 NEXT AUBURN GAMEDAY:Saturday, October 24, 2009Auburn at #9 LSU Tigers Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, Louisiana Kickoff at 6:30 pm CT TV: ESPN2 or ESPN360.com XM Radio 214 Buy Tickets   |
 Posted on October 12th, 2009 by Kevin Strickand bout 1:30 Saturday afternoon, Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs slipped into the relative privacy of a stall in the restroom of the pressbox at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and punched numbers into his cell phone. When the call connected, Jacobs barked orders in an urgent whisper: “Tell the sculptor to hold off on that statue of me and Gene Chizik. What? I don’t care if he’s 90% done with it, tell him to put a hold on it, we’re not putting it out in front of the stadium just yet.” For the past two-and-a-half hours, Jacobs watched as the Arkansas Razorbacks served a healthy dose of 44-23 humility to the Auburn football program. Some Auburn fans who booed Jacobs after he hired 5-19 Chizik to coach the Tiger football program had changed their tune after a 5-0 start to 2009. Lost in the rush to celebrate the resurgence and issue calls for the college football world to apologize for thinking Chizik didn’t have the credentials to handle the task was the fact that Auburn’s first five games were, if not cupcakes, at least in the pastry family. Arkansas served notice that while the rush to judge Chizik’s 5-19 record might have been premature, so, too was the urge to wave the 5-0 start as a definitive case for proving the skeptics wrong. It wasn’t just that Auburn suffered its first loss under new head coach Chizik, it was the way in which the Hogs administered the reality check. When you’re playing on the road in the SEC, there is a checklist to follow, otherwise you’re going to get embarrassed. 1) Don’t turn the ball over Fail. Auburn did. The Tigers fumbled four times, losing three. All four were devastating. Arkansas scored 17 points following Auburn turnovers. In the second quarter, after Arkansas had gone up 13-0, Mario Fannin fumbled the kickoff at the Tiger 35. Three plays later, the deficit was 20. In the third, trailing 27-3, Auburn’s opening possession churned deep into Arkansas territory. Running back Ben Tate dropped a handoff at the Arkansas goal line when he would have scored easily. The Razorbacks recovered, hit a 38-yard pass on third down and went on to up the advantage to 34-3. After Auburn clawed back into the game, reeling off 20 -7 run to close to 41-23, Tiger quarterback Chris Todd fumbled the snap on 4th-and-inches. He recovered the ball, but failed to convert the first down. Arkansas didn’t score, but the Razorbacks were able to bleed two minutes off the clock. On the following possession, Todd was sacked and coughed up the ball at the Tiger 10-yard line. Arkansas punched a field goal through to push the final score to 44-23. 2) Don’t give up big plays on special teams Fail. Auburn did. Fannin fumbled the kickoff, leading to one Arkansas score. After Auburn had gained momentum and closed the deficit to a manageable 34-23, the Tigers surrendered a 70-yard kickoff return. Eight plays later, it was 41-23. 3) Sustain drives on offense Fail. Auburn didn’t. The Tigers were a miserable 4-of-14 on third downs. Auburn only had three drives that consisted of more than five plays. Five of Auburn’s 14 possessions ended in three plays or less. 4) Keep the opposing offense off the field Fail. Auburn didn’t. Arkansas put together a 12-play drive, a 10-play march, and two eight-play series. The Hogs went three and out just three times. 5) Don’t commit penalties Fail. Auburn did. The Tigers were flagged eight times for 56 yards, nearly every step-off coming at the worst possible time. Arkansas got six first downs by way of penalty. Four of Arkansas’ six touchdown drives were extended by penalty. All four featured at least one pass interference call, some of which were phantom but flagged nonetheless. Everything that could go wrong for the Tigers did go wrong. The team was uninspired, unemotional, and ill-prepared. That’s coaching. Those of you baking dishes of crow and demanding apologies from those who had the audacity to criticize the once 5-0 Tiger head coach Chizik? Better wrap that crow up tightly in tinfoil and put it in the freezer. Doesn’t look like you’ll be getting to serve it for a while. Better dig out your reality recipes instead. Auburn’s defense is simply abysmal. Depth is a consideration, but not enough to justify what the Razorbacks exposed on Saturday. You can’t blame depth when the first string is getting abused on the opening series of the game. Chizik’s reputation as a defensive genius was tarnished by the steady decline of his defenses at Iowa State. Through five games, Auburn’s defense has been horror-movie frightening, but a steady Tiger dose of offense was able to mask the issues. When the offense struggles, as it did against Arkansas, the deficiencies are there for all to see—and mock. If you watched film on Arkansas, you knew the way to defuse the Razorback offense was to bring pressure on quarterback Ryan Mallet. Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof must have been watching reruns of Gomer Pyle, USMC in the film room instead. The Tigers brought zero heat, never rushing more than four and often sending only three. As any eight-year old could predict, the result was Mallett torching the Tiger secondary. Eight different Hogs caught Mallett passes for a total of 274 yards. The lack of pressure also opened holes for Arkansas running backs, who generally weren’t touched until they reached the second level of Tiger defense, three or more yards down the field. Arkansas rushed for 221total yards, with Michael Smith busting 145 of that. It wasn’t just that Arkansas put points on the board, it was the ease with which the damage was done that was alarming. Let’s be brutally honest. Every team Auburn has played so far, including Ball State, has abused the Auburn defense at some point. The Tiger stopping unit has yet to play well enough to win a game, but the offense until Saturday was able to compensate. Ah, the offense. How do you explain the debacle that was Saturday? How does one of the nation’s best offenses (statistically) get punked by one of the nation’s worst defenses (statistically)? First, blame the defense. Your gameplan changes when the hole keeps getting bigger and bigger. That’s not the whole story, though. Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn appeared to have outcoached himself. Could it be that he wanted to win so badly on the field of his former employer that he allowed that primal urge to overcome the basic concepts that could have changed the game? Something was decidedly different. Auburn scored on a few quick-strike runs in the third quarter, but the Tiger offense was never able to sustain anything on a consistent basis. Auburn was out of sync from the start. After Todd took the initial snap of the game and lost two yards on a screen pass, Kodi Burns took the offensive reins. Auburn fans have seen that movie before. It didn’t have a happy ending. Scramble, incomplete, punt. The next time the Tigers got the ball, Auburn was down six points. False start penalties plagued the next two Auburn possessions and Todd overthrew a wide open Terrell Zachary for what could have been an easy touchdown. Opportunity to change the dynamic of the game missed. Auburn’s defense did a fairly effective job of containing the Hogs after the opening series. But as the Tiger offense continued to sputter and waste opportunities, the seams began to crack. After the third consecutive Tiger possession went nowhere, Auburn had a chance to get Arkansas off the field again, but a third down stop was nullified by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Zac Etheridge who forgot the cardinal rule: He who retaliates for getting punched in the face is the one who gets flagged. A ticky pass interference call one play later moved the ball 15 more yards and the Hogs put it in the end zone. Fannin fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the dam broke. The Tiger offense tried trickery when it should have simply punched the Hogs in the face. It tried to be things it isn’t, as when Todd went under center on a fourth and short and was unable to handle the snap. It never established a rhythm, never found a groove and allowed a relatively pedestrian defense to slap it around like a crying dirty diaper baby at Wal Mart. Chizik, the king of platitudes, will likely repeat one of his standard phrases to try to put the loss in perspective. Look for this comment from Chizik: “It’s never as good as it seems and it’s never as bad as it seems.” Or maybe he’ll trot out the “Every Saturday is different” cliche. Regardless of which phrase he plucks from Trite Sayings for Coaches Vol. 1 there’s really no excuse for what transpired Saturday. Auburn did a lot of the damage to itself. It made a bad team look like a world beater. The question for the Tigers now is how to respond. Put the 5-0 start away. What Chizik does in his next six opportunities will more clearly define whether an apology from the doubters is warranted. This wasn’t ever going to be a 12-0 type team. Auburn was going to lose games. This won’t be the only time the Tigers walk away on the short end of the scoreboard this season. Losses happen. Looking like lumpy kitty litter in the process shouldn’t. Things weren’t as bad as they seemed. Every Saturday is different. If the Tigers don’t learn from this and find some way to rectify the problems exposed by an Arkansas team that, frankly, isn’t nearly as good as Auburn made them look there are going to be a lot of Saturdays down the road that seem the same—and just as bad. Posted on October 6th, 2009 by Admin
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2009 | Date | Game | Time |
| Sept. 5 | Auburn 37 – Louisiana Tech 13 | W |
| Sept. 12 | Auburn 49 – Mississippi State 24 | W |
| Sept. 19 | Auburn 41 – West Virginia 30 | W |
| Sept. 26 | Auburn 54 – Ball State 30 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 3 | Auburn 26 – Tennessee 22 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 10 | Auburn at Arkansas | 11 AM – ESPN |
| Sat, Oct. 17 | Kentucky at Auburn | 6:30 pm CT – ESPNU |
| Sat, Oct. 24 | Auburn at LSU | TBA |
| Sat, Oct. 31 | Mississippi at Auburn | TBA |
| Sat, Nov. 7 | Furman at Auburn | TBA |
| Sat, Nov. 14 | Auburn at Georgia | TBA |
| Sat, Nov. 28 | Alabama at Auburn | 1:30 pm CT |
| Dec 5 | SEC Championship | 4:00 PM |
Posted on October 4th, 2009 by Kevin Strickand The Auburn Tigers knocked off the Tennessee Volunteers 26-22 on Saturday night in Knoxville, surviving a 16-point Volunteer fourth quarter. While the Tigers answered a number of nagging questions in Rocky Top, others persist.
