“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.

Auburn University | Jordan-Hare Stadium

Named for Ralph “Shug” Jordan, Auburn’s all-time winningest football coach, and Clifford Leroy Hare, a member of Auburn’s first football team, Jordan-Hare Stadium has been home to the Auburn Tigers since 1939.

Auburn University | Jordan-Hare Stadium

Named for Ralph “Shug” Jordan, Auburn’s all-time winningest football coach, and Clifford Leroy Hare, a member of Auburn’s first football team, Jordan-Hare Stadium has been home to the Auburn Tigers since 1939.

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.

Come Sunday morning, Tiger fans will have more reason to boast while Volunteer supporters will be left scratching their heads and wondering when they’ll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The meeting between the Tigers and Volunteers is a study in contrasts. In everything from the demeanor of their head coaches to their respective strengths and weaknesses, the two teams are polar opposites.

Chizik is low key. He gives little to the media beyond standard coaching cliches and pat phrases. His press conferences are virtually interchangeable. He’s cautious, reserved and evokes a business only aura.

Kiffin is ebullient. He’s angered opposing coaches and drawn the ire of SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer by sniping at rivals, and engaging in media-fueled battles with opposing coaches. His press conferences are events, because no one is really sure what Kiffin’s going to say— or have to apologize for—next.

Chizik’s Tigers have surpassed early expectations. Poll voters haven’t noticed, but Auburn is 4-0.

Kiffin’s Volunteers have struggled to match his abrasive bravado. Tennessee checks in at 2-2, or 3-1 if you count moral victories. At this point, polls are the last thing on their mind.

Chizik came to Auburn with a reputation as a defensive wizard. As defensive coordinator at Auburn and then Texas he presided over two straight undefeated seasons and one national title—or two if you count titles like cross-state rival Bama fans do.

Kiffin was the pick at Tennessee in large part because of his work with the offense at USC, where the Trojans were a perennial national contender.

Irony number one?

Chizik won his Texas national title while running the Longhorn defense against Kiffin’s Trojans.

Irony number two?

Despite Kiffin’s offensive reputation, Tennessee’s best chance on Saturday rests with its defense. The Volunteer offense remains stuck on start and has shown little sign of go. The Tennessee defense is talented and extremely effective.

Conversely, Chizik’s defensive rep is overshadowed by Auburn’s performance on offense. Questions abound for the Tiger defense, but the Auburn offense has rolled up more than 500 yards per game on average and is scoring a blistering 45 points per outing.

On Saturday something has to give.

Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Lane’s father, devised an outstanding plan to put the brakes on Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators in a 23-13 loss/moral victory at Florida.

Chances are the elder Kiffin will have a similar scheme to derail a resurgent Chris Todd and the high-scoring Tiger offense.

Kiffin’s task was made significantly more difficult with the loss of linebacker Nick Reveiz, whose 27 tackles are third on the team.

The problem for the Volunteers is that the Auburn offense seems capable of putting points on the board. Tennessee might be able to slow it down, but the chance of stopping it outright seems remote.

Auburn averages 526 yards and 45 points per game. The Tigers pick up an average of seven yards per play. Even if the Volunteer defense is able to cut that production in half, it will likely still be enough against a Tennessee offense that puts the in in inept.

The Volunteers are moderately effective at running the ball (nearly 200 yards per game), but to say Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton has struggled would be putting it kindly.

Crompton has thrown eight interceptions in just four games. A six-year old child could draw up the defensive gameplan against Tennessee.

Put eight men in the box to limit the run and put pressure on Crompton. Force him to make a mistake.

After West Virginia torched Auburn for two big plays early in a 41-30 Tiger win, that’s essentially the plan defensive coordinator Auburn Ted Roof employed. The result? Five Mountaineer interceptions and a Tiger win.

Auburn’s defense has issues. The Tigers allow a too-high 4.6 yards per play. Opponents average more than 150 yards rushing and more than 170 passing. Opponents score an average of 24 points per game.

That must improve for loftier season expectations to come to fruition. As it pertains to Saturday’s meeting, however, the Volunteers show no indication they are capable of taking advantage of the defensive questions the Tigers present.

Last season these two teams waged an epic battle on the floor of Jordan-Hare Stadium that resulted in 792 combined yards. Punting yards. Tennessee punted ten times for 399 yards, the Tigers nine for 393.

Given Auburn’s offensive prowess and the Tigers’ defensive questions, you may see another 800-yard effort—with no punts—on Saturday.

As the lights go down, you’ll also see a 5-0 Auburn team. The only question is whether poll voters will finally take notice.

