I've Moved

As I progress in my blogging experience I have created version 2.0 and now this is the best Auburn Football Blog on the net.  I am excited about the line up of articles I will be putting out over the next few weeks before the season and I also have a great in-season schedule of features I will be posting.  Thank you for following me to my new home!

Post-NSD, Pre-Spring Predicted Depth Chart

While spring practice will be sure to change and/or clearify a lot of how the depth chart will look, here is my first stab at what it will look like.

Quarterback
Barrett Trotter
Clint Mosley
Kiehl Frazier

Running Back
Michael Dyer
Onterio McCalebb
Tre Mason

Fullback
Eric Smith
LaDarious Phillips

Tight End
Philip Lutzenkirchen
Dakota Mosley
Brandon Fulse
C.J. Uzomah

Wide Receiver
DeAngelo Benton
Quindarius Carr
Sammie Coates

Wide Receiver
Emory Blake
Shaun Kitchens
Jaylon Denson

Wide Receiver
Trovon Reed
Antonio Goodwin
Quan Bray

Left Tackle
Chad Slade
Christian Westerman

Left Guard
Eric Mack
Thomas O'Reilly

Center
Reese Dismukes
Jared Cooper
Tunde Fariyike

Right Guard
John Sullen
Ed Christian

Right Tackle
Brandon Mosley
Greg Robinson

Weakside Defensive End
Corey Lemonier
Dee Ford
Joel Bonomolo
Keymiya Harrell

Defensive Tackle
Kenneth Carter
Gabe Wright
Angelo Blackson

Nose Guard
Jeff Whitaker
Jamar Travis
JaBrian Niles

Strongside Defensive End
Nosa Eguae
Craig Sanders
Justin Delaine
Devaunte Sigler

Weakside Linebacker
Eltoro Freeman
Darren Bates
Jessel Curry
Justin Garrett

Middle Linebacker
Jake Holland
Harris Gaston
Jawara White
Chris Landrum

Strongside Linebacker
LaDarius Owens
Jonathan Evans
Kris Frost

Cornerback
Neiko Thorpe
Chris Davis
Jonathan Rose
Jermaine Whitehead

Cornerback
T'Sharvan Bell
Ryan White
Jonathan Mincy
Robenson Therezie

Safety
Mike McNeil
Erique Florence
Ikeem Means

Safety
Demetruce McNeal
Ryan Smith
Anthony Swain

Kicker
Cody Parkey

Punter
Stephen Clark

Signing Day 2011

It has been a while since my last blog entry so let's do a quick recap. After completing the greatest comeback in Iron Bowl history to knock off Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Auburn marched to Atlanta and burned South Carolina's defense for an SEC Championship record 56 points and an SEC Championship record 39 point margin of victory. That win propelled Auburn to the #1 ranking in the BCS and secured a spot in the BCS National Championship game. The following weeks were a whirlwind.

We were going to Glendale, of course.

After settling on flying in and out of Las Vegas and getting set up in a posh new hotel on the strip, the vacation of a lifetime was set. The final remaining piece was trying to get tickets but that was growing less and less likely as ticket prices began exceeding $1000 a piece.

We went. We conquered. We got snowed in for an extra day or two. What more can you ask for?

No sooner did the clock strike 0:00 on the University of Phoenix Stadium game clock did the coach's, and subsequently the fan's attention turn to closing out the 2011 recruiting class with a bang.

At that point Auburn had just picked up two commitments at the Under Armour All-American game and then two more at the US Army All-American game. Sitting with 18 commitments and five to seven spots to fill the focus had narrowed to a few select players and retaining the ones already committed.

Now with signing day in the books, how did we finish?

Quarterback - Kiehl Frazier [6'3" / 215] - After not taking a high school QB in the 2010 class, getting a premiere quarterback in this class was a top priority. Before the 2010 class was even in the books there were clearly two top targets for the 2011 class in Jeff Driskel and Kiehl Frazier. Both had sufficient size, above average athleticism and impressive passing abilities. Both QBs were invited to the Elite 11 quarterback camp reserved for the top quarterback prospects in the country. Driskel, a Florida native, decided to stay close to home and play for the Gators which turned 100% of the staff's focus on securing Frazier. Standing 6'3" and weighing 215 pounds Frazier is not quite Cam Newton size but he did have one advantage over every other quarterback in the country; Frazier played his high school ball at Shiloh Christian, former stomping grounds of Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, where they still run Malzahn's offense. Not only has Frazier run Malzahn's offense through high school, he as directed the offense perhaps better than any other quarterback in Arkansas High School history. After finishing his senior season with another state championship he became the first quarterback in Arkansas to ever win three State Championship game MVP honors while winning three consecutive championships. Another prestigious honor Frazier received was being named the USA Today High School Player of the Year.

