Posted on 11/30/2013 4:41:05 PM PST by xzins
With only a second left on the clock, Chris Davis caught a 57-yard field-goal attempt that fell short, got up the left side and returned it 100 yards to give the No. 4 Tigers a 34-28 win over No. 1 Alabama and the SEC West title.
Now, Auburn (11-1, 7-1 SEC) has a shot at the SEC title and possibly a national championship all left on the table.
For the second straight game, the clock was running down, and the Tigers had little time left.
That's when Nick Marshall came up with another play.
After a drive spent handing the ball off over and over again, Marshall kept the ball on the zone read, then pulled up short and floated a pass to a wide-open Sammie Coates, who raced in with a 39-yard touchdown to tie the game.
Badly needing some momentum to erase a 21-7 deficit, Auburn went back to the running game that has carried the Tigers all season.
Held without a rushing yard for most of the second quarter, Auburn ripped off a 7-play, 81-yard drive near the end of the first half, punctuated by a 40-yard burst from Mason up the middle to set up his own 2-yard score.
And then, given the ball to start the second half, Auburn kept the momentum going, alternating Marshall and Mason on a nine-play, 69-yard drive that Marshall capped by firing a 13-yard strike to C.J. Uzomah in the corner of the end zone to tie the game at 21.
But after AJ McCarron's 99-yard strike to Amari Toomer, the Tigers had trouble getting going offensively, and the defense came up big with two stops, a fourth-down stand by Carl Lawson and a blocked field goal by Robenson Therezie that set up Auburn's final drive to set up a trip to Atlanta
It’s only an upset if you don’t follow the Iron Bowl. Auburn’s won eight of the last twelve games and and 19 of the last 31.
I thought they put in a new freshman field goal kicker for that 4th attempt in the final second. But then I don’t keep up with the details as much as husband and son do.
1972, with Alabama leading 16-3. Alabama had to punt. Auburn's Bill Newton broke through the line and blocked the punt; it bounced once and Auburn defensive back David Langner picked it up and returned it for a touchdown.
Four plays later, Alabama had to punt again. The same Bill Newton broke through the line and blocked the punt, it bounced once (again), was picked up by David Langner (again), and was returned for a touchdown.
The two plays were almost mirror images of each other.
Langer also intercepted an Alabama pass to seal the game.
Final score: Auburn 17, Alabama 16, which led to all of the Punt Bama Punt bumper stickers.
Craziest ending to a college football since the Stanford-Cal Play from 1982. Congratulations Auburn on toppling a giant.
“There is no dominant team in the nation this year, every team has deficiencies”.
Alabama, when they are clicking, comes the closest. Just about their entire first team will be first round draft picks.
Georgia year in year out puts just as many players into the pros...the problem is the coaching staff is not able to make them a cohesive enough of a unit to dominate a season.
So what’s Alabama’s signature win this year? LSU - they have 3 losses and lost to Georgia which has 4 losses and lost to Vanderbilt. Texas A&M? They have multiple losses and can’t play defense.
All Bama was missing was a kicker.
“It’s only an upset if you don’t follow the Iron Bowl. Auburn’s won eight of the last twelve games and and 19 of the last 31”.
Not so fast....
In the Saban era, Alabama has a 4-3 record against Auburn,
with four of those wins lopsided blowouts, 36-0 in 2008,
42-14 in 2011 and 49-0 in 2012. The other win was 26-21
in 2009. Next year in 2010, Alabama blew a 24-0 lead to the Cam Newton lead Auburn team.
So Saban has had very good success against Auburn, with 3 of the four wins being blowouts.
I don’t think that Auburn bothers Nick Saban. His team has dominated the SEC in the last few years. Auburn had the title team with Newton and nothing else.
It is the greatest rivalry in College Football, bar none.
A little thin-skinned, are we? I defy you to find one thing in my post that shows a hatred for Alabama? I have always had a lot of respect for Nick Saban's coaching abilities and the success of the Crimson Tide.
With perfect hindsight, did Saban make the right call on that last play? No.
Was Alabama ready for Auburn to return the kick if it was short? Obviously, not.
Given your post, it is funny that although I didn't really have a horse in this race, I was actually hoping Bama would win.
“I defy you to find one thing in my post that shows a hatred for Alabama”.
I don’t even know what you posted.
I see you’re believing the hype. Simple fact is OSU knows how to win 2 straight years—undefeated!
Who else can say that?
If it’s FSU-Ohio State in the title game, I won’t even bother to watch....the perfect ending to the suckiest college football year, ever.
Ok.
I guess his feet didn’t touch the OB line.
I’ll take your words for it.
Really? Your post (#114) was a direct response to my post (#106) which was a comment on Hotlanta Mike's post (#27).
I can’t remember two minutes later who posted what. Memory just ain’t what it used to be. If I said anything that offends you sorry.
That's why a playoff, even with only 4 teams is the best answer. Next year we'll get at least that much.
The teams that really concern me, though, are the non-BCS teams. Coaches also being recruiters, and player being developed, I can actually imagine a great coach putting together a great team that might actually be the best in the nation that flies under the sportswriter's preconceptions and gets ignored because it can't be believed. I would prefer an 8 team format with at least 1, and eventually 2, of those being consensus best non-BCS schools.
The Defensive Coordinator Ellis Johnson suggested putting a returner back in case the kick was short. Originally #24 Ryan Smith was under the goalpost. Malzahn called time out to ice the kicker and they substituted Davis for Smith. Davis is the normal punt returner so he is used to run backs and has a couple of punt returns for TD’s this year. The kick was short and wide right and the rest is history. Good coaching moves by Auburn.
Not since Saban arrived at Alabama. Three national titles to one and a 4-3 record against their arch rivals. As long as Saban coaches the Tide is in good hands. His teams more than not have destroyed Auburn on the field. If for a couple of fluke plays his record would be 6-1 against them. No way the Cam Newton game should have been lost and no way this year’s team should have lost. Saban’s first year at Alabama in 2007 was the only year that Auburn really “beat them”, and every other team in the SEC beat Alabama that year.
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