The Alabama Game November 27, 2021

 This could have been a competitive game a few weeks ago. But then Auburn lost three straight games including blowing leads in the last two games including losing 21-17 to lowly South Carolina.  Now starting QB Bo Nix is out for the year.  Owen Papoe, our best linebacker, is out for the year.  Anders Carlson, our placekicker is out for the duration.  The Tigers limp into this game at 6 and 5.  Alabama is 10 and 1 having clinched the SEC West.  Again for me this is NOT the Iron Bowl.  The Iron Bowl is for when the game was played in Birmingham.  It's the Auburn-Alabama game.

FIRST QUARTER

Both teams go three and out on their first possessions.  Auburn punts from inside their 5 going backwards from their 13.  Alabama punts back inside our 5 from midfield as Johnson lets the ball hit the turf.

From the two Auburn gets a first down to the 26 helped by a face guard penalty against Alabama.  Another first down to the 36.  First down to the 46.  Punt from there.  Fair catch at the Alabama 14.  At least we flipped the field.

Moultry sack back to the seven.  But there is a long completion across midfield.  Great QB they have.  

Our defense holds on third and one around midfield.  Punt fair caught around our 11.

Completion to the AU 30.  Now punting from the 35.  Auburn is committed to running the football but it's tough sledding between the tackles. Out of bounds at the Alabama 35 not a very good punt.

Moving to third and one at the 44.  Fourth and less than one.  Surprisingly the Tide punts fair caught at the Tiger 25.

SECOND QUARTER

Second and nine and a holding call on us.  On third and four Finley is sacked.  Finley doesn't have Nix's escapability.  Drat!  Fair caught at their 29.

First down pass to the 40.  But we're in this game but it's early.  Bama moves to fourth and 14 and things get a little chippy.  I think the Tide is getting frustrated.  We are getting pressure on their quarterback.  And so far they have not any explosive downfield pass completions.  That's the difference.  The Tigers on their 26,

First down to the Auburn 40.  Punting on 4th and 7.  A receiver misses a catch he should have made.  Punt into the end zone.

The Tide is three and out.  Their QB is misfiring.  Auburn feeds the punt near midfield.  Still chippy out there.  There is clear targeting on the punt receiver.  Targeting call is upheld.  First down at the Alabama 41.  Big completion to Robertson to the Alabama 14.  Kobe Hudson 14 yard TD reception at the line of scrimmage and he runs it right in!  Wow!

Auburn 7 Alabama 0

From the 24 first down Alabama to their 36.  Then Young goes down!  Holding on the Tide!  Second and 28.  Third and 27.  Down he goes!  Fourth and 35.  The Tigers take the ball on Alabama 45.  

Three and out on third and four Finely eats the ball.  Alabama fields the ball inside their 10.  Good time for a turnover down there.

1:23 left.  Third and 10 with 46 seconds left.   First down run with 38 seconds left.  Turnover time.  First down incompletion.  The half ends.  

Auburn leads 7 zip at the half.  So far Alabama looks bumfuzzled.

THIRD QUARTER

Alabama goes backwards three and now punting from around their five yard line.  The Auburn defense is aroused.  Good punt runback to the Alabama 21.  Bigsby for five.  No gain on a swing pass.  Third and five.  Incomplete pass.  Squat!  Ben Patton makes the field goal.

Auburn 10  Alabama 0

Two rushes and an Alabama first down.  Their offense looks more energized.  But there is a personal foul on the Tide t negate the first down.   We move to third and 13.  Interception at the Tide 45!  That's what I have been looking for. I knew that if we kept getting pressure on Young he would throw one up for grabs.

We need to take advantage here for sure.  Five yards on first down.  Face mask on Alabama.  First down to the Alabama 25.  First down running loss.  Still tough to run the football.  There is a rushing gain.  Third and five.  Finely in a big sack to take us out of field goal range. Drat!  Big play in the game.  Fourth and 17 and we're punting.  Missed a big opportunity there.  Finley leaves the field slightly limping.  Punt into the end zone.  Missed a golden opportunity for sure.  I hope this is not a momentum changer.

Let's not give Alabama the momentum.  Their best receiver is out after a targeting call in the first half.  Halfway thru the third quarter.  Alabama first down out to their 37. Alabama called for holding.  We move to third and 8.  First down completion.  No gain.  Second and 10 at the Auburn 45. Third and 8.  First down pass inside the Auburn 20.  Second and 11.  Timeout Alabama.  Third and 11.  4th and 11.  Their FG attempt is botched by the holder.  No good!  Auburn retains the lead 10 zip.

From our 20 move to second and 17.  LONG short pass to Hunter across midfield but a holding call negates the play.  Next play we keep going backwards.  Oh, that holding call hurt.  Second and 25.  The quarter expires as we go in the final stanza Auburn leading 10 to 0.