Running Back - Tre Mason [5'10" / 190] - Easily the most tumultuous position during this recruiting season, running back recruiting went through a lot of highs and lows. In the end Auburn landed a four star 'back out of Florida who brings a nice blend of blazing speed and moderate size. The early goal was to bring in one speed back and one big back. The top speed back target was Mike Blakely who, after multiple early trips to the plains seemed to be leaning hard towards committing early. It was, once again, and Auburn-Florida battle, and once again Florida won out. Coincidentally both of these recruits committed to Florida before Florida's disappointing season, before Urban Meyer retired and before Auburn won the National Championship; one has to wonder if a little patience would have led to a different decision. After Blakely Auburn had a host of speed backs that they were confident in their ability to get commitments from so running back recruiting was slowed down until they could see more senior film, further evaluate their targets and also try and work their way back into contention with other top targets who may have been impressed by Auburn's impressive season. One time top big back target Rodney Coe fell out of favor with the coaches when they believed he was better suited to play linebacker. But, while Coe was dropping new names such as Savon Huggins, Marlin Lane and Jeremy Hill were popping up. Also, the top running back in the nation, Isaiah Crowell, who had previously ruled out Auburn early on was beginning to reconsider the tigers. Everything changed however when long time Alabama commit Brent Calloway pulled a huge shocker and switched his commitment to Auburn during the US Army All-American game. His commitment filled the big back position and the coaching staff turned their focus to either Crowell or the player who had emerged as the top speed back target, Tre Mason. As the final weekend before signing day approached word began to leak that Crowell had made his decision to stick with the home state Georgia 'dawgs and would not be making his previously scheduled trip to Auburn. At that point Tre Mason got the call he was waiting for and made his commitment to be a part of this recruiting class. What happened next with Calloway may not ever be completely known but to the best of my knowledge Brent's heart was in Auburn however his adopted father was more enamored with Alabama for one reason or another. Rather than Calloway spending the weekend with his future teammates in Auburn, his dad "Peaches" drove him to Tuscaloosa. While the coaches received assurances from Calloway during his visit that he was "all in" at Auburn, something changed by Sunday when Calloway cut off all communication to the outside world. By the time signing day rolled around most hope had been lost and he made it official when he signed with Alabama. This left the class short one big back which isn't ideal but Mason's versatility should allow him to see the field early and often in 2011.

Tight End - Brandon Fulse [6'4" / 250] - While the tight end is not an essential part of Malzahn's offense, when he finds a good one he knows how to use it. Fulse became a top target early on and while he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave the state of Florida one huge advantage Auburn had was having his former teammate Onterio McCalebb already on the roster. This was primarily an Auburn-Miami battle but when Randy Shannon was fired Fulse was all but set on committing to Auburn. Recruiting is always a numbers game and since tight end was not a top priority Auburn had to be sure there would be room before accepting Fulse's commitment. Once the targets were narrowed down in the week leading up to signing day it became clear there would be room for Fulse and on January 27th he pulled the trigger giving Auburn one of the top tight ends in the nation.

Wide Receiver - Jaylon Denson [6'3" / 200], Sammie Coates [6'3" / 175] - While Coates and Denson aren't the highest rated receivers in the country (Rivals.com ranks Denson the #24 WR and Coates the #71 WR) it would be hard to say they weren't this staff's top targets. Both players received early offers from the coaching staff after impressive showing in summer camps. Denson didn't just impress at Auburn's camps. At the Palmetto State Showdown Denson was named the MVP of the tournament; a week later he was ranked the 9th best player in the National Select 7-on-7 tournament in Hoover. Coates became a message board superstar when it was reported that the small school star no one had previously heard of ran a blistering 4.31 40-yard dash. At that camp he earned an Auburn offer and immediately accepted it. He went on to lead his team to a state championship victory in which he was named MVP and also was ranked as the 5th best player at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game. Auburn had their shot at higher ranked receivers but they saw Denson and Coates in person and were more than happy to make them the future of our receiving corp.

Offensive Line - Christian Westerman [6'5" / 290], Greg Robinson [6'5" / 295], Thomas O'Reilly [6'3" / 315], Reese Dismukes [6'4" / 290] - This was the money-maker position for this signing class. If games are won and lost in the trenches than things are looking good for Auburn going forward. Oddly enough, what kick-started and perhaps molded our offensive line recruiting this year was the commitment of Spencer Region. Region, a life long 'Bama fan was set to make his commitment to the Tide however something Nick Saban told him rubbed him the wrong way and when he made his announcement he shocked the local state media by committing to Auburn. Region was friends with Dismukes who was also reportedly set to commit to Alabama a couple weeks later and when Region announced for Auburn, Dismukes decided to take a harder look at what we had to offer. Dismukes ultimately committed to Auburn and also convinced O'Reilly to join him. In addition to bringing in O'Reilly, Dismukes became one of Auburn's biggest recruiters, helping anyway he could with other recruits across the nation. Region and Auburn ended up splitting ways and he ended up at Clemson, but Dismukes stayed along with the #1 ranked offensive line class in the country. Robinson, a US Army All-American, was a huge steal out of Thibodaux, Louisiana who followed his good friend and former teammate Trovon Reed to the Plains. Westerman, ranked the third best tackle in the country and number one player in Arizona, was long committed to the Texas Longhorns but this staff never gave up on him. When Texas had their disappointing season and fired their offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Westerman decided it would be a good idea to at least visit Auburn to know his other options. The visit went well and when he met up with multiple other Auburn commits and targets at the Under Armour All-American game he was able to further solidify his bond with his potential teammates. The nail in Texas' coffin was when they attepted to lure Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes to fill that slot on their staff but were turned down in favor of remaining at Auburn. Shortly there after Westerman made the switch and made his commitment to Auburn.