It seems like it’s been a long time since Auburn football was fun.

It hasn’t really, but the ache of 2008 was so strong that it feels like Auburn fans have been wandering the proverbial desert for 40 years.

New offensive coordinator Gus Malzhan is well on the road to changing that dynamic.

In his first two games with the Tigers, Malzhan has helped shred the team’s offensive record books, sent the scoreboard pinwheeling and put the Tigers at as solid a 2-0 as could have possibly been hoped for.

To say that Malzhan’s offense has so far exceeded expectations is like saying Kate Beckinsale is sort of pretty.

The evolution of that offense and the potential it brings to a Tiger team that has watched numerous seasons bog down with offensive inefficiency, adds a whole new dimension to fun at Jordan Hare Stadium.

How fun was Saturday night’s 49-24 demolition of Mississippi State?

It was mascot Aubie dancing with the band fun.

In the game’s final five minutes, fans were watching a play-by-play yardage total on the Jumbotron, urging the second team to gain a few more yards so Auburn could top 600 total on the night.

The Tigers didn’t quite get there, finishing with 589. Still, it was the second straight 500-plus yard outing for a Tiger offense that had difficulty gaining any yardage a year ago.  Through two games, the Tigers have amassed a school-record 1,145 yards.

Auburn didn’t break the 1,100 yard mark as a team until the fourth game of 2008.

Ben Tate and Onterrio McCalebb both topped the 100-yard mark for the second straight time. It’s the first time in school history two backs have gone over 100 yards in consecutive games.

Tate finished with 157 yards and didn’t play a single snap in the first quarter.  McCalebb added 115 on just 15 carries.  Both Tate and McCalebb averaged more than seven yards per attempt.

Tate finished 2008 with 664 yards, even after rushing for 117 in the season opener. The Tiger senior has racked up 272 already in 2009.

Kodi Burns ran for three touchdowns and passed for another on a well executed run fake that drew the entire Mississippi State defense in.

Auburn put up 49 points (and should have had more) against a Mississippi State team traditionally known for its defense.

Auburn scored more than 40 points only once in the last three seasons: a 55-20 win over New Mexico State in 2007.

The combined total of 86 points through two games is the best since Auburn put 63 on Ball State and followed that with 37 against Western Kentucky in 2005.

Auburn’s two-game total margin of victory, 49 points, is the widest of any two consecutive games since Auburn blasted Washington State 40-14 and then hammered Mississippi State 34-0 in 2006.

Last season’s well-chronicled 5-7 debacle aside, Auburn won a lot of games over the last few years. The Tigers posted nine wins in 2005, 11 in 2006 and nine more in 2007.

So many of those were gut wrenching, close ball games where the Tigers relied on their defense to hold the opposition at bay while the offense did just enough to win.  The record is littered with 23-17, 22-15, 17-3 type scores.

Former head coach Tommy Tuberville, despite a reputation as a riverboat gambler, grew increasingly conservative over the course of his 10-year Auburn tenure.

The 2009 edition of the Tigers under new head coach Gene Chizik seemingly has no such conservative bent.

Case in point: Mississippi State blocked a second quarter punt to take a 17-14 lead with just 4:44 remaining in the first half.

In previous seasons, the Tigers might have been content to play it safe, run out the clock and plan for the second half.

No longer. Auburn roared 80 yards in just five plays, burning a mere 1:36 off the clock to retake the lead. McCalebb covered the final 48 yards on a charge around left end.

When the defense held Mississippi State to one first down on its ensuing possession, the Auburn coaching staff judiciously used its timeouts to preserve the clock.

Auburn got the ball back at its own 22 with just 1:29 remaining.

Sit on the ball and protect the lead? No thanks.

Todd hit Darvin Adams for 21 yards on a third and eight.

After a five-yard bullrush by Tate, Todd and Adams connected again for 28 yards.  A 20-yard Todd to Adams completion moved the ball to the Bulldog one with 21 seconds still remaining.

Burns plunged in from there for one of his three touchdowns on the night.

Instead of taking a 17-14 deficit and a basket of questions to the halftime locker room, the Tigers posted two scores in the final 4:44 and carried a truckload of confidence to the break.

The Bulldogs were never a factor after that.

Yes, it’s only Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State.  Tech may struggle this season as evidenced by the 32-7 thrashing administered by Navy on Saturday.

MSU may not win a single conference game and most observers peg the Bulldogs as the league’s worst team.

But the Auburn of the last five years didn’t beat the Louisiana Techs and Mississippi States as thoroughly as this Auburn team did.  Those Auburn teams won more than their share of games.

