The 2018 Music City Bowl Auburn vs. Purdue

The 2018 season is down to one game.  The 7 and 5  Tigers face the 6 and 6 Boilermakers in Nashville at Nissan Stadium.   From once being ranked #7 to just 7 wins, Auburn needs to win this game.  We are lead to believe that Coach Malzahn and the Tigers desperately want to win this game.  If we don't win, it will look worse than it normally would.  Auburn is a 3.5 point favorite.  Purdue is supposed a be a high scoring team.  Their main claim to fame this year was beating Ohio State which was ranked #2 at the time.  I always like to think an SEC team should always beat a Big Ten team.  Malzahn is completely in charge of the offense including play calling.  We have a new OC but he was only lightly involved in the prep of this game.  Winning the game is the only thing that matters.  This will be Malzahan's offense.  The team is supposed to be motivated.    What will happen?

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive and score on their first possession on a third and one 66 yards Stidham to Whitlow on a wheel route.  Nifty call and start to the game.  Whitlow was left alone on the reception.

Auburn 7  Purdue 0

Purdue crosses midfield but our defense pushes them back.
Auburn fair catches around our 13.

The Tigers mount another nifty TD drive of 87 yards on 9 plays.  Whitlow takes it in on the wildcat from the two.  The mix of run and pass is impressive.

Auburn 14  Purdue 0

Second play from scrimmage and Auburn intercepts.  Ball on the Purdue 18.
Schwartz sweeps left end to the 7 for the first down.
New play goes around left end for the score.
This is the most impressive 8 minutes of Auburn football this year no doubt.
Stidham's score is reviewed and he is ruled down just short of the end line.
Whitlow scores easily from the wildcat on the next play as he runs right and our line open ups a huge hole.
6:59 to go in the first.

Auburn 21  Purdue 0

Purdue drives to the Auburn 8 converting two third and tens along the way.  Our defense continues to have trouble on third downs.  On the first third down conversion a justified pass interference call paved the way for continued possession.
First play from there a sweep around left end for the score.

Auburn 21  Purdue 7

Can our offense maintain consistency like we haven't been doing for a long time?
Second play Stidham hits a wide-open Slayton for a 77 yd. TD pass.  That is consistency!

Auburn 28  Purdue 7

The quarter ends with Purdue facing second down on their 33.  Auburn has scored on all four possessions.  But this game is far from over.

SECOND QUARTER

Purdue goes for it on fourth and two but our defense stuffs the runner on the Boilermaker 44.
After a loss a short pass to Slayton goes for a 52 yard TD as Slayton simply outruns the coverage down the left sideline.  Holy, cow!  Apparently Purdue has never seen Auburn's kind of speed.

Auburn 35  Purdue 7

INTERCEPTION!  Big Cat Bryant walks into the end zone after picking off a deflected pass.  I can't believe what I am seeing.

Auburn 42  Purdue 7

The Boilermakers go three and out.
Auburn will begin at their 35 with 10:27 left in the half.
First down going for it on fourth and three to the Purdue 22.  Surprise there.
First down on a fourth down run to the 9 by Whitlow.
Whitlow is dropped back at the 13 on one of our few negative plays today.
We move to third and goal from the six.
Schwartz speeds to the end zone around the right end for the score.
Auburn has yet to punt.  Seven possessions.  Seven touchdowns.  Amazing.
Malzahn ranges the AU sideline urging the team to keep it up.

Auburn 49  Purdue 7

Our defense does not let up and Purdue faces fourth and long as things get chippy on the field.
Auburn will begin at the Purdue 49.
First down to the Purdue 34.
TOUCHDOWN TO SLAYTON NEXT PLAY FROM THE 34!
I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I AM SEEING!
Auburn has scored on every possession.  Stidham has thrown for over 300 yards so far.

Auburn 56  Purdue 7

The half ends as Purdue relinquishes possession to Auburn at the Tiger 45 for the final snap at 7 seconds.
I cannot remember a better half of Auburn football.  This is as good as it gets.