Athletes - Kris Frost [6'3" / 210], Quan Bray [5'11" / 180], C.J. Uzomah [6'5" / 230] - Auburn was after a few guys who could project at multiple positions but it is safe to say that they got all of their top targets. Frost, another US Army All-American, is a unique athlete coveted by schools across the country. Growing up a fan of Michigan it was difficult for Frost to pass up the opportunity to play for his childhood favorite, however after Rich Rodriguez was fired Frost made the decision to commit to Auburn. He could project as a big, physical wide receiver where he will likely get his first shot since that is his preference, however the coaching staff has been up front with him in that they believe his future is at linebacker. Quan Bray was highly recruited out of LaGrange finally picking Auburn over offers from Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Considered one of the more electric athletes in Georgia Bray played quarterback, running back and wide receiver in high school and projects in a similar role at Auburn. He will likely line up in the slot as a receiver, run the jet sweep from the backfield, and even get carries as a wildcat quarterback. Uzomah is another Georgia product, hailing from North Gwinnett High School. More of a jumbo-athlete, Uzomah played quarterback and receiver in high school and could also get reps at QB, be an oversized wide receiver or, more likely, grow into a tight end.

Defensive End - Devaunte Sigler [6'4" / 250], Keymiya Harrell [6'5" / 235] - Defensive end was not a high priority in this year's recruiting class with two sophomores starting at each end spot next year and sufficient depth behind them. Harrell was an early commitment as a raw prospect that this coaching staff could really fit what we are looking for at rush end down the road. Similar to Justin Delaine who was brought in last year (and who now is reportedly measuring in at 6'6" 260) Harrell will likely redshirt while he adjusts to the college game and puts on some weight. Sigler is a versatile prospect who played linebacker in high school but will play with his hand on the ground in college. He will start his career at end and could grow to be a powerful strongside end with the frame to carry much more weight. That being said, if he adds too much weight than moving inside to tackle isn't out of the question. While Sigler was a long time target of this staff there was one player higher on the board that could have taken Sigler's spot. Ray Drew. Drew was the top defensive end in the country not named Jadeveon Clowney and while he grew up a fan of the Seminoles the battle ended up coming down to Georgia and Auburn. With only weeks to go until signing day it seemed like a 50/50 shot, Drew even went as far as to name Auburn his leader. But, knowing that Drew wanted to have his announcement be a surprise most knew that something was amiss. As his announcement date grew closer word began to leak that he would be heading to Georgia. That's when Sigler got the green light and he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. It will be interesting to see how their careers measure up against each other.

Defensive Tackle - Gabe Wright [6'3" / 275], Angelo Blackson [6'5" / 290], JaBrian Niles [6'2" / 270] - Where defensive end was not a priority, tackle was just the opposite. After losing Mike Blanc and Zach Clayton to graduation and Nick Fairley decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL the depth chart at defensive tackle is wide open. True freshmen Jeff Whitaker and Kenneth Carter got playing time last year in a reserve role and figure to be the favorites for the starting roles next year. Blackson, an early commitment is potentially a hidden gem. From a small private school in Delaware Blackson is a freak of an athlete. At nearly 300 pounds Blackson played middle linebacker in high school. It's hard to imagine how Auburn found this small school star but once they did and brought him down to visit it didn't take long before he made his pledge to Auburn. It may take him some time to adjust to the speed of the SEC but his size and athleticism should allow him to contribute early in his career. Niles is a versatile lineman who actually began his career as a quarterback. As he continued to grow his size became impossible to ignore and he eventually ended his career as a defensive end but this staff doesn't believe he is done growing. While he could play some strong side end, line coach Tracy Rocker believe Niles could be a disruptive force from the inside. Niles choose Auburn over offers from Alabama, Florida and Florida State.

Linebacker - Chris Landrum [6'2" / 215], Justin Garrett [6'2" / 185] - Auburn lost two veteran linebackers to graduation and while their immediate replacements are likely already on campus it was important to restock the depth chart. Landrum was an early in state target who received offers from both Auburn and Alabama but after visiting both he decided he wanted to be an Auburn Tiger. Though Landrum suffered a broken ankle early in his senior season he was able to return before the playoffs and help lead his team to the state 1A championship where he was named MVP. Reportedly already up to 6'3" 235, Landrum has the size to contribute immediately but if he doesn't redshirt the majority of his contributions will likely be on special teams as he adjusts to the speed of the SEC. Garrett is a speedy outside linebacker from Tucker, Georgia. With offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee, Garrett is perhaps the most underrated recruit in this class. He is a bit undersized but he really fits the mold of a weakside linebacker in Chizik's Tampa 2 defense. Ultimately Garrett choose Auburn over the summer after a visit that convinced he and his parents that it would be the best place for him.