FOURTH QUARTER

CAN WE HANG ON?  I am utterly amazed that we have held Alabama scoreless thru 3 quarters.

10 to 0 Auburn starting the fourth quarter.

We move to 4th down Auburn punting Alabama ball at their 26.  Quick first down to their 43.  Incompletion.  First down pass across midfield.  Run to our 40.  Third and short.  Fourth and two from our 39 AND YOUNG IS SACKED!  WOW!  A snap on the ground.

But then Finley throws the interception.  Alabama ball on their 42.  Good play by their DB.  Defense has to bow up again.

11:50 left.  Uh-oh.  Long run down to our 20.  First down on the ground.  They are gashing us now on the ground.  First and goal from the 9.  Second and goal from the 7.  Third and goal from the 7.  YOUNG IS SACKED!    The FG is good.

Auburn 10 Alabama 3

8:44 left.  Our offense can win this game right here.  Big run on first down by Bigsby.  A gain of one to the Auburn 48. Third and 7.  Another interception.  But roughing the passer on the Tide.  Finley is gimpy.  Auburn is milking the clock  We move to third and 13.  Finley almost throws another interception.  Fourth and 13.  Auburn downs the ball on the Alabama one yard line.

4:47 left.  

Gain of one.  Third and two. First down close to the 40.  Incompletion.  Second and 10.  Un, oh.  McCreary is on the turf.  3:18 left.  Third and short.  Fourth and one.  Here's the game if we can stop them.  2:06 left Alabama fourth and one from their 47.  Measurement.  FIRST DOWN AUBURN.  I LOVE IT!  AUBURN FOOTBALL.

1:54 left.  Second and 11.  Ball security is paramount.  At the Alabama 47.  Now third and two.  First down and the game is over.  Bigsby is tackled behind the line.  1:43 left with an Alabama timeout.  Chapman to punt.  The punt is downed at the three.  1:35 left.

Second and 10 from the three.  TD is playing the game of his life.  Third and 10 from the three.  First down pass to the 25.  From the 34 completion to the Auburn 45.  53 seconds left from the Auburn 42.  Third and 7 from the Auburn 42.  48 seconds left no Alabama timeouts.  Fourth and 7. We are down to cases. 43 seconds left.  Completion to the Auburn 28.  Incompletion to the end zone.  33 seconds left.  incompletion.  Wow completion in the end zone.  Touchdown Alabama.  24 seconds left.  Game tied.  OH, MY.

Auburn 10 Alabama 10

We are headed for overtime with Alabama having the momentum.

First overtime in this series.

OVERTIME

Both teams score touchdowns in the first overtime.

Auburn 17 Alabama 17

SECOND OVERTIME

Both teams get field goals.

Auburn 20 Alabama 20

THIRD OVERTIME

Determined by a 2 pt. conversion attempt starting in the third overtime.

Auburn 22 Alabama 22

FOURTH OVERTIME

Auburn's pass into the end zone is incomplete.

Alabama gets the completion and wins the game,  Tough loss but give Alabama credit.

Auburn 22 Alabama 24

The South Carolina Game November 20, 2021

 For the second consecutive week the Tigers blow an early lead and lose 21 to 17 at South Carolina.  With Bo Nix out for the season and top linebacker Owen Papoe also out, the Tigers an early 14-0 lead into a 21-17 loss.  We are not happy Tiger Campers.  This is our third straight loss.  No chance of beating Alabama now.

The Mississippi State Game November 13, 2021

 Kickoff at Jordan-Hare is at 11 on ESPN.  Auburn is 6 & 3 and MSU is 5-4.  Mike Leach brings in his amazing flying machine for which he is famous.  Auburn is maybe a 4 point favorite.  After last week's debacle in Texas will our offense show up?  It will need to because State will score some points.  Can our defense slow down their air raid offense?  We will see.

FIRST QUARTER

First play from scrimmage Auburn with a long completion to Jackson from the Auburn 33 to the State 19. First down to the 9.  Bigsby to the 5.  Bigsby bulls his way to the end zone.  Auburn goes 67 yards in 5 plays.  Nice way to start this game. 

Auburn 7 State 0

Anders kickoff goes out of bounds.  From the 35 to the State 46 go the Bulldogs.  To the Auburn 49.   State goes to 4th and 1 at the Auburn 45.  First down completion to the 39.  We move to third and 10 from the Auburn 39.  Would've been 4th and 10 but a roughing penalty against Moultry allows State to keep the ball. State on our 24. Big mistake by Moultry.  First down at the 15.  False start first and 15.  Second and 15.  Third and 10 at the Auburn 15.  Fourth and 12 after a delay penalty.  FG good.  

