Ted Roof has been catching a lot of flack all season about his defense, but he shouldn’t any more. Roof, secondary coaches Phillip Lolley and Tommy Thigpen and dline coach Tracy Rocker made the necessary adjustments when they counted at halftime. They, their players and Cam and company took over in the second half to lead the Tigers to victory, 28-27, in the 75th edition of the Iron Bowl. And this was a classic. I’d put it in my top three or four of all time.
Here is what the Auburn defense did in the second half after being pretty much run over in the first half. Greg McElroy was 19-of-23 for 314 yards in the first half with two touchdowns. In the second half, McElroy was eight-of-14 for 63 yards. Julio Jones caught seven passes for 174 yards in the first half. In the second half, Julio caught three passes for 25 yards. In the first half, Alabama amassed 358 total yards. In the second half, 77. Alabama had a 24-7 lead in the first half. They scored only three more points in the second half and that was after a fumbled punt return by Quindarrious Carr deep in Auburn territory.
The defense gave Cam, T-Zac and the rest of the offense a shot at coming back. And like Cam and his offensive teammates have done all season, they did. Cam finished the day 13-of-20 for 216 yards and three tds, the first a 36-yarder to Emory Blake on a beautiful go pass which Blake almost bobbled and lost after Mark Barron tried to knock it out. But it was a great play by Blake to hold on to the ball and secure the six.
Down 24-7, Cam and T-Zac came roaring back in the third quarter. Cam dropped back and threw a deep ball to T-Zac. Barron looked like he was in position to either pick it off or knock it down and knock T-Zac off his feet in the process. But Barron missed the ball, T-Zac kept his concentration, made a great catch, and ran it in for a 70-yard score to cut the lead to 24-14. Auburn whittled away again scoring on a Cam one yard run with 4:23 to go in the third cutting the lead to 24-21.
Jeremy Shelley put Alabama up 27-21 on a 32-yard field goal with 1:05 left in the third, but Auburn had held Alabama out of the end zone after the Carr fumble. Alabama got to the AU seven, but a false start penalty and an Eltoro Freeman sack of McElroy on third and 10 at the Auburn 12 led to the field goal.
Then Auburn went on what proved to be the game winning drive. Maybe the key play of the season for Auburn, and if they win the national championship they’ll look back on this play, was on fourth and three at the Alabama 47. Auburn took a timeout with 13:49 left in the game. Gene Chizik conferred with Gus Malzahn and decided to go for it. Cam set up in the backfield and for a few seconds there, I thought he was going to quick kick it. But Ryan Pugh snapped it to Cam and he threw a perfect pass to Darvin Adams who hauled it in for a nine yard gain to the Alabama 38. Five plays later, Malzahn called one of his many highly creative calls, as Cam rolled right and threw back left to Phillip Lutzenkirchen who grabbed it just beyond the outstretched arms of Mark Barron to put Auburn up 28-27 with 11:55 to go in the game.
Julio, McElroy and Darius Hanks were all knocked out of the game by the intensely hard-hitting Auburn defense. McElroy went out after a blitzing T’Sharvin Bell sacked McElroy and knocked him out with a concussion. It was a clean play.
Auburn got’er done in the second half, but three plays were critical in the first half. With 12:30 left in the second quarter and Alabama leading 21-0, McElroy completed a pass to Ingram over the middle and Ingram was racing down the right sideline when a hustling Antoine Carter came from behind and punched the ball out of Ingram’s arms on the Auburn 19. The ball went through the end zone and Auburn got it back on its 20.
AU was still down 21-0 when maybe the key play of the game transpired. After starting on their 50 as a result of a Ryan Shoemaker 20-yard punt, Alabama got it down to the Auburn three on a McElroy to Jones 42-yard pass play. Alabama had all the momentum and was threatening to blow out the No.2 team in the country. On a first and goal at the AU 3, Jim McElwain had the perfect play called: a short pass to Trent Richardson on the left side of the line. Richardson was open and could have walked in pretty much. McElroy got the pass to him, but Richardson dropped it. Alabama couldn’t get it in from there and settled for a field goal. If Alabama would have scored seven they would have taken a 28-0 lead and Auburn may have faced a mountain they couldn’t get over. But AU got the ball back and scored to cut the lead to 24-7.
The third critical error for the Tide and key play for the Tigers was on the very next Alabama drive. With a second and goal at the Auburn eight, McElroy dropped back to pass. Hard charging Nick Fairley, who should win the Outland Trophy in my opinion, busted through guard Anthony Sheen’s block and crushed McElroy. McElroy fumbled and Fairley recovered.
AU dodged some bullets in the first half, but showed what kind of mettle they have to withstand the Tide first half onslaught and what kind of football team they have in coming back in the second half.
One more mountain to climb before AU can start making their reservations for Glendale. South Carolina won’t be easy, AU had a tough time with them in Auburn winning 35-27 with some late game heroics by the defense as they caused four turnovers in the fourth quarter. But Marcus Lattimore, Alshon Jeffrey and company will challenge this tremendous Tigers team greatly. But one thing I know: it’s great to be an Auburn Tiger today.
If the Tigers can get through SC, there’s a good chance it’ll be Oregon. If it’s not Oregon, it could be TCU or Wisconsin. But there’s work left for the Tigers before they get there.
Hats off to Gene Chizik, Gus Malzahn, Ted Roof and the entire Auburn coaching staff for the job they’ve done this year. They have earned the right to play for it all if. Just need to take care of business one more time.
(NIck Fairley and Auburn defense stood strong in first half and took care of business in second half.)
3 Responses
Need not delay on Heisman presentation. And no surprise on stage in New York. Cam Newton and his play elevates all of the Tigers play. Place him under center for six teams in the SEC and that team would be 12-0. Usually the phrase “one and done” is reserved for hoops players, but certainly will apply for SuperCam. Thank goodness.
Hey David,
The only thing I thought beyond your comments is the Auburn won the war in the trenches on both sides of the ball in the second half. I’ a bit mystified by this as Alabama has the conditioning and the high profile players. What are your thoughts?
Ron, Auburn has proved they’ve got probably the best offensive line in the country and yesterday in the second half, they showed it. The defensive line for AU really stepped up. Nick Fairley is a beast and guys like Antoine Carter and Michael Goggins were huge. Having Goggins and Mike Blanc back in the second half helped the AU defense. If you remember, they were the two suspended for the first half after fighting against Georgia. These Auburn linemen on both sides of the ball are no slouch. The offensive line is dominant and the defensive line is very athletic and powerful and like most Auburn teams of the past, very hard hitting. Alabama has struggled with their offensive line since the Florida game. Not having Barrett Jones didn’t help either. On Fairley’s sack of McElroy that caused the fumble, he just plowed through Anthony Steen, Jones’ backup. Total domination on both sides of the ball in the second half. Of course, it helps the line to have a qb like Cam.