Let's Play

The Auburn-Alabama game is always big. Some are bigger than others. This is one of the bigger than others.

The rain has passed through. It's raw and cold. Showers are possible. The wind is swirling.

Auburn is 11 & 0 and ranked #2 in the BCS standings. UAT is 9 and 2 and ranked #11. The Tigers are a 4-point underdog. Most people are picking Alabama.

What will determine the outcome? Penalitites, turnovers, their defense slowing Cam down, their offense having success against our defense? Big plays? Number #2. Number #90. Discipline with the crowd noise? Definitely. I think big plays one way or the other will be critical. It's likely to be one or more of these things.

Auburn wins the toss and defers.

FIRST QUARTER

Alabama starts at their 29.
The Tide starts moving the ball with 6 and 7 yard gains.
An bad interference call puts the ball on the 10.
Ingram walks in for the TD from the 10. Fairly out; Carter gets blocked.
A picture-perfect drive for Alabama.
That's a methodical 71-yrd. drive in a little over 3 minutes.
Our defense starts slow which seems to be typical this year.
Once again we start the game from behind. We've been behind all year.
This is nothing new, but it better not be the story of the game.

Auburn 0 Alabama 7

The Tigers start at the 25.
Auburn goes 3 and out. On a 3rd and 1 Dyer gets stuffed.
Our offense looks tentative.
The punt goes to the Alabama 19.
I think Fairly is out.
There's a long TD pass to Jones. Very poor pass defense as if we just let him go right down the field. Pitiful, says Stan White. The culprit was safety Michael McNeil.
What a horrible start for the Tigers. Our defense is sleep-walking.
We are down big early.

Auburn 0 Alabama 14

Auburn starts on the AU 37.
Our offense needs to get in gear.
Cam is sacked. Loss of 8. Alabama gets penetration. Good coverage downfield.
Cam is sacked again holding the ball too long.
Incomplete pass and Auburn goes 3 and out again.
So far Alabama is completely dominating.
Alabama starts again on offense on their 39.
This is getting ugly in a hurry.
Alabama's defense is manhandling our offense.
Oh, for a turnover. Oh, for a defensive stop.
If we don't stop them here, this game could be over.
It looks as bad as it's looked all year early.
Cam looks totally tentative.
#90 is back.
As we have all year, we're giving their wideouts too much room.
Alabama is on our 38. We can't stop them.
We stop them on a sack by Fairly but the ref calls unsportsmanlike on Fairly. This is the worst call I've ever seen in my history of watching college football.
The Tide scores again on a pass and we're down 3 touchdowns.
The head referee give the Tide their third score.
This will be the biggest deficit of the year for Auburn.
Domination by UAT but a horrific call leads to the third score.
But UAT has executed still.
Auburn has to get going.
We have no answers for Julio Jones.
Our 24 seniors have to take charge.

Auburn 0 Alabama 21

It must start here with 1:58 to go in the first quarter.
Nick Fairly did NOTHING to deserve that 15-yrd. penalty.
It's now or never.
Auburn starts on the 25.
2 running plays and nothing. The UAt defense is manhandling our offense.
Once again we're 3 downs and out.
Auburn will have to punt again.
Cam is frustrated. Our offensive line is getting whipped. Their defense is well-prepared and is dominating our offense.
End of the quarter with the Tigers punting up big.
Auburn 0 Alabama 21

SECOND QUARTER

Well, it's only the start of the second quarter and already we're in a dire situation. We may already be too far behind. We've done nothing offensive so far. We are actually minus 8 yards offensively.

UAT starts on their 17 helped by a blocking in the back penalty.
The Tide goes to 3 and a long 1 or a short 2.
Ingram runs for the first easily.
I see no hope at this point.
We are down by 21. We can't stop their offense. It's only the second quarter.
It looks like they are going to drive for another score.
Then Ingram fumbles big time and the ball goes all the way to the AU end zone.
That's a safety and Auburn has the ball on our 20.
That's a turnover although we're only on our 20.

We punt it back to the Tide and at least we hold them to a field goal.

