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
The NCAA record is 67 yards. Griffith, Alabama’s kicker, had kicked over 50 yard field goals before, and he averaged 67 yards in high school on kickoffs.
I think Saban thought the kid had enough leg to keep the ball out of play. Wasn’t Griffith red shirt all season, though, until this game? That was an odd decision.
Saban’s mistake was not having a better defense on the field.
As if this season wasn't bad enough for Gator fans, now comes the final insult.
The SEC has been better than the big 10 for years.
The bottom half of the big 10 is weak. The bottom half of the SEC is still serious football.
I live in Ohio, so I support the Buckeyes except if they ever play Cincinnati again. The hope was that Meyer would bring the SEC to Ohio.
Alabama does NOT deserve to begin the title game. Michigan State if they beat Ohio state should go.
also why isn’t anyone talking about the weak schedule Florida state and Alabama played all year. Alabama played one tough team and lost.
How’s Meyer’s heart doing these days?
FSU has had one of the weakest schedules. They play DUKE for the title next week. What a joke.
They certainly played a weak team today. At least we lowered their Strength of Schedule.
How’s Meyer’s heart?
Meyer played football at Cincinnati, is from Ohio, coached at Xavier High School in Cincy, assisted at OSU, coached at Bowling Green and is now back home.
Home is where your heart is.
I’m quite certain my daughter wouldn’t be among them. Can’t say the same for her Momma at her age though. :)
According to Sagarin:
Auburn strength of schedule was 38.
Florida State was 76
Alabama was 55.
Utah was 1.
Arizona State was 2.
Alabama was simply out-coached by Auburn on the last play.
Auburn had called a timeout prior to the kick. The Alabama coaches SHOULD have told the players to cover a possible run-back, given the length of the kick.
Auburn used the timeout to set up the return. Its players peeled off after the kick to set up a wall on the left-hand side. The kick was either gonna be good, or it was gonna miss. If it was good, game over. If it was a miss through the end zone - overtime. BUT, if caught on the fly, a return was possible. Then, either the player would be tackled, resulting in overtime - OR result in a return for a TD. Win-Win situation.
As it happened, the Alabama players were caught holding their Willies, watching the kick and not covering a possible return. The rest, as they say, is history ...
Me, too.
I think college rules for video review are much more strict than the NFL, so maybe a review was not allowed?
Oh Pullleezzzzzzze! Who did Alabama play harder than Auburn or FSU for that lame schedule? I call BS.
But it’s based on inflated SEC poll numbers. Ever since BIG10 got its own network ESPN has been down playing them.
Hell no!
No. But that’s why they call me “Deacon Blue.”
I wish I could have seen this happen in real time. Alas, must see in replays.
Emergency rooms from Columbus, MS to Columbus, GA will be full of women who had the nerve to say to their husband, “Earl, it’s only a game.”
Saint Nick blew this one.....maybe it’s time he retired.
Agree that Florida State played a cupcake schedule. They’re in the ACC, one of the weakest football conferences in the country. They have one good win this year and that was Clemson, although Clemson turned out to be not so good after all. Alabama plays in the SEC. Any team on a given day can beat you. Best conference in the country.
If Auburn beats Missouri next week, and Michigan State beats Ohio State I think Auburn will play in the BCS title game. But I don’t see a one loss Michigan State team or a one loss Missouri team jumping over Alabama. Alabama is the two time defending national champions and have been #1 the entire year. They might have lost that game today, but it was anybody’s game and they lost it on a boneheaded play. I might be wrong, hell they could drop to #5 in the BSC standings. But how do you rank a one loss loss team over them, when they’ve been #1 the entire year and were on-odds on favorites to make it to the title game. Their loss really confuses the picture. But everyone is happy. Alabama finally lost. I like em. When they are on their game, they are the best.
If FSU and Ohio State end up playing for the title, my money is on Ohio State. Beating not much more than high schools by week after week in the ACC does not impress me.
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