Auburn 7 State 3

First down Auburn at our 18.  A block in the back negates a huge return.  First down Bigsby run to the 30. Bigsby for 8 yards.  Bigsby to the 41.  Short pass completion for 2 yards.  From the Auburn 43 Javarius Johnson goes 57 yards to the end zone after a reception at the line of scrimmage.  Johnson had nothing but green grass in front of him.

Auburn 14 State 3

State begins on the 15.  First down on a third and ten to the 26.  Fourth down State.  Robertson falls on the punt at the Auburn 34.

First down 16 yard completion to Shed Jackson.  Hunter runs to the State 37.  Clock expires Auburn facing third and 8 at the State 35.

SECOND QUARTER

Completion to the state 18.  Nix runs to the 13.  To the 9.  4th and one.  First down run by Shivers to the 4.  On second down from the 4 Nix finds Luke Deal in the end zone.  11:59 in the second.

Auburn 21 State 3

State is three and out.  Defense playing well so far.  Robertson fair catches at the AU 32.

Completion to Robertson across midfield.  First down inside the State 35.  We move to third and seven.  First down pass to Hudson to the State 23.  Malcolm Johnson reception to the 15.  Touchdown pass to Hudson a one-handed catch in the end zone!

Auburn 28 State 3

State drives to the Auburn 20 with a little more than 2 minutes left in the half.  Completion to the Auburn 4.  Next play touchdown to an open receiver in the end zone.

Auburn 28 State 10

1:55 left.  First down to midfield.  To the State 42 timeout with 43 seconds left.  Completion to the 31.  Nix is sacked after a bad snap back to the 38.  28 seconds left.  Auburn attempts a 55 yard field goal but no good.  The QB sack is costly.

12 seconds left.  First down to the Auburn 45 with 5 seconds left.  Incompletion half over.

Auburn 28 to 10 at the half.

THIRD QUARTER

State receives and goes right down the 75 yards for the touchdown.  Looked easy.

Auburn 28 State 17

Not the way we wanted to start the second half.  Can our offense respond?

After one first down Auburn is punting.  The punt is downed at the State two.  If we manage to hold them here this will be a big play in this game.

An interference call on third and two gets a first down.  Down the field the Bullies go driving 98 yards for the touchdown.  My oh, my, how this game has turned around.  State goes for two and we finally sack their QB.  

Auburn 28 State 23

What now?

On third and 8 there is a long completion of 46 yards.  Facing third down at the 18.  Fourth down at the 18.  THE FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT IS BLOCKED.  OH MY!!!  This game is amazingly going in reverse motion.

Momentum is totally going their way.  Now our defense seems unable to stop them.  As the quarter ends State has a first down at our 25.  

FOURTH QUARTER

State goes right down the field unstoppable for the third straight time in this half the score coming from the 6 to a wide open receiver in the end zone.  The two point attempt is no good,

Auburn 28 State 29

I am in shock.

This team has got to get itself together in a hurry.

But we go 3 and out on 4th and 19.  This game has slipped away.  The Bulldogs will have the ball in great field position after the punt.  This is sad to watch.  This is a complete second half collapse.

Quickly they are inside our 15.  They move inside our five.  Our defense looks helpless.  TD pass from the four.  What a collapse by Auburn.  This has to be one of the worst in history.

Auburn 28 State 36

I don't what to say.

9:35 left.

No offense.  We try a fake punt but the punter's pass is batted away.  With good field position we get a sack but they are still threatening.  Another sack.  The second sack was reviewed and called targeting.  The TV announcers denounce the call on Moultry.  Adding insult to injury.  First and 10 at our 11.  Touchdown State.  Amazing comeback and collapse by Auburn.  The Tigers have no answers.  The call on Moultry is disgusting but our team in the second half is more disgusting.

Auburn 28 State 43

The offense finally gets it going.  Touchdown pass to J Johnson.  The play is reviewed to make sure he crossed the goal line.  In review the ball is placed inside the one.  Touchdown.

But the 2 point attempt is no good.

Auburn 34 State 43

The onside kick is not recovered.

3:29 left.  Game over.

Auburn gets the ball, Finley comes, and promptly drops the football and State recovers.

2:48 left and Auburn is out of timeouts.  The Tigers completely broke down in the second half.

FINAL SCORE

43 - 34 STATE

The Texas A & M Game November 6, 2021

 Here we go at Kyle Field where Auburn has never lost.  The CBS afternoon game.  Auburn ranked #12 TAMU ranked #13.  Both teams 6 and 2.  Auburn controls its destiny.  TAMU is a slight favorite.  It's a tossup.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn receives and drives to midfield but Nix is sacked at our 41 and the Tigers punt to the Aggie 16.  The Aggies drive smartly to a first and goal at the Auburn 5.  Second and goal from the 5. Third and goal from the 4.  Timeout Aggies.  Fourth and four after the incompletion.  Our defense holds them to a field goal.  