Defensive Back - Erique Florence [6'2" / 185], Jonathan Rose [6'2" / 170], Robenson Therezie [5'10" / 180], Jermaine Whitehead [6'0" / 185], Anthony Swain [6'3" / 215] - If the offensive line is the strength of the signing class on the offensive side of the ball than the defensive back class is what is carrying a great defensive signing class. The headliner of the position, Erique Florence (There is no "n" in Erique), did not make his commitment to Auburn until national signing day but after showing up in Auburn for nearly every home game over the past two years and taking an unofficial visit over the summer wearing a bright orange dress shirt with an Auburn tie and an Auburn hat it wasn't much of a secret who was the favorite to land his signature. His mom actually wanted him to get away for college which is why the biggest competition ended up being Southern Cal but ultimately he chose to stay close to his home in Valley, Alabama. A consensus top three safety in the nation Florence should help immediately on special teams and will push for playing time at safety as a true freshman. Jonathan Rose of Leeds, Alabama was the early headliner of the defensive back class. When he committed in August Rose was ranked the #3 cornerback in the nation. His long frame and physical attitude gives Ted Roof exactly what he is looking for in cornerback. Rose will see time on special teams and try to work his way into the rotation at cornerback, likely getting his first shot at the nickel back. The third in state player to join the secondary in 2011 is Gadsden City safety Anthony Swain. Swain was one of the first commitments of the 2011 class when he made his pledge all the way back in March. While he signed as a safety Swain has the size and physical approach to the game that could lead him a step closer to the line of scrimmage later in his career. I would expect, barring injury, Swain to redshirt his freshman year during which time he may grow into a linebacker. While the in state haul was terrific Auburn also added two four star players from out of state in versatile cornerback/safety Robenson Therezie from south Florida and lockdown corner Jermaine Whitehead from Mississippi. Therezie was ranked by Rivals as the "hardest hitter" in the nation. Though he lacks prototypical size, Therezie really knows how to lay the wood at the point of contact. Despite a strong push by his head coach to go to Alabama, Therezie stuck with the commitment he made at the Under Armour All-American game. Jermaine Whitehead's recruitment was an interesting one. He committed to Mississippi State back in April but that didn't slow down other schools from pursuing the top cornerback. While Whitehead continued to stay in contact with the Auburn staff and make occasional trips to the Plains it appeared less and less likely that there would be room for him in this class. Marcus Roberson, ranked the number two cornerback in the nation was long the top cornerback target for Auburn and he had given indication to the coaching staff that we were in good shape. That proved true when on January 31st Roberson pulled the trigger and committed to Auburn. However, the next morning Roberson and the coaching staff had a conversation that didn't leave the coaches feeling great about his commitment. Word out of Florida was that Roberson was already wavering and the in state Gator's still had a chance to pull a signing day surprise. When the coaches didn't receive the reassurance from Roberson they were looking for they pulled Roberson's offer and turned to Whitehead. Whitehead made it official on signing day when he finally made the switch from Mississippi State to Auburn.

As always national signing day was an emotional up and down roller coaster that brought together a second consecutive top five recruiting class for Chizik and company. We had a couple of misses, most notably not getting a second running back, but in the end this staff filled nearly every need with top ranked recruits and gave Auburn possibly the greatest back to back recruiting classes in school history.

As soon as one class is in the books 100% of the focus can turn towards bringing in the next top ranked class for 2012. With one commitment already in the fold a lot of ground work has already been laid.

Michael Flint of Oxford, Alabama didn't waste much time making his commitment for the 2012 class, making his pledge nearly 15 months before his signing day. Flint figures to be one of the top offensive linemen in the nation already holding offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State and LSU. He also has two highly rated teammates at Oxford, linebacker Kwon Alexander and safety Trae Elston.

Though this list is sure to change drastically before signing day 2012, here is an early list of top Auburn targets to keep an eye on:

Zeke Pike - 6'5" / 220 - The Edgewood, KY quarterback has already made a couple trips to the plains and currently has Auburn at the top of his list of favorites. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Southern Cal
Matt Davis - 6'2" / 200 - This dual threat quarterback from Houston, Texas had a phenomenal sophomore season but missed nearly all of his junior year due to injury. Davis is high on the Auburn program and has visited a couple of times already. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa, LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M
Trey Williams - 5'8" / 175 - Williams has been producing highlight tapes since his years in pop warner. A sure fire top 10 running back nationally, the Spring, Texas native has named Auburn among his favorites early in the process. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Miami (FL), Texas A&M
T.J. Yeldon - 6'2" / 205 - Yeldon is a rare balance of size and speed among running backs reminiscent of guys such as Adrian Peterson or Darren McFadden. He has a ways to go to prove he is in that class but the tools are there. Yeldon grew up a fan of Alabama but has spent a lot of time on the Auburn campus. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee
Jeremy Richardson - 6'3" / 225 - Richardson signed with Auburn out of high school in the 2010 class. After spending two years at East Mississippi Community College this top wide receiver talent is looking to finally make his way to the Plains. Offers - Auburn
Artimas Samuel - 6'2" / 205 - Carver continues to turn out SEC talent year after year. This top receiver target will be tough to keep away from Georgia but the Auburn staff will be after him hard. Offers - Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina
Caleb Peterson - 6'4" / 295 - This top offensive lineman from Auburn High is a top target for this staff. Though he is currently in Auburn's back yard Peterson actually grew up in Georgia watch mostly NFL football and moved to Auburn just over a year ago. This will be a big in state battle. Offers - Alabama, Auburn
Ty Darlington - 6'3" / 265 - Darlington should be one of the top guards in the nation and has already names Auburn among his favorites out of an impressive group of suitors. Offers - Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech
Jordan Jenkins - 6'3" / 235 - Possibly the top defensive line recruit for Auburn next season. The Harris County defensive end will be a top five player in the state of Georgia and already has named Auburn among his top group of schools. Offers - Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee
Jarontay Jones - 6'3" / 235 - Jones is best of three D-1A prospects coming out of Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, Georgia in 2012. The top defensive end has visited Auburn a couple of times already and should be a frequent visitor going forward. Offers - Auburn, Miami (FL), South Carolina, Tennessee
Justin Shanks - 6'2" / 256 - This Pratville defensive tackle made it to Auburn for a couple of games over the fall at both Alabama and Auburn building up what should be a big time in state battle. Alabama has already landed his teammate Justin Thomas. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida
Quinteze Williams - 6'5" / 250 - Williams made the trip over from Tyronne, Georgia last weekend and came away with naming Auburn his leader. Williams is rangy defensive tackle with the frame to carry a lot more weight. Offers - Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee
Kwon Alexander - 6'2" / 215 - Likely the top prospect of the Oxford trio, Alexander has already been tabbed as one of the top linebackers in the 2012 class. Alexander will have his pick of schools but like with most Alabama prospects, getting him to leave the state boarders will be a challenge. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma
Javier Mitchel - 6'1" / 200 - Jonathan Rose's former teammate at Leeds is an extremely raw prospect but shows very impressive athleticism. Having played just two years of football Mitchel will be an interesting prospect to watch his senior year.
Geno Smith - 6'0" / 165 - St. Pius X doesn't produce much top division one talent but Smith certainly fits the bill. This top cornerback has already visited Auburn a few times and has Auburn among his favorites. Offers - Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
Trae Elston - 6'0" / 175 - Elston is the third member of the Oxford trio and like his teammates figures to be one of the most highly sought after players at his position. This safety grew up a Clemson fan and they will definitely be a major player in his recruitment, but Elston is not in a rush to end the process. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU
Travis Blanks - 6'1" / 180 - This North Florida Christian star is currently listed as an athlete but projects as a defensive back and return man in college. Blanks has already visited Auburn multiple times and is extremely high on the Tigers. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee

Game Review: Alabama

Knee-Jerk Reaction
Sweet eight pound six ounce new born baby Jesus! Why this team insists on playing with my emotions I will never know but, one thing is for sure, I have yet to have a reason to complain about the outcome. Giving credit where it is due, Saban and his gang came out with an amazing game plan on both sides of the ball and their team executed it to perfection for about a quarter and a half. When Trent Richardson dropped an easy touchdown pass that resulted in them settling for a field goal seemed insignificant when it extended their lead to 24-0, little did they know it was the beginning of the end. Coach Chizik and the leaders on this team deserve indescribable credit for being able to keep their cool and never lose faith in the face of adversity and a deficit no Auburn team in their great football history had ever been able to overcome. Knowing we would get the ball first out of the half was critical for me continuing to believe there was hope. Hitting the long touchdown before the half was affirmation that this game was far from over. Most teams down 24-7 at the half would come out of the locker room hoping to play for pride though few usually do. This Auburn team is different if you hadn't noticed yet. Trailing by 17 at the break is nothing to fear. I said at halftime if we come out and get a score than it is a 10 point game and Alabama will tighten up. They know we have been coming back all year and as soon as we are within striking distance they will be playing not to lose which usually results in a loss ironically. Not only did Auburn overcome the early deficit but they did so in a flash. Auburn scored their third touchdown of the night with over four minutes left in the third quarter. What was thought by many to be an insurmountable deficit was brought to a three point game less than eight minutes out of the break. The only gaff of the second half was Quindarious Carr's fumble on an ill advised no fair catch decision. The previous punt he fair caught was well blocked and he had room to run and clearly that was in his mind. Alabama's gunners were running free right at him and he was hit in succession by two players moments after he fielded the punt. The second hit jarred the ball loose which led directly to the only points Alabama would score in the second half. A defense that had been shredded in the first half was lights out in the second half. Nick Fairley did his thing along the line, Eltoro Freeman had his best game as an Auburn Tiger and T'Sharvan Bell was the best defensive back on either team Friday afternoon. The game winning drive had a little bit of everything from this offense. There was balance in the running game with Cam, Dyer and McCalebb all getting carries. There were creative play calls hitting McCalebb in the flats after the fake to the jet sweep. There were gutsy play calls with the decision to go for it on fourth and three from mid-field. Best of all, it culminated with the best touchdown dance of the 2010 season when Philip Lutzenkirchen jigged his way into the end zone with the game winning score.

Positives
T'Sharvan Bell - No player on defense stood out to me as much as Bell did on Friday. With all the struggles we have had in the secondary it was nice to finally see a corner who can come up and lay a lick on a wide receiver (or quarterback) and even break up a couple passes along the way.

Nick Fairley - Another great game from possibly the best defensive player in the country. His poise to overcome the worst unsportsman like celebration penalty I've ever seen was as impressive as the two sacks he had on the afternoon. On the second sack he drove their guard four yards deep into the pocket and bulldozing McElroy, forcing a fumble and having the awareness to realize no one was there to recover it, crawling around the pile of crimson he created and jumping on the loose ball.

Cam Newton - With all of the hype about Cam's scrambling ability it is hard to fathom that in the same season that he set the SEC rushing record for quarterbacks he also broke Auburn's single season passing touchdown record. Never in our lifetime will we again see a player who breaks the single season rushing touchdown record and passing touchdown record in the same game. Remarkable statistic. Anytime you break a record currently held by Bo Jackson and Cadillac Williams you know you've done something special. Four total touchdowns while leading your team to a come from behind win in the 75th Iron Bowl on enemy turf just made it all the sweeter.