FIRST HALF SCORE
Auburn 56  Purdue 7

THIRD QUARTER

Purdue gets the ball first in the half.
After one first down the Boilermakers are punting.
Auburn starting on their 21.
Long completion to Schwartz to the Purdue 32.
First down to the 21.
First and goal at the 10.
Ryan Davis on a one foot pass on a dead run into the end zone.
Our offense has scored on every possession.
That was power running at our best on that drive.  Pretty stuff!
12 plays 78 yards.

Auburn 63  Purdue 7

Purdue mounts their first drive since their score.
The TD comes from the 23 on a QB draw.  Okay, enough of that.
5:29 to go.

Auburn 63  Purdue 14

Auburn takes the field with Stidham still at QB.
Malik Willis comes in on the second play.
And for the first time Auburn has to punt with about 3:30 left in the quarter.
Good punt to the Purdue 24.

Purdue can't go and Auburn takes possession after the punt inside our 15.
Willis keeps and runs around right end for the first down at the 24.
The quarter ends with Auburn dealing with third and 6.  Malik Willis still at QB.

FOURTH QUARTER

Malik Willis runs for the first down to the 39.
Malik Willis runs to the Purdue 22.
Shivers runs to the nine.
That's as far as it goes as the Tigers go for it on 4th down but no go.
Purdue starts from their nine.
Purdue goes three and out.  AU starts on their 47 with 7:57 go go.

Joey Gatewood is in the game.  Is this his first action this year?
First down to the Purdue 20 as the clock goes under 4 minutes.
On 4th down Gatewood keeps and is called short of the end zone at the one.  It looked like a touchdown.  Should have been a Gatewood TD.  Then it looks Tolbert got in on the rush but the Big 12 officials have had trouble properly spotting the football today.
Stan White says Gatewood was having a good fall before he injured his thumb.  He thinks highly of Gatewood.
From the one Auburn goes into victory formation with Joey Gatewood taking a knee.
Best Auburn football in a long, long time.
Auburn dominated from the beginning.  In retrospect the outcome was never in doubt from the first quarter.  We needed this.

Auburn 63  Purdue 14

Beating UAB

Thought about going to the game at Legacy Arena but ended up watching it on CBSSN.  The Tigers win a thriller 75 to 71 in OT.  The Tigers were a big favorite, but the Blazers dictated the slow pace of the game to play their game.

UAB hit some clutch 3 pointers to send the game into OT, and in the OT Jared Harper took over, scoring most of our final points.  Harper is an exiting basketball player!

Auburn clearly had the better team, but UAB made it a close game to their credit.

End of the Year

We move to the end of 2018.  After some confusion which I cannot sort out, Malzahn survives at least one more year.  Recruitment so far seems not to have been hurt.  We have another OC but Malzahn will call the plays.  Who knows how this will work out.  it's hard to get excited about Nashville but I sure hope we bet Purdue.  The basketball team has a Top Ten ranking for what that is worth.  Surely this is the best collection of basketball players we've ever had.  How far can the roundball team go this year???

Stan White Was Right

Last Friday I ran into Stan White at the Cajun Steam in Hoover.  in response to my question about which bowl he said the Belk, Music City, or the Liberty due to geographical.  Online the majority sentiment seemed to be the Texas Bowl in Houston.  Stan was right. it was announced this afternoon that the Tigers are headed to the Music City to play Purdue.  Stan also said Malzahn would be back next year.  He was right on that opinion also.  Purdue is only 6 and 6 but they seem to have an up and coming coach.

Malzahn Talk

Much talk about Malzahn's status.  Last night we heard that Auburn had contacted Bob Stoops about his possible interest in the job.  Stoops denies interest.  Suffice it to say that at this point Coach Malzahn's job status is is up in the air.  I am all for changing coaches if somebody really good is out there for Auburn somewhere.