Auburn 0 TAMU 3

First down just across the 35.  Third and four now.  First down run by Shivers.  First down across midfield.     First own run up the middle by Nix.  Our offense is crisp.  Fist down inside the Aggie 20.  Second and 10. Third and 8.  Oh, no.  Hamm is on the ground.  We don't need to lose our center.  Fourth down FG attempt,  It's good with 20 seconds left in the first quarter.

Auburn 3 TAMU 3

TAMU runs the KO out of the end zone and the returner is dropped inside the 10.  Little gain on first down.

SECOND QUARTER

The Aggies go three and out.

Punt return almost to midfield.  Nix overthrows an open receiver.  First down across midfield.  Then third and long.  Fourth and long from midfield.  First down TAMU from around their 15.

The Aggies are quickly three and out again.  Auburn ball.

Alas, Auburn is three and out around midfield.  Fair catch called for but our defender ran into him to give them 15 yards.  First down TAMU on their 20.

First down run to the 38.  We move to 4th and 4.  Neither team can mount a consistent offense.

Auburn is punting from our 28.  TAMU starts on their 30.  A good punting contest so far.

First down Aggie completion.  We aren't getting to their QB enough.  Another running first down.  And another running first down.  Aggies having sudden success on the ground.  We move to an Aggie fourth down.  Forty-two yd. FG attempt NO GOOD.

After one first down Auburn is punting on 4th and 9 with 1:18 left.  TAMU on their 20 after the punt.  Nothing doing. 

HALFTIME

Total defensive/punting duel so far.  Neither offense can mount much consistency.

THIRD QUARTER

To open the Aggies go three and out.  Auburn starts on their 30.

Two first downs and Auburn is across midfield.  Bigsby for 9 yards.  First down at the Aggie 17.  We move to third and 9 from the 16.  4th and 9.  FG attempt no good.  Not good.  We completely lose momentum.   We were driving, can't pick up the first down on third and nine, and then miss the FG.  Not good.  What now?

Here is a ke moment in this game.  There is a long pass completion.  Yikes!  Another completion and another firs down Aggies.  First and goal completion.  From the four two straight procedure penalties on TAMU.  5:46 in the third.  TAMU first and goal from the 14.  Second and goal from the 14.  Holding on TAMU.  Third penalty in the red zone this Aggie possession.  Third and goal from the 17.  Their good QB is injured and has to leave the game for the net play.  Fourth and goal now from the 17.  FG is good.

Auburn 3 TAMU 6

Under the circumstances that worked out okay. 3:39 in the third.

No one expected this low scoring game.  Auburn is three and out not even close to moving the ball.  We need a big play from somewhere.  Great punt to the Aggie 12.

Backup Aggie QB still in the game.  But big run out to the Aggie 35.  Come on, guys, can't allow that.  Starting QB back in the game.  We move to third and 8 from their 37.  First down pass across midfield.  Is this game slipping away from us?  Another gashing run for a first down. Our defense looks like it's tired.  The quarter ends with TAMU on the march.

FOUTH QUARTER

TAMU on our 30 first and ten.  Second and ten.  14:44 left.  Third and ten from the 30.  Fourth and ten from the 30.  FG is good.

Auburn 3 TAMU 9

Okay, Bo.  What can you show us?

First down pass to the 35.  Second and 10 from the 35. Now disaster.  Bo drops the ball back to pass, TAMU picks it up and runs it in for the touchdown.  Bo just dropped the ball under pressure.  Bo just blew the game all by himself. Pressure, pressure,pressure.  The TV audience sees a sad Bo on the Auburn sideline.  2 pointer is good.

Auburn 3 TAMU 17

So sad.

Three and out 4th and 16.  Our offense has disappeared.  Punt OOB inside their 30.  Sad, sad game.

TAMU gets a big run on first down but the ball is stripped and Auburn recovers at our 5.

Bigsby for a first down to the 16.  Nine yd. completion play reviewed and overturned.  Bo scrambles for 9.  Bigsby for a yard and a first down.  First down completion but reviewed and overturned.  9:40 left.  4th and one first down Bigsby.  THEN huge sack on Nix.  That oughta do it. as the clock goes under 8 minutes.  Second and long now third and long.  This is agonizing to watch.  4th and 13.  They are chasing Nix all over the field.  Just short by a yard.  Aggie ball.  6:50 left.  Our offense lost this game pure and simple.  Bo is hanging his head on the Auburn sideline.  So painful to watch.

TAMU tacks on a FG with 3:15 left.

Auburn 3 TAMU 20

Disgusting.Our offense did not compete.  Last Auburn possession Nix gets picked off.  Totally embarrassing.  

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 3 TAMU