First the good news.
Auburn is 5-0. With a game against Furman still to come, the Tigers are all but assured a bowl game, which at the beginning of the season was considered a reasonable goal for 2009. Given the current state of the SEC, expectations for an upper tier bowl are now not unreasonable.
Tiger head coach Gene Chizik notched his first road win as a head coach in one of the most hostile environments in the league and in the process extended Auburn’s winning streak over its longtime rival.
Chizik’s young team proved it can maintain focus and thrive away from the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
It will be almost impossible for poll voters to ignore Auburn now. The Tigers should crack the poll for the first time since a loss to Arkansas slammed Auburn from the rankings on October 11 a year ago.
Auburn’s offense acquitted itself well against a Monte Kiffin-directed Tennessee defense that had clamped down on the Florida Gators and was expected to provide a significant challenge to a resurgent Tiger offense.
Auburn moved the ball significantly better against Tennessee than did the nation’s number one team, Florida. The Tigers put up better numbers despite the efforts of more than 100,000 Volunteer fans in Knoxville. Florida had the luxury of taking down the Vols at home.
Auburn piled up 459 total yards on Rocky Top. Florida managed just 323.
Running back Ben Tate continued to chew up the opposition, rolling up 128 yards on 25 carries. On one highlight-reel quality hit, Tate lowered his shoulder and sent All American safety Eric Berry pinwheeling into a backward slide.
If that doesn’t give you pause, try to wrap your mind around this::
Tiger quarterback Chris Todd outperformed Florida Heisman Trophy winner (and presumed favorite unless you’re Lou Holtz and have an unhealthy obsession with all things Notre Dame) Tebow.
Todd was 19 of 32 passing for 218 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t throw an interception and wasn’t sacked. Against the Vols, Tebow threw for a meager 115 yards. He was sacked three times and was picked off once. Florida’s superman did rush for 105 yards on 24 attempts, but that’s not the role Todd is required to play.
Nobody’s cranking up a Todd for Heisman campaign yet, but the Auburn quarterback has numbers that rank near the top of the SEC in every significant category. Todd is second in the league in yards per game with an average of 246. He’s fourth in passing efficiency.
He is cool and efficient in running offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s game plan. Todd took his lumps against Tennessee as the Vols brought pressure and hit Todd often. He took the punishment and delivered despite the beating he suffered.
The special teams gaffes that plagued the Tigers in all four games were non-existent on Saturday. Onterrio McCalebb’s kickoff returns were electric.
His fourth-quarter return, in particular, flipped field position and provided the Tigers momentum that should have finished off the Volunteers.
Auburn did no damage on punt returns but that includes damage to itself which has been a weekly occurrence. Fair catches ruled the day and while they limited field position with four coming inside the Tiger 20, there were no muffs or bobbles.
Wes Byrum continued solid place-kicking work, hitting three of four field goals.
Overall, it was a fairly thorough domination and a game Auburn never seemed in jeopardy of losing control over.
At the very least, the Tigers established themselves as a team that will require attention by the rest of the SEC.
Now for the bad. And it’s not all bad.
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but the game should not have been nearly as close as the final score reflected.
Auburn’s performance was much more dominant than it would appear on the surface. The Tigers wasted several opportunities to drive a stake through Tennessee’s heart. Auburn should have put Tennessee away and finished with a 10-15 point differential instead of the final four-point spread.
As the Tigers navigate a progressively more difficult October schedule, Auburn can’t afford to waste scoring opportunities.
McCalebb dropped a pass in the end zone that should have been caught for one touchdown.
Late in the game, leading 23-16, Auburn had the ball inside the Tennessee five. Malzahn seemed to abandon his traditional method of attack content to drain the clock and kick a field goal for a 26-16 advantage with 34 seconds remaining.
Those two series alone would have been enough to turn a 26-22 win into a more typical for 2009 37-13 type spanking.
As it turned out, the field goal on the last offensive series was needed as Tennessee covered 79 yards in the final 34 seconds to tack on a consolation touchdown on the last play of the game.
There were worse final 34 second spans on Saturday. Georgia suffered one when LSU’s Charles Scott broke loose for a game-winning score.
But the worst of all came when Ball State allowed a long game-winning pass for a score in the waning seconds against Toledo.
Auburn didn’t suffer the ignominy that either the Bulldogs or Cardinals did, but still, the ease with which the Volunteers motored down the field as time ticked down is a concern.