Auburn 7 Alabama 24

After a dismal offensive start, what will our offense do now?
Finally our offense gets it going.
There's a 36 yard TD pass to Emory Blake!

Auburn 7 Alabama 24

Alabama drives right down the field to the Auburn 9 when Fairly rips McElroy, who fumbles and Auburn recovers at the 13.
After one first down, we punt on the last play of the half.
It could be worse. At least we got that huge turnover at the end to avoid making the deficit worse.
Auburn 7 Alabama 24

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn receives and it takes less than a minute for the Tigers to score.
There's a 70 yard TD pass to Zachary!

Auburn 14 Alabama 24

Will our defense respond now?
AU kicks off with 14:04 left in the third.
The kickoff goes out of bounds at the 3.
Alabama gets to start on their 40.
Not good.
There's a running play for 5.
Come on defense!
Incomplete pass.
Complete pass just short of the first down by a half-yard.
McElroy sneaks and just makes it.
Come on defense!
Ingram for a short gain.
3rd and 10 at midfield with 11 minutes to go in the third.
Pass deflected by T-Sharvan Bell!
Our defense holds. Alabama punts.
Carr fair catches at the 18.
Whew!

After one first down Auburn has to punt.
Alabama will start at their 24 with 9:05 to go in the third.
Our defense has to stay strong. Our offense can win this game if our D holds.
Come on defense!
McElroy is sacked. Goggans gets him.
Julio picks up 5 on a short pass.
3rd and 6 from the 28.
Incomplete pass but there's a flag. Against Alabama.
3 and out again and Bama has to punt again.
Auburn starts on their 25.
Plenty of time left but our offense has to get going again.

The Tigers drive for the touchdown mixing pass & run but mainly running.
Cam jams it in from the one.
We have a ballgame!

Auburn 21 Alabama 24

Auburn has scored 21 points in a row with a little more than 4 minutes left in the third.

The kickoff goes into the end zone.
Auburn holds the Tide to another 3 and out but Carr fumbles the punt!
We hold them to a FG as the third quarter winds down.

Auburn 21 Alabama 27

Auburn starts at their 32.
From 24 to zip Auburn has cut the lead to 6 as the third quarter comes to a close.
Newton runs for 4.
There's a first down pass to the AU 46.
Short gain for Dyer as the third quarter concludes with AU near midfield.
Auburn 21 Alabama 27

FOURTH QUARTER

(At this point I lost control of this post. Suffice it to say Auburn gets the winning TD with about 11:53 left in the game and wins 28 to 27. On a third and 4 from the UAT 7 Cam rolls right and throws back left to a wide-open Lutzenkirchen for the score. Late in the game, T'Sharvan rips McElroy to the ground and out of the game. This is one of the all-time great wins on this series)

The Alabama Game

We are a day away from the big one. Each game in this historic series has its own story line. This one is as big for Auburn as it's ever been. The Tigers are 11 & 0. We win this one and beat USC in the title game and Auburn is playing for the mythical national championship.

The Tigers are a 4 point underdog in Tuscaloosa. That's OK. I like it that way. Most people are probably picking UAT. That's OK too.

The favored team usually wins this game. There have been few upsets. The 4 point line is not big enough to worry about in this context.

I can see Auburn winning. We've come this far against the toughest schedule that any other contender for the NC has faced. We've come from behind all year. We were down 17 to Clemson and 14 to Georgia. We have the best player in college football. Our defense is porous but comes on strong in the second half. Our best chance is to able to throw the ball early when they bunch the line to set up the run later.

I can see UAT winning. UAT has underperformed this year. Their offense, considered unstoppable at the beginning, has been stoppable. Their vaunted running game is not what it was supposed to be. Their so-called young defense has improved as the year has gone on, but is certainly vulnerable to the pass. Their best chance, it seems to me, is to torch Auburn with the pass, and they could do that.

As always, we'll see what happens.

The Game

Here is an excerpt from the book The Uncivil War, by Will Collier and Scott Brown. It addresses that moment of anticipation right before the Auburn-Alabama game, when you are in a frenzy just before the start of the greatest rivaly in sports.

