Ole Miss will get the ball back.  A long percentage play will give Ole Miss a momentum swing.
Ole Miss gets a huge punt return all the way to the Auburn 23 with still over a minute left.  A bad turn of events.

An Ole Miss run to the Auburn 14.
Ole Miss run to the four.  Yikes!
Ole Miss touchdown on a 4-yrd. run.
What a late reversal.  Oh, my, my.

Auburn had the ball with under 2 minutes left and two timeouts but after a 55 yard punt return we have a ballgame.

Auburn 10 Ole Miss 7

A disgusting end to the first half.
This could get hairy before it's over.
Two missed field goals.  One turnover.  Giving up a 55 yard punt return.  Going three and out late to give Ole Miss the punt return opportunity.  Our offense is the same old inconsistent bunch.

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn gets the ball coming out.

Good KO return to almost midfield.
The Tigers march smartly for the touchdown.
Bo Nix fakes the middle and runs untouched around right end into the end zone.
That drive was mainly power running between the tackles.

Auburn 17  Ole Miss 7

Ole Miss quickly goes three and out.
Auburn on their 27 after the punt.

Auburn benefits on an unsportsmanlike to get a first down avoiding a fourth down.
The Tigers move inside the Ole Miss 40.
The drive ends at the Ole Miss 20.
Carlson is true.  Okay, but I so sick of field goals.

Auburn 20  Ole Miss 7

Ole Miss drives just across midfield before punting inside the Auburn give.

The quarter ends with Auburn driving near midfield.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Tigers end up punting to inside the Rebel 10.

First play Derrick Brown gets called for a late hit out of bounds.  A senior should know better than that.
Ole Miss is out to our 47 quickly.
This game is far from over.
Ole Miss moves to third and three.
Stuffed on third down!
They go for it and make the first down on 4th and five the QB scampering up the middle.
Another major distance penalty on Auburn and Ole Miss is at the Auburn 13.
We move to 4th and two.
First down to the one.
5:56 left.  This is too, too scary.
Nick Coe is tended to on the field after the last play.
Next play touchdown.

Auburn 20 Ole Miss 14

5:45 left.

The Tigers drive to a missed 49 yard FG attempt.  I would have punted.  Carlson doesn't yet have the moxie to make such a kick.

It's a heart-stopper.
Ole Miss drives from their 32 to a fourth and two with 17 seconds left around our 40 but we get pressure on their QB and Christian Tutt intercepts and gets to run out the remaining seconds.  Whew!

AUBURN 20  OLE MISS 15