Auburn’s defense played relatively well most of the game. The Tigers did an excellent job of containing Tennessee’s rushing attack, holding the Vols to 163 yards on the ground, well below their season average.
Tennessee opened the game with a 41-yard rush but that first series ended with a missed field goal. Nine of the next ten Volunteer possessions finished with a punt.
The lone exception was a seven-play 70 yard touchdown march at the end of the first half.
If you’re being honest, however, you have to acknowledge that many of the punting situations were caused as much by Tennessee miscues as they were outstanding Tiger defensive efforts.
Volunteer receivers dropped pass after pass. Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton threw in front of, over, behind and in front of open receivers.
Frustration was high. Just prior to the Vols late first half drive, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews noted chaos on the Tennessee sideline with coaches and players having to be physically separated.
Yet Auburn could not take full advantage of the turmoil.
Tennessee players know better than to ask Crompton to pass the salt at dinner because it’s likely to be intercepted before it gets there. Crompton had at least one pick in every game dating back to his first pee-wee effort. But he didn’t have one Saturday.
Instead, Crompton had one of his best days as a Vol.
The much maligned Tennessee quarterback played like Tom Brady in the fourth quarter against Auburn after playing like Marsha Brady for most of the last two years.
Auburn took a 23-6 lead with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and appeared to have the game well in hand.
Despite the desperation of the situation it was like the light went on for the Volunteer offense.
Tennessee churned 62 yards in seven plays, burning less than two minutes off the clock. Crompton, who’d shown all the finesse of a brick layer through three quarters caught fire. He hit four of five passes including a 31 yarder for a touchdown that trimmed Auburn’s lead to 23-13.
After a defensive stop, Crompton went back to work. He was six of 12 on a 72-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. Four of the six completions gave Tennessee a first down, including an 18-yard completion on fourth and six.
From 23-6, Tennessee closed to 23-16.
McCalebb’s return and the Byrum field goal that ended Auburn’s next possession effectively slammed the door, but in the final two drives, Crompton went from being a liability to at least window shopping the hero’s cape.
He padded his stats with 64 yards on three completions in the final 34 seconds. Of his 259 total passing yards, 181 of them came in the fourth quarter.
Part of the reason for Crompton’s success was Auburn failed to pressure him. The Tigers didn’t register a sack and Auburn defenders were credited with a mere five hurries, a number that is probably generous.
Auburn managed to survive a revitalized Crompton over the final ten minutes of the game, but his success has to buoy the confidence of the Ryan Mallets, Jevan Sneads and Greg McElroys waiting down the road.
That’s a worry for next week.
Auburn is 5-0. The Tigers will likely be ranked for the first time in a calendar year when the polls come out today. Auburn is a virtual lock for a bowl game and probably a win or two away from getting New Year’s Day consideration. The positives far outweigh the negatives.
Posted on September 22nd, 2009 by Kevin Strickand Due to the potential for excessive violence and simulated sacrifical slaughter, network censors mandated a 6 p.m. kickoff for Saturday’s showdown between Auburn and Ball State. Despite the late start, the game will likely carry a parental warning. Cover your eyes, kids. What the Tigers do to the Cardinals won’t be for the squeamish.
Predicting the outcome of an upcoming game normally takes a bit of research, particularly early in the season. For that reason, predictions normally come on Thursday, giving a few days to digest the events of the week that just transpired.
No such research is required this week.
The Auburn Tigers (3-0) will annihilate the Ball State Cardinals (0-3).
Little known fact: Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet on the 70s sitcom Three’s Company is a Ball State alumnus. Even if she and TV co-star Suzanne Sommers (in their prime) were prancing the sidelines Cardinal cheerleader outfits it wouldn’t help Ball State avoid a Saturday thrashing.
Auburn rides buoyed confidence after surviving both a monsoon and early roundhouse kicks from West Virginia 41-30 last Saturday night.
After the Mountaineers connected on a 58-yard pass on the opening series and a 71-yard run on their second possession enroute to a 14-0 first quarter lead, the Auburn defense changed tactics and denied the big play,
West Virginia managed just four plays of 20-plus yards over the remaining three and a half quarters. One of those came on the last snap of the game.
The Mountaineers were intent on making Auburn quarterback Chris Todd beat them with his arm. He did, throwing for 300 yards and four touchdowns.
While the Tigers are cresting, Ball State limps into Saturday’s meeting with more negative momentum than a Scott Baio TV pilot.
The Cardinals are reeling after three losses, one to an abysmal North Texas squad.
Ball State was a bowl team a year ago, but head coach Brady Hoke fled to San Diego State, where he is coincidentally the boss of former Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges.