My favorite part of every Game, every year, has always been the playing of the National Anthem just before the battle begins. Stop and picture the scene for a moment. The stadium is always packed to capacity and beyond. The fans have been shouting at the players warming up for about two hours, and at each other for days, weeks, months. And then, for a brief moment, all fall silent as the band on the field plays a familiar tune. You can hear the wind as it wraps around the bowl of an arena where a moment earlier, you would have been lucky to hear yourself screaming. You can even hear the sound of the American flag whipping in that wind as it is raised above the throng. You look out at the vast gathering standing in expectant silence, and you realize that it is not hate at all that has brought them to this place, to this cathedral of grass and concrete and steel. You realize that this game, this experience, is a reaffirmation of what we really are. It is a statement of family, of state, of country, and yes, of religion. You take a deep breath of the cool Southern wind, and in that magical pause, you see all the things that bring us together, and you look far beyond the things that tear us apart.


And then, of course, the song ends, and you roar out your school's battle cry at the top of your lungs, and the war is on for another Game and another year. But you are always left with that warm stillness, filled with giddy anticipation, and whether you win or lose, that feeling will always be with you, until you come back the next year and experience it again. That's what draws us back, year after year, that's what keeps us thinking about this larger than life THING that happens once every twelve months.

Game Week

It's game week and I'm trying not to think about it too much. Friday will come when it comes.

The NCAA is silent, but we've been led to believe by Phillip Marshall that Cam will be eligible. Auburn is not under investigation. The only issue is Cam's eligibility. Cam Newton will play.

Alabama is favored by 4. I like that. I hope everyone picks UAT to win. I hope no one (like the ESPN talking heads) gives us a chance. I like it this way.

So Far (2)

Football ScheduleRecord: 11-0
Date Opponent Result
Sept. 4 Arkansas State W 52-26
Sept. 9 at Mississippi State W 17-14
Sept. 18 Clemson W 27-24 OT
Sept. 25 South Carolina W 35-27
Oct. 2 Louisiana-Monroe W 52-3
Oct. 9 at Kentucky W 37-34
Oct. 16 Arkansas W 65-43
Oct. 23 LSU W 24-17
Oct. 30 at Ole Miss W 51-31
Nov. 6 Chattanooga W 62-24
Nov. 13 Georgia W 49-31
Nov. 26 at Alabama 2:30 p.m.

Georgia Boxscore

Scoring Summary
First Quarter UGa Auburn
Auburn TD 12:36 Cam Newton 31 yd run (Wes Byrum kick) 0 7
UGa TD 8:21 A.J. Green 31 yd pass from Aaron Murray (Blair Walsh kick) 7 7
UGa TD 6:20 Shaun Chapas 9 yd pass from Aaron Murray (Blair Walsh kick) 14 7
UGa TD 1:00 A.J. Green 40 yd pass from Aaron Murray (Blair Walsh kick) 21 7

Second Quarter UGa Auburn
Auburn TD 12:26 Onterio McCalebb 4 yd run (Wes Byrum kick) 21 14
Auburn TD 0:51 Philip Lutzenkirchen 18 yd pass from Cam Newton (Wes Byrum kick) 21 21
Third Quarter UGa Auburn
Auburn TD 10:48 Onterio McCalebb 2 yd run (Wes Byrum kick) 21 28
UGa TD 7:54 Washaun Ealey 7 yd run (Blair Walsh kick) 28 28
Auburn TD 5:04 Onterio McCalebb 4 yd run (Wes Byrum kick) 28 35
UGa FG 0:00 Blair Walsh 28 yd FG 31 35

Fourth Quarter UGa Auburn
Auburn TD 8:05 Philip Lutzenkirchen 13 yd pass from Cam Newton (Wes Byrum kick) 31 42
Auburn TD 2:45 Cam Newton 1 yd run (Wes Byrum kick) 31 49

The South's Oldest Rivalry

Finally it's time for football! After all of the distractions of the week, let's play football. Has there ever been a bigger game at Jordan-Hare? The '89 Alabama game is the only one that might rival this one.

FIRST QUARTER

For some reason Georgia defers. The Tigers start on the 20 and take it the distance. Cam Newton runs it in from 31 yards out! Auburn strikes quickly on its first possession.

Auburn 7 Georgia 0

After the kickoff, the Bulldogs start on their 27.
The Dogs begin a march.
We're getting some pressure on their QB but they are still moving the football.
From the AU 31 on a 4th and 1 Georgia gets the TD pass to their good receiver Green.
That's an impressive drive for Georgia. Our defense makes some plays, but we continue to give up big plays. This is the same Auburn defense we've seen all year. We're going to have to outscore Georgia. We simply as we've seen all year do not have a stout and consistent defense.

Auburn 7 Georgia 7

Auburn starts on the 28.
We get a long run from McCalebb but it's called back for holding.
Then we get another major distance penalty.
AU is back at the 14 with 3rd and long.
Then a pass goes thru Blake's hands and Georgia intercepts. Should have had it.
Georgia is on our 9.
First play a receiver is wide-open in the end zone.
A lack of focus Stan White says. Our linebackers leave a receiver wide-open

Auburn 7 Georgia 14

Three pesonal foul penalities have been called on Auburn veterans.
Will Auburn rally?
We have to settle down. We've been down before this season.
McCalebb runs for 5.
Cam loses maybe a half yard.
3rd and 5.
Cam scrambles for 14.
AU on their 44.
Fanin is open but drops a potential TD pass.
McCalebb loses 1 yard.
A short to Fanin to midfield.
AU has to punt.
Auburn has 4 people at the 1 but no one can catch the ball.
Georgia starts at their 20. Our defense has to make a stop.
Georgia is moving the ball again.
We get some pressure on their QB but not enough.
Down the field the Bulldogs go.
Georgia is having their way with our defense.
There's a long TD pass to Green---41 yards.
Our defense looks helpless.

Auburn 7 Georgia 21

We've got to get it going. This could get out of hand.
After an initial TD drive, Auburn has gone to sleep.
It's time for our offense to get back into the game.
AU starts at our 37 after a penalty against Georgia.
The quarter ends as we face a third down.

SECOND QUARTER

It seems that there is a lack of focus by the Tigers.
Our defense looks lost and our offense has absolutely no rhythm.
3rd and 8 from our 40.
A pass interference gives us a first down.
AU is at the Georgia 49.
Cam is stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
Cam runs up the middle for 10 leading to a 3rd and 1.
Cam runs to the Georgia 35 for the first down with 13:47 to go.
McCalebb picks up 5 on a misdirection sweep.
Cam to Blake to the 4. Quentin Riggins says that against a 3-4 defense the slot receiver will be open. Blake dropped the first one but caught that one!
McCalebb sweeps left for the touchdown!

Auburn 14 Georgia 21

Our defense has not stopped Georgia yet. What will happen this time?
The Bulldodgs start at their 32
Caleb King picks up 5.
Five yards on first down.
No gain on a wildcat formation.
Auburn holds as Murray scrambles and barely gets the ball back to the line of scrimmage. The defense gets a stop.
Georgia punts from their 37.
the Tigers start from their 13 with 10:43 to go in the half.

A pass to Zachary nets 7.
A pass to Adams for 11.
Cam runs for 4.
Cams runs for another 4.
3rd and 2 at the 39.
Cam is sacked back at the 29. Loss of 10 on 3rd and 2. Strange play.
Fair catch at the Georgia 35.
That was a good possession until the 3rd and 2 with Cam rolling out and getting sacked for a 10 yard loss.

Georgia is on their 35.
9 yards on first down.
Come on defense!
A chop block moves the Dogs back 15 yards.
2nd and 16 on the Dog 29.
A pass to Green gets 15 and it's 3rd and 1.
We give up another big play.
Murray runs for the first down to midfield.
Our defense needs to get a turnover.
Incomplete pass.
Good coverage there.
2nd and 10 with 5;15 to go.
3rd and 10 from the 50.
3rd and 15 after a procedure penalty.
Incomplete pass on a screen pass and our defense holds again at the Bulldog 45.
Auburn starts at the 27. That was a short punt by their good punter.