The team - Congratulations. You've just completed an undefeated regular season in the SEC. You are the #1 ranked team in the BCS. You have earned your spot among all the great teams in Auburn history. This is a special group of individuals who appear to trust and love each other as much if not more than the 2004 team which is saying A LOT. War Eagle!

Here We Are...

What a wild ride it has been. Looking back through some of my ramblings from earlier this year remind me of just how far we have come. The word I used to describe our win over Arkansas State was "ugly" and Cam Newton was listed in my "Negatives" section for the first three weeks of the season. I went as far in the Clemson Game Review to say "I think its safe to say Cam Newton isn't going to win the Heisman this year."

HAHAHAHA

Ok... that's enough.

The South Carolina game was the game that turned my attitude about this team. Seeing Newton completely take that game over and lead the team with a Tebow-esque attitude really proved that every time this team took the field they would have a great chance to win. I concluded the month of September with an article titled Expectations, They're A Sonuvabitch which laid out my belief that this team had what it took to go undefeated this year.

By the time Arkansas and LSU had been dismissed Cam Newton had reached superstar status. Alabama already had one loss on their record and we merely needed to survive the Rebels on the road and a struggling Georgia team at home (oh yeah, there was a scrimmage with Chattanooga in between there).

Unfortunately I can't talk about the roller coaster of this season without discussing the media onslaught we were bombarded with in the beginning of November and still lingers today. No sooner than we were celebrating being 9-0 there were stories beginning to break of potential NCAA violations during the recruitment of Cam Newton. Stories have been written, stories have changed, changed back and changed again. Sources have been quoted and other anonymous sources continued to leak "information" for weeks while Auburn stayed quiet and Cam continued to play. I have maintained my faith but it seems the rumor and innuendo have left few outside the Auburn family believing that we will come out of this situation clean. The fact that the story has died down (outside the obtuse local Alabama shock jocks) during our off week leading up to the Iron Bowl tells me that the unnamed sources and breaking news should be finished and all that remains is an official decision from the NCAA.

So in the end we are 11-0, have secured a birth in the SEC Championship game and if we win out we are in the BCS National Championship game. Perhaps the past month has soured an otherwise magical season but there is still plenty of football left to make this season possibly the best in school history.

Can we beat Alabama? Of course. Looking at our five common opponents this year there is no doubt which team has performed better. Auburn's point differential in those five games is +14, Alabama's is +4. Auburn's yardage differential is +112.4, Alabama's is +32.2. On a per play basis Auburn's offense is averaging nearly a full yard more than Alabama's in those five games while, surprisingly, Alabama's defense is holding teams to a mere tenth of a yard less than Auburn's defense. Perhaps most importantly Auburn went 5-0, Alabama went 3-2.

Here's the catch: Alabama has played much better at home this year. They have gotten off to fast starts in the first half and then lean on solid defense and grind it out offense to take home easy victories. The closest game they have had at home all year was a 23-10 victory over Ole Miss. In Auburn's three road games thus far we have avoided falling into the same first half holes we have tended to stumble into at home. That is likely attributed to the fact that our road competition hasn't been nearly as stiff as those who have visited the Plains. If Auburn gets down two touchdowns early again, climbing out of that hole in front of 102,000 fans cheering against them against a Nick Saban coached defense may be too tall of a task.

Alabama's offense is far more balanced this year than last. In their 2009 championship season they leaned heavily on Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram with a fair amount of Trent Richardson mixed in. Greg McElroy has evolved from game manager to a quarterback capable of carrying his team when the running game runs dry. Auburn's defensive line is capable of containing Alabama's rushing attack much like they did last year. What Ted Roof's crew may struggle with is preventing McElroy and Julio Jones from playing catch up and down the field against our porous secondary.

No one has been able to stop Cam Newton and this offense all year and I don't believe that will change on Friday. This offense has progressed all year long and with a bye week to rest and perfect our game plan there is no reason it shouldn't come out firing on all cylinders.

This is a match up for the ages and no outcome would shock me. It is possible that Auburn could lose this game and still make it into the BCS Championship game but I doubt that thought has even crossed the mind of a single player or coach.

We're coming to win and Cam is coming with us.

Game Review: Georgia

Knee-Jerk Reaction
11-0, SEC West Champs. What else needs to be said? The Iron Bowl still looms large with national championship hopes on the line but this team's goal was to get to Atlanta and bring home an SEC Championship. They had to fight through the most difficult division in college football to get there but were able to lock it up before even traveling to play the pre-season favorite.