The Cardinal team that made the GMAC Bowl a year ago is also without record-setting quarterback Nate Davis, who leaped to the NFL and was drafted in the fifth round by San Francisco, as well as a handful of other significant skill players.
Little known fact: Jim Davis, cartoonist and creator of the Garfield comic strip is a graduate of Ball State. Not even Davis could draw up a scenario where the Cardinals have a chance.
North Texas spanked Ball State 20-10 in the opener. The Mean Green followed that with a loss to Ohio (not State) and a 53-7 thrashing at Alabama.
New Hampshire shocked the Cardinals in week two 23-16. The Wildcats are 2-0 with big showdowns against Hofstra, Dartmouth and Towson coming up. That’s right, New Hampshire is 1-AA.
Army punked Ball State 24-17 in the third week of the season. Army lost to Duke 35-19. In football, not basketball.
Of some consolation to Cardinal fans, at least the offense is improving each week. Ten to sixteen to seventeen.
Maybe against an Auburn defense that has struggled at times, Ball State can post 18 or even 19.
The host Tigers will likely match that in the first quarter.
It’s true you can’t do the comparative score analysis because it never works. If it did hold true, you could pencil in a pretty convincing win by LSU over USC given the results of their respective efforts at Washington.
Wait, bad example. Who’s to say those Tigers wouldn’t clock the Trojans? Obviously not ESPUSCN, but you have to look past their cam-crush on Pete and the men from Troy.
Back to Auburn and Ball State.
Little known fact: John Schattner, founder of the Papa John’s Pizza chain, is a graduate of Ball State’s Miller School of Business. Not even Papa John himself can deliver a Cardinal win.
Barring an unforeseen calamity of Biblical proportions, Auburn will win this game.
Since the outcome is all but pre-determined, what should Tiger fans hope to get out of the contest?
One, Auburn needs to get backup quarterback Neil Caudle some reps. Caudle fought his way to the number two slot in the signal calling pecking order and desperately needs to take significant snaps to help prepare him should he be needed in this campaign as well as to season him for his final Auburn campaign in 2010.
Two, the Tigers need to establish depth at the linebacker positions. With true freshmen and walk-ons pressed into duty, it is imperative for Auburn to get them accustomed to game speed. It’s not a matter of if they will be needed as with Caudle, but when.
Three, Auburn must see how it handles success. The win over West Virginia was emotionally draining, physically demanding and mentally challenging. Can the Tigers psych themselves up for an opponent that really offers little challenge?
Sandwiched between the revenge-motivated battle with West Virginia and a looming visit to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers, the Ball State game has all the hallmarks of a trap game.
In the past, Auburn has come out flat in similar circumstances. A week after one of the most physical, emotional games in Auburn history, a 7-3 win over LSU in 2006, the Tigers were listless against Buffalo. Auburn eventually prevailed 38-7, but the starters were unable to get the much-needed rest anticipated.
It is imperative for the Tigers to take Ball State by the throat, dominate early and let the second and third line players gain experience.
Four, Auburn must show it can handle looking ahead. Next week’s visit to Tennessee is one of four linchpins to Auburn’s season. The Rocky Top showdown grew significantly more interesting after the Volunteers tugged on Superman’s cape in the Swamp and effectively thwarted the Gator offense. Tennessee didn’t have enough offensive firepower to engineer a legitimate threat to the Florida dynasty– let’s face it, a wet firecracker has more pop — but the Vol defense sent a message.
The chess match between white-hot Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and wizened Tennessee defensive guru Monte Kiffin will be well worth watching.
On Saturday, none of that anticipation can be in the minds or eyes of the Tigers. Take care of the business at hand first before looking to the next challenge.
Five, Auburn must develop additional weapons. Darvin Adams (three touchdown catches against West Virginia) has established himself as Auburn’s go-to receiver. Ben Tate and Onterrio McCalebb have turned the rushing game on its ear. For the Tigers to have continued success, DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake must integrate themselves into the offense. Electric Mario Fannin needs more touches.
Ball State provides an opportunity to work on bringing more of the game to those potential game breakers.
And six, the Tiger defense must work on fundamentals. Poor tackling allowed West Virginia to gain positive yards when they should have been stopped for a loss.
Auburn can’t seem to get off the field on third down regardless of the distance. A team can’t surrender third and ten-plus yards and be successful on a consistent basis.
Little known fact: David Letterman, long time host of Late Night with David Letterman on CBS is an alumnus of Ball State. Not even Letterman can find the Top Ten reasons Ball State has a chance against the Tigers.
The last time Auburn and Ball State squared off, the result was a 63-3 Tiger win in 2006. That Auburn team, under Borges, averaged 32 points per game — one of only two Auburn offenses to average more than 30 points per game in the last decade.