Let's see what Auburn can do with 3:51 to go in the half.
A pass to Adams for 8.
Dyer is stuffed for a gain of only 1.
Cam dances up to the 40 for the first down.
A long pass to Blake for 25 yards to the Bulldog 35.
A reverse to Kodi but he cannot find an open receiver.
2nd and 10.
A short pass to Fanin.
3rd and 8.
1:14 to go 3rd and 8 on the Bulldog 33.
Timeout Georgia.
Cam runs to the 20 for the first down.
Fanin for 2 to the 18.
Timeout Auburn with 56 seconds left.
This is a big drive for Auburn.
We have two timeouts left so we can still run the ball.
Cam to Phillip Lutzenkirchen for the touchdown!
Wow! Great play call. Great pass from Cam Newton.
That was a bigtime drive. That was a clutch drive in the waning seconds of the first half.

Auburn 21 Georgia 21

There's still time for Georgia. We need to hold here. There are 51 seconds left.
Georgia starts at their 20.
The Dogs choose to let the clock run out and we are tied at halftime.

Auburn comes back from a 21 to 7 deficit to tie this thing 21-21 at the half.

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn STUNS Georgia with the recovered onside kick beautifully executed. Byrum kicks the ball softly, follows the ball ten yards and picks it out of the air. The Bulldogs had no clue.
Zachard goes 30 yards on a reverse.
Auburn goes to 3rd and 2 at the 8.
Cam powers down to the 5.
Cam powers down to the 2.
There is some bigtime hitting going on out there.
A handoff to McCalebb and he's in going around left end.
How about that! Cam has been running up the middle but this time he hands off to McCalebb. After the onside kick to start the half, Auburn is back in the lead.

Auburn 28 Georgia 21

Georgia answers as we blow a 3rd and 16 as T'Sharvan Bell is position to make the interception but he lets the Georgia player catch it. He's in front of the receiver but doesn't make the intercpetion he should have made. There's a pass to Green and Georgia runs it in from the 7 right thru our defensive front. We are tied again. Our defensive backs have been weak all lyear

Auburn 28 Georgia 28

Auburn starts at the 19. Georgia has high kickoffs which allows them to get good coverage.
On a reverse McCalebb goes for 48 yards!
Dyer runs for 8 to the Bulldog 28.
Dyer to the 14.
Dyer to the 10.
From a first down at the 3 McCalebb sweeps right for the score!
Our offense is amazing. If only our defense could bow up.

Auburn 35 Georgia 28

So here we are with 5:04 to go in the third quarter and Auburn quickly answers Georgia to take the lead back. If only our defense could get a couple of stops. They are certainly not tired.

Michael Dyer breaks Bo's rushing record for a freshman. Bo is on the sidelines to congratulate him.

A great kickoff and Georgia is pinned on their 8.
But the Dogs march right down the field.
On the last play of the 3rd quarter we hold them to a short FG.
Our defense plays like it has all year. An occasional good play is offset by many breakdowns and missed tackles.
If we can't pressure their QB we are totally vulnerable to their passing.

Auburn 35 Georgia 31

FOURTH QUARTER

Georgia kicks off to start the final stanza. It's anybody's game. Our offense needs to score on every possession because our defense will need a miracle to stop Georgia even once.

But not to worry. The 4th quarter belongs to Auburn.

The Tigers mount a long drive. With 8:05 left Cam hits Phillip Lutzenkirchen for a 13 yard strike and the Tigers extend their lead.

Auburn 42 Georgia 31

The game is iced with 2:45 left as Cam goes airbound from the 1. Up and over!

Auburn 49 Georgia 31

The Bulldogs flail like a fish out of water at the end. Auburn wins the biggest game at Jordan-Hare since 1989.

THE TIGERS WIN THE WEST!

Cam does his thing around the stadium. The week's distractions do not distract him today! You have to admire this great player and this great team for handling the pressure of the week.

Now we wait for Tuscaloosa a week from Friday, tne SEC Championship game and the bowl game. Where will we go bowling? We have a chance for the big one in Arizona. Auburn is close to the mountaintop.

THE TIGERS WIN THE WEST! Regardless of what happens from now on, this has been one MEMORABLE football season.