The 2018 Alabama Game

The 7 and 4 Tigers are a huge 24 point underdog in Tuscaloosa for a 2:30 broadcast on CBS.  The favorite usually wins this game particularly with this big of a line.  I don't know what else to say.

FIRST QUARTER

On Auburn's second possession Shaun Shivers goes 75 yards for the touchdown but it's called back for holding.   Bad break for sure.

6:38 left Alabama runs 12 yards for the score after Auburn's 75 yard run was called back for holding and a roughing penalty on Auburn on the punt receiver gave Alabama good starting field position at the AU 34.

Auburn 0  Alabama 7

Auburn drives masterly for the touchdown from its 27 mainly running between the tackles.  One of our best drives of the year.  Schwartz sweeps around right end for 9 yards for the score.  Great uptempo on that drive.  Our offensive line is getting a push.

Auburn 7  Alabama 7

SECOND QUARTER

The quarter begins with UA first and ten at the Auburn 15 after a face guard penalty and after Carlson kicked of out-of-bounds to start the possession.  Auburn has almost 50 yards in penalties.  Our biggest liability so far.

Touchdown on a 4 yard screen pass.

Auburn 7  Alabama 14

Alabama drives for a 30 yard field goal after our offense goes three and out.  It seems that we need a good play on first down to get a drive going.  We continue to be plagued by penalties.

Auburn 7  Alabama 17

8:59 to go.  After one first down from a face guard penalty Auburn punts to the UA 16 after Stidham overthrows Slayton which would have been a first down.

On 4th and one Auburn blocks the punt.  First down at the UA 23.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN!

A double pass from Ryan Davis to a wide-open Malik Miller at the 5 and into the end one.
2 plays 23 yards set up by the blocked punt and UA's three and out.

Auburn 14  Alabama 17

Our defense holds UA to another three and out.  Auburn makes one first down and lets the clock expire.  At the half we have a ballgame.

THIRD QUARTER

Alabama receives, crosses midfield, and gets a 46 yd. TD pass.  We are defensing their rushing but they are always dangerous with their passing attack.  First big play we've given up.  We avoided giving up big plays in the first half.  Our DBs have to be good to win this game.

Auburn 14  Alabama 24

It seems like we have not been very good in the second halves this year.
After our three and out UA starts from their 31 and after a face guard penalty there is a TD pass from the AU 35.  We are in dangerous territory now.  With 9:49 to go Alabama leads by 17.

Auburn 14  Alabama 31

Auburn mounts a drive but is stopped a yard short on fourth down to the 20 needing the 19.  We could not take advantage of two PF penalties on Alabama.  The fourth down was a trick play, a pass from Malik Willis to kicker Carlson.

5:06 to go in the quarter  as Auburn forces a three and out.  Auburn starts at their 40.

On third and two Stidham hits Slayton for a 52 yd. touchdown!  We have a game again.

Auburn 21  Alabama 31

Alabama responds quickly.  From their 25 they get a 40 yd. touchdown pass.  We get behind and it's just about impossible to catch up.  That took 69 seconds.

Auburn 21  Alabama 38

The Tigers go three and out pushed back to the 10.  Stidham can't get it done.  He can't step up in the pocket.  The punt goes out of bounds at the Auburn 43 with 45 seconds to go in the quarter.  We got back to within 10 but it's getting away now.  The quarter ends UA up by 17.

FOURTH QUARTER

Alabama scores again on a pass into the end zone to Ruggs.

Auburn 21  Alabama 45

Auburn slowly drives across midfield but then Stidham lobs up an interception.

First play a TD pass to Waddle.

Auburn 21  Alabama 52

The game slogs to an end as Auburn tries to run the clock by staying on the ground.

FINAL SCORE

52 to 21 Alabama.

Top 10 matchup against Duke!

"And I have lived long enough to see it." - Phillip Marshall on Auburn playing Duke tonight in a Top 10 matchup.

I can't agree more.