The conservative approach once favored by the Tigers is out the window under Malzahn.
Auburn’s new offensive coordinator thrives on a fast pace. His goal is to find creative ways to neutralize the defense. Malzahn’s offense probes for chinks in the defensive armor and then hammers relentlessly at those cracks until the armor crumbles under the pressure.
Forget field position, Malzahn believes every offensive possession should result in points.
That’s bad news for the Cardinals.
Little known fact: Current Ball State coach Stan Parrish has already led his Cardinals against a Malzahn-coached offense. When Hoke abandoned Muncie for sunny California, Parrish stepped in and directed the Ball State effort in the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa, where Malzahn directed the offense.
With less talent at Tulsa than he has at his disposal at Auburn, Malzahn’s Golden Hurricane offense rolled up 45 points in a 45-13 win.
On Saturday, 45 would be merciful.
Posted on September 9th, 2009 by Admin Mississippi State Bulldogs at Auburn Tigers Information
Kickoff Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
JORDAN-HARE STADIUM
TELEVISION – FOX SPORTS NET
Bob Rathbun Play-by-play
Dave Archer Analyst
Jenn Hildreth Sidelines
Auburn Vs. Mississippi State SERIES
AU leads, 57-23-2
at Auburn AU leads, 25-6
at Starkville AU leads, 11-4-1
at Neutral sites AU leads, 21-13-1
at Birmingham, AL AU leads, 14-11-1
at Columbus, MS AU leads, 1-0
at Jackson, MS AU leads, 5-2
at Montgomery, AL AU leads, 1-0
Last Meeting AU 3, MSU 2
Sept. 16, 2008 in Starkville, MS
Current Streak AU, W1
Auburn Tigers Under the Lights
The Tigers have accumulated a record of 16-3 since the 2000 season in home games starting at 6 p.m. or later
Point Spread: -14 Auburn
Source: AuburnTigers.cstv.com
Posted on September 8th, 2009 by Admin Week one is in the books. There were some great games, some near surprises, and some intriguing storylines. In Auburn, there is now renewed hope and optimism. Hope that last year was truly a one season problem. It’s great to have college football back. Here’s my thoughts on Auburn’s opening win against Louisiana Tech: 1. The defense can be good. Very good. Louisiana Tech had an explosive running game last year. They struggled to establish any sort of a running game outside of a couple quarterback scrambles. After a terrible pass interference call kept La Tech’s opening drive alive, two facemask penalties aided their only touchdown. All they got after that were two field goals – one of which was from distance.
The defense looked solid. They worked together. They gang tackled extremely well. There was a decent pass rush, and the secondary played very well. Barring injuries, the defense should be just as good as last year’s, which ranked in the top 20 in the nation. 2. Gus Malzahn knows what he’s doing. As a football fan, it was fun to watch Gus Malzahn set up the opposing defense repeatedly. In this offense, there’s always a big play being set up by the smaller plays. He backed up his claim that his first goal is to run the football. Anytime you can rush for around 300 yards and pass for over 250 yards, you’ve had a good day. He used Ben Tate’s power and Onterio McCalebb’s speed to set up great opportunities for Chris Todd down the field.
And how about Chris Todd. He didn’t make the big mistakes, and made two big time throws for touchdowns. He ran the offense with pace. He ran it making the correct reads most of the time. The offensive line looks big and physical. The receivers showed signs of having some confidence. It will be fun to watch how this offense does as the defenses improve.
3. Wes Byrum is back. He went 3 for 3, and made a HUGE 50-yarder going into halftime to steal some momentum back after Louisiana Tech had tied it up. In the SEC, you have to take advantage of your scoring opportunities. Wes looks like he is back to the form of his freshman year, a welcome sight to an offense that moved the ball consistently in the opener. 4. There are some talented freshmen. It was exciting to see so many new players play and have success last night. On offense, Onterio McCalebb stole the show, gaining more yards than any freshman in Auburn history has in his first game. Newcomers DeAngelo Benton, Emory Blake, and Anthony Gulley found their way on the field either as recievers or in special teams.
Dee Ford, Nick Fairley, and Daren Bates made their presence felt. Bates started at safety, came away with an interception, and looked totally comfortable against the run and pass. Eltoro Freeman didn’t play, but will bolster the linebacking core when he returns in the next couple weeks from injury. All of these new players will be counted on to provide depth and quality play as the season rolls on. Most of them had a great start to their careers on Saturday night.
5. Confidence. Even when the score didn’t show how well they were playing, Auburn didn’t look nervous or tentative. The offense moved the ball on nearly every drive. The defense settled down incredibly well after three penalties on the first drive. They played loose, pumping up the crowd and each other with each good play.
It’s crucial that they believe not only in themselves, but in the systems they are running. And it’s important that they truly believe that this program is still talented and has great potential. They took a big step towards that end on Saturday.
Thoughts from Around the Country:
1. BYU beats OU – I had a feeling about this game, but obviously wasn’t expecting Bradford to go down so early in the season. But give BYU credit, they were still down until late in the fourth quarter. They had to go take the game and win it. Oklahoma obviously still has a chance to have a big season. They can win the Big 12, and in all likelihood a one-loss team will make it to the title game. But it’s a crushing blow to take so early. Sam Bradford needs to be ready by the time they meet Texas; if not, their season will end in a disappointing fashion. 2. Surprisingly close games – Northern Iowa had a field goal attempt to beat Iowa, Navy had a two point attempt to tie Ohio State, and Washington hung with LSU for quite a while. Those games are what makes college football fun. There’s so much parity around the country; every game has the potential to be like that. 3. Shaking hands before football games is a bad idea. I’m all for sportsmanship. I appreciate the programs that emphasize character and run a tight ship. But shaking hands before a big college football game is dumb. The players have had all week to get pumped up about being physical with the other team…is it really a good idea to put them together right before kickoff? We’ve seen issues throughout the years with pregame altercations when they’re not brought together, so why is this idea on the table? I totally disagree with it. 4. Outside of Georgia, the SEC looked good. Alabama played well late to beat Virginia Tech. The lower teams of the SEC looked impressive, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Mississippi State scoring big wins. Georgia went up against a very good Oklahoma State team and was a bit outmatched by Dez Bryant. But then again who can guard him? Looks like it will be another wild ride in the SEC. 5. Notre Dame impresses. I wasn’t on the Notre Dame bandwagon, but a 35-0 showing against the potent offense of Nevada is impressive. The schedule leaves nothing to fear outside of USC. As much as it pains me to say it, they might end up in the BCS. All they have to do is probably win 10 games, which means they can even lose a game they’re not supposed to and still get in.
Comment if you want! I’ll have a week two preview up sometime on Thursday. Thanks for reading. War Eagle!
Posted on September 8th, 2009 by Admin Release from Auburn Official Athletic site:
Auburn freshman running back Onterio McCalebb has been named the Southeastern Conference Football Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
McCalebb rushed for 148 yards on 22 carries with a touchdown during Auburn’s season-opening 37-13 victory over Louisiana Tech last Saturday. He also added 49 yards on two kickoff returns, giving him an SEC-leading 197 all-purpose yards.
McCalebb became the first Auburn freshman to have a 100-yard rushing game in a season opener since Bo Jackson rushed for 123 yards against Wake Forest in 1982. McCalebb’s total was the highest ever for an Auburn freshman in a season opener, and the seventh highest total by an Auburn freshman in any game.
After totaling 40 yards on the ground during the first half in just six carries, McCalebb exploded for 108 yards on 16 rushes, including a 3-yard touchdown, in the second half. Five of his 22 carries, including four in the second half, went for at least 10 yards.
Auburn (1-0) will host Mississippi State (1-0) in the SEC opener for both schools this Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised by Fox Sports Net.
Posted on September 3rd, 2009 by Admin Today is the day that has been circled on so many of our calendars. When South Carolina and NC State kickoff tonight, the 2009 college football season will officially arrive.
Recent history says that it will be a wild ride for the next four months. Parity reigns supreme, as small market teams aren’t afraid of traditional powerhouses anymore. Everyone has a shot at glory.
Obviously, I’m an Auburn fan. But above that, I’m a college football fan.
A fan who has opinions and loves the sport as much as anyone. So I want to cover the national landscape on a broad scale, and the Auburn landscape on a closer, more specific scale.
Each Thursday, I’ll provide a list of five things for Auburn fans to watch for in the upcoming game. Things that I feel will determine the outcome. Then, I’ll provide a look at the top five storylines or games around the country that are worth any college football fan’s attention.
On Sundays, I’ll have a recap article talking about Saturday’s Auburn game, in addition to the other big time stories in college football. I would love for anyone reading this to check back and comment whenever possible.
Please comment, debate, and discuss what I say and what others say. That’s what makes this sport great. Keep it clean; keep it classy. But always share your opinion. Now to this weekend:
Things To Watch For: Auburn vs. Louisiana Tech
1. Know Your Opponent
Auburn fans need to understand the danger in this season opener. Louisiana Tech is a team that won eight games (including a bowl game) last year, including a victory in Starkville, and returns nine starters to an offense that averaged almost 200 rushing yards per game in 2008. They will not be intimidated walking into Jordan Hare Stadium.
I have no doubts that the coaches and players understand this. But I do worry about fans not understanding how good Louisiana Tech is. It’s a game Auburn should win.
But don’t think for a minute that it’s one you can show up to and win because of the name on the front of your jersey.
2. Auburn’s Running Game
Gus Malzahn insists he wants to run the ball. History backs that claim up. With running back being the most reliable position on offense, expect to see heavy doses of Ben Tate, Mario Fannin, and Onterio McCalebb.
How successful that running game is will tell a lot in this game. It will take the pressure off Chris Todd and the defense. It will allow the offensive line to get back to what they have all admitted they prefer. If Auburn doesn’t run the ball more than they pass it, that’s not a good sign for the final score.
3. Who Plays at Linebacker
Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes will start and play a great deal. After that, the position of linebacker is mostly unknown. If Eltoro Freeman is healthy, he will start opposite Stevens. Behind those three, walk-on Wade Christopher and inexperienced players, like Adam Herring and Spencer Pybus, will all find the field if healthy. Freshmen Harris Gaston and Jonathan Evans might even get in the action.
Almost all of those players have been injured at some point this summer. And because of Chizik’s preference not to talk about injuries, we know very little about the status of quite a few of those guys.
Look for who plays and who doesn’t, and what that means for the next few weeks.
4. Injuries
Even at other positions, there’s a lot of questions to be answered about who is available to play at game speed. Be watching for who plays and who is not. And be praying that Auburn can make it through the first game without any severe injuries to starters.
5. An Attitude
Do Auburn’s players believe last year was a fluke caused by bad attitudes and conflict among coaches and philosophies?
How the team comes out of the tunnel and the way they play in the first quarter will answer a lot of questions that I have about the season.
This team, especially the defense, needs to play with a swagger; an attitude that they’re going to turn things around. I would imagine the returning players are going to be incredibly excited to get back on the field with a clean slate. Hopefully, that energy spills over to the newcomers and the fans, creating a great opening day atmosphere.
Things To Watch around the Country
1. Thursday Night Showdowns
The first night of college football provides two huge games for this early in the season. Both South Carolina and NC State would benefit greatly from a nationally televised win before heading into seasons where they’re both expected to improve.
Oregon and Boise State are both in the top 20. Oregon is the toughest test standing in the way of another 12-0 Boise State regular season. Oregon could make a huge splash by winning on the blue turf, a feat that is rarely accomplished.
2. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
How important is this game? Just look at Alabama and Clemson’s records after week one.
Virginia Tech is the only legitimate title contender from the ACC, and absolutely needs this one for their own goals and to provide some legitimacy to the top tier of their conference.
Alabama is out to put back-to-back, 10-win seasons for the first time in a long time. A loss in Week One would be a huge setback.
Will Virginia Tech be able to have any offensive success against what should be a dominant Alabama defense? Will Virginia Tech score on special teams and/or defense? Those are my keys.
3. Georgia @ Oklahoma State
A huge stage for the Cowboys in Stillwater. Are they a legitimate contender in the Big 12 south?
They get a chance to prove that they are against a Georgia team with talent. But they’re breaking in a lot of new key pieces, especially on offense. Can Georgia regain a defensive swagger and keep the score somewhat moderate with OK State? A shootout wouldn’t be good news for the Bulldogs.
4. Underdogs
There will be a team that completely overlooks their opponent and loses, causing a huge blow to their season. I have no idea who it will be. But watch the scores wherever you are on Saturday. Keep up with those games that are too close for comfort for their favorites. That’s where the greatness of college football lies.
5. Swing Games
There are a few games this weekend that will send the two teams in completely opposite directions. One team gets shot towards a great season, one falls miserably short of expectations.
A few games that fit in this category are Miami @ Florida State, South Carolina @ NC State, and possibly even BYU @ Oklahoma. All these teams need a big opening day win to get where they want to go. They will play in a physical, emotional way, making for some good television.
Like I said earlier, I hope you’ll check out this bi-weekly “blog.” Feel free to comment, second-guess, or ask a question. I hope you all are as excited as I am for this 2009 football season. It should be a great one! War Eagle!
Posted on July 1st, 2009 by WarEagles 
Auburn’s football game on Sept. 19 against West Virginia at Jordan-Hare Stadium will kick off at 6:45 p.m. CT and will be televised by ESPN or ESPN2, the network announced Wednesday.
The determination of the originating network will be decided after games of Sept. 12.
Under the new Southeastern Conference television contract, a minimum of 11 of Auburn’s 12 games this season will be televised. The Auburn-Alabama game on Nov. 27 will be televised by CBS at 1:30 p.m. CT. The kickoff times and television network for Auburn’s remaining games will be announced as those determinations are made by the SEC’s broadcast partners.
Source: Auburn Tigers Athletics
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