As for the game... this team has done it to us all year, why would we have thought this game would be any different? Cam did his thing and the defense did theirs. I was unfortunately tied up at a wedding (blasted fall weddings!!!) and the service began just as we went down 21-7 (I was streaming it live on slingbox on my iPhone in the church - Sorry God, I hope you understand). Seeing that we tied it by halftime was a relief and obviously the second half was what we've come to expect from this team. I did record the game and was able to watch it last night. The first quarter was almost worse than I remember. This team had everything going against it from penalties that were our fault (Isom head butting a UGA player uncharacteristically) to penalties that were bad calls (Mosley's holding call on McCalebb's 40 yard statue of liberty run), combined with dropped passes that became interceptions returned inside our ten (Emory Blake) in addition to dropped passes that would have been easy touchdowns (Mario Fannin). Considering those were two of Cam's three incompletions on the night give a little insight into the greatness he had on display Saturday. Multiple passes that Newton through were absolute laser beams put right on target, sometimes 30 yards down field, sometimes between three defenders. This was perhaps the first game that I believe Newton's passing ability showed legitimate NFL potential sooner than later which is an unfortunate thought for our chances of retaining his services through 2011. Another junior who is unlikely to stick around for his senior year is Nick Fairley. He was an absolute beast yet again and I don't give a rats ass about anyone calling him dirty. Was Lawrence Taylor dirty? Was Mean Joe Greene dirty? Was Warren Sapp dirty? Play hard. Play with aggression. Go after the quarterback with bad intentions. This is football and the best players know how to harness their ferocity and take it out on their opponent during every play. Yeah, maybe he shouldn't have planted his helmet in Murray's back a couple seconds after he released the ball but that is honestly the first late hit I've seen him commit all year and is not indicative of the type of player he is. I am glad he is on our team and everyone else wishes he was on theirs. Seeing Dyer embraced by Bo Jackson after he broke his freshman rushing record was one of the more special moments of a season filled with special moments. As Jackson lifted his arm in the air it was hard not to think of that as a figurative passing of the torch from Auburn's greatest running back of all time to the most highly rated running back ever signed by Auburn. To hear Zac Ethridge recount circling the stadium four times to celebrate with the fans one last time nearly brought tears to my eyes. This group of seniors have been through the gauntlet and they deserve this season as much as they all deserved to get the feeling of beating UGA for the first time in their careers.

Positives
Cam Newton - I mentioned his passing efficiency earlier but as usual he was an all-star running the ball as well. He was there to grind out the tough yards whenever they were needed and broke his share of big runs on his way to over 150 yards rushing and two TD's on the ground.

Onterio McCalebb - Easily the unsung hero of this offense this year. Cam gets the headlines, Dyer gets the hype, even the offensive line have been given as much credit as any offensive line can expect to get. But, McCalebb, who is averaging 8.8 yards per carry and has scored nine touchdowns on the year has not been mentioned at all. His speed to the outside stretches defenses wide and much of the space Cam is given in the middle is due to defenders chasing McCalebb to the outside on the fakes. His speed is elite and the other attributes of his running game are catching up. His 71 yard, three touchdown performance on Saturday was one of his best outings of the year despite having a 40 yard run negated by a penalty. He got it done blocking on the outside on some of Cam's long runs and he also showed the ability to cut it inside on a few occasions which hasn't been his forte this season.

Gus Malzahn - All the credit needs to go to Malzahn for keeping this offense moving all year. Obviously having Cam helps but too many times you hear about how a coordinator isn't using his team's talents to the best of their abilities. That maybe so and so should be getting the ball more or that so and so shouldn't be getting the ball so much. He has kept it balanced, kept Dyer fresh all year, kept McCalebb healthy all year, and kept defenses off balanced despite what the media tells you about this being a one man team. The offense clearly has evolved as the year progressed and Malzahn deserves all the credit for that.

Say It Ain't So, Cam

I am not going to rehash all the allegations and stories written over this past week but I will make one thing very clear: I am not worried about Auburn.

I believe in my University.

I believe in our coaching staff.

What I can not believe is that our athletic department would be so dumb as to commit career suicide by playing Cameron Newton when there is a looming investigation that could compromise his eligibility.

The most telling sign in this entire story is that Cameron Newton is still playing. Mississippi State reported potential violations to the SEC/NCAA in January and also submitted additional information in July. Auburn's compliance department has been aware of this situation since it began recruiting Newton. Auburn has done their due diligence, the SEC and the NCAA have had ample time to do preliminary investigations and plenty of time to tell Auburn that there could be issues with Newton's eligibility (remember that the NCAA was able to declare the UNC players, Alabama's Marcel Dareus, and Georgia's A.J. Green ineligible for actions over the summer). The only quote to come from the Auburn camp in relation to his potential recruiting violations: "Cameron Newton is eligible to play at Auburn University."

On the surface that is a bland statement, but when you consider everything else surrounding the situation that statement is fairly bold and very telling.

The only school which has been named or implicated by any of these reports is Mississippi State. Perhaps Cam took the advice of his father to choose Auburn due to potential recruiting violations at Mississippi State that could potentially hinder his eligibility at THAT school. I am not sure if that is the case but it certainly would explain a lot of the quotes that have been produced by both sides of the story.

I believe you will see over the next few weeks (or hopefully sooner) that the investigation in fact centers around Mississippi State, not Auburn.

Kenny Rogers said he never contacted Auburn and has no idea about the circumstances of Cam's recruitment with Auburn.

John Bond was quoted saying "this has nothing to do with Auburn."

If you believe in Auburn, than you aren't worrying.

I believe in Auburn and love it.

War Damn Eagle!

Cam Newton vs. LaMichael Moore

These statistics were made aware to me the other day and I thought they were blog worthy. Since Cam Newton's closest competition for the Heisman trophy is Oregon's LaMichael James and Boise State's Kellen Moore it would only be logical to look at their stats compared to Cam's on the season so far. No, no, no... not individually; that wouldn't be fair. Here are their COMBINED statistics compared to what Newton has accomplished on his own thusfar this season.

LaMichael James & Kellen Moore COMBINED:
Passing: 1865 YARDS, 18 TDS
Rushing: 1186 YARDS, 14 TDS
Receiving: 6 CATCHES, 126 YARDS, 2 TDS
TOTAL: 3177 YARDS, 34 TDS

Cam Newton:
Passing: 1573 YARDS, 15 TDS
Rushing: 1122 YARDS, 14 TDS
Receiving: 2 CATCH, 42 YARDS, 1TD
TOTAL: 2737 YARDS, 30 TDS

I think it is fair to say he is dominating the competition.

Game Review: Ole Miss

Knee-Jerk Reaction
Ok, since it's Tuesday evening this isn't much of a knee-jerk reaction but I'm keeping the title for the sake of continuity. The reason for the delay in this post is because I have entered into the world of the iPhone and have spent nearly every free moment I've had browsing apps and playing numerous addicting games. As for Saturday's game - IMPRESSIVE. So it started out a little shaky with the big run by Jeff Scott to give the Rebel Black Bears the 7-0 lead but the offense continued its domination of the SEC with another 500+ yards of total offense, 300+ yards rushing and 50+ points. Those are plateaus only Auburn's historically best offenses would reach against Sun Belt also-rans and D1-AA check collectors. The best part of Dr. Malzahn's latest creation was the number of players who got involved. We saw Mike Dyer have rush for 180 yards, McCalebb fall a yard shy of the century mark, and Darvin Adams, Terrell Zachery and Emory Blake each had at least five receptions and 50 yards. Noticeably absent from that list is our Heisman front runner Cam Newton. Ole Miss sold out to prevent Cam from getting his yards on the ground and they did a decent job. When Auburn designed running plays for Cam he still had success but where the difference was most noticeable was when plays broke down the Ole Miss defensive line did a great job of closing running lanes, keeping contain, and collapsing the pocket. Malzahn didn't call many run plays for Newton because he saw, both on film and in the game, that in selling out to stop Newton's running game Ole Miss exposed themselves to the pass and to the other play makers on our team. On the defensive side of the ball the lone big play was a huge one and that was Demond Washington's interception at the two yard line. After Auburn turned it over deep in our own territory Ole Miss had an opportunity to take the lead. Instead, Washington breaks up a pass in the end zone then follows that play up with an interception at the two yard line. 12 plays and 98 yards later Auburn scores the touchdown and extended their lead to 24-14. The next time Washington touched the ball was on a kick off return just before the half and he took it 95 yards to the house. Nick Fairley was pretty quiet due to being double teamed all night but Zach Clayton took advantage of that opportunity and had a huge game. A lot of backups got time in this game which is just what the doctor ordered and was an unexpected positive in an SEC road game. This was a survival game and Auburn did more than survive, they dominated.

Positives
Demond Washington - The interception was a game changer. Had Ole Miss scored there they would have taken a 21-17 lead. Instead the interception sparked a 98 yard drive and Ole Miss never got within 10 points again. His 95 yard kick off return for a touchdown showed excellent vision, explosion through the hole and break away speed. Now Auburn's all-time leading returner Washington deserves special recognition.

Mike Dyer - Dyer exploded for the best game of his brief career. He appears to really be hitting his stride at the right time and could be a force through Amen Corner. All the attributes that made him the number one back in the country last year were on display Saturday night. He showed great vision, an explosive burst, a great ability to break through arm tackles, break away speed and perhaps most impressive was the fight that he displayed every time he got the ball.

Zach Clayton - He didn't stuff the stat sheet like Fairly has the ability to do but the effort and tenacity that Clayton plays with in the middle of this defense is one of the main reasons Auburn has been so stout against the run. He wasn't blessed with exceptional talent but he more than makes up for it with his non-stop motor and pure strength to occupy blockers.

Wes Byrum - Wes had a big night and though this game didn't end up being very close, the main reason we were able to consistently pull away was because Byrum never let our drives end without points. He finished the night three for three with a long of 48 yards.

Negatives
Starting Defensive Ends - Antoine Carter and Nosa Eguae had very quiet nights and were unable to contain the outside runs nor were they able to get to Masoli for a sack. Carter had two tackles, one for a loss while Eguae did not record a tackle. Backups Mike Goggans and Corey Lemonier combined for five tackles and one and a half tackles for a loss. Defensive end production is one of the biggest areas in need of improvement to become a more complete team. Additional pass rush around the ends will also make the secondary look much better.

Looking Ahead: Chattanooga
Pfffffft. Get ready for a lot of backups, which is exactly what this team needs at this point.

IT'S A TRAP!

Admiral Ackbar has been warning us all year on the sign of The Diesel bar in Virginia Highlands. Considering the way this season has played out and the circumstances around the game, maybe the leader of the Rebel army should change his name to Nostradamus.

I said two weeks ago that I was more nervous about going to Oxford after a win over LSU than actually beating LSU. Having played three emotionally draining games in a row, defeating two highly ranked opponents at home, playing the ninth game in a row without a bye, and staring down a team who lost to Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt at home, how does the team NOT take an emotional step back?

The real question is, does the team who lost to Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt at home have enough fire power to take down the number one team in the nation even if they don't bring 100% effort?

I'll look at both sides.

Yes, they absolutely do. The only two road games Auburn has played this season were against Mississippi State and Kentucky. Both games were field goal wins. Both of those games were played following a blow out win over an over matched opponent so Auburn was fresh and focused headed into both