It’s too early to begin building the Gene Chizik pedestal. It’s not time to start minting the Gene Chizik coins.  Unless you live in Iowa, where that was already done, that is.

It is time to recognize that if nothing else, Chizik and his staff have found a way to make football at Auburn fun again.

Now it’s time to see if they can make the Tigers relevant.  The road to relevance starts with 2-0 West Virginia on Saturday.

Fresh off an exciting 37-13 win over a good Louisiana Tech team, the Auburn football team will be paid a visit by Mississippi State on Saturday night. First year head man Dan Mullen guided the Bulldogs to a convincing win over Jackson State in Week 1. Now it’s the SEC opener for him and for new Auburn coach Gene Chizik.

It’s an important game for Auburn to win if they want to support the idea that the demons of last season are fully eliminated. Last year, Auburn staggered to a 3-2 win in Starkville. The defense played an incredible game, but the offense kept trying to lose it. I think Mississippi State will be better than advertised this year, but this is a game at home that Auburn should win. Here’s a few things to watch for on Saturday night:

Turnovers – Two years ago in this series, Auburn lost the game mostly because of turnovers. Chris Todd did a great job of protecting the ball last week, but two costly fumbles (Ben Tate, Darvin Adams) need to be eliminated for SEC play. Can Auburn force the two quarterback system in place at State to turn the ball over? If so, Auburn might win fairly convincingly. If Auburn commits the turnovers, the game will be much too close for comfort.

Auburn Tigers QB Chris Todd

The Running Game – Mississippi State has some quality running backs. Anthony Dixon returns after a one game suspension, and Christian Ducre is another solid back. Both teams want to run the ball first out of their new spread attacks. Whichever team establishes the running game more successfully has a huge advantage in the game.

Momentum – How will Auburn’s players and coaches handle the praise they have received this week? Last week was a trap game. And while this is an SEC game and it shouldn’t be a problem, it will be interesting to see the intensity with which the team plays as they’re expected to win. I hope to see the same loose, fun, yet focused attitude displayed last week. Having another game under the lights at Jordan-Hare will help create more of a home field advantage. Can they continue the momentum that started last weekend?

Linebackers – They were very productive last week. Will Eltoro Freeman play this week? Adam Herring did a good job in his place last week. They will be key in stopping the run and limiting the intermediate passing game of the Bulldogs.

Special Teams – In the history of this series, Mississippi State tends to play Auburn close, even when they’re not expected to. In close games, special teams are vital. I hope it doesn’t come down to a field goal or an important punt to flip the field position. But if it does, can Auburn’s special teams units come through in the clutch?

Things to watch for around the country:

USC @ Ohio State – Obviously this is a huge game with national title implications. How will true freshman Matt Barkley respond while playing in the Horseshoe? Is Ohio State a legitimate top 10 team? We’ll know a lot more about both teams after this one is over.

SEC matchups begin – South Carolina @ Georgia and Vanderbilt @ LSU provides some interesting storylines to begin the SEC slate. Georgia absolutely needs a win to curb some of the criticism from last week’s loss, and LSU still has questions about their defense after Washington moved the ball so well. It’s good to have SEC matchups back on the schedule.

Notre Dame @ Michigan – Both teams looked impressive in their openers, but which team is for real? Whichever team can advance to 2-0 on the year will be in the ESPN spotlight for weeks to come.

UCLA @ Tennessee – Can Lane Kiffin avenge the Vols’ loss in the Rose Bowl last year? It certainly looks like Tennessee will be much improved, but they will have to perform that way against a quality opponent. I think this is a huge swing game for UT – if they lose, it’s going to be pretty devastating to their record in the long run with Florida, Auburn and Georgia coming up in the next few weeks. But if they can win, Tennessee @ Florida will be extremely entertaining next week.

Upset Special – Watch for Connecticut to at least stick around and make it a game against North Carolina, and don’t be surprised if Vanderbilt plays LSU on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.

Enjoy the games this weekend! I’ll have a recap of the weekend’s action at the beginning of next week…War Eagle!

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

]]> http://auburnwareaglegameday.com/preview/auburn-vs-mississippi-state-preview/feed/ 0 http://auburnwareaglegameday.com/auburn-football-news/onterio-mccalebb-named-sec-freshman-of-the-week/ http://auburnwareaglegameday.com/auburn-football-news/onterio-mccalebb-named-sec-freshman-of-the-week/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:16:51 +0000 Admin http://auburnwareaglegameday.com/?p=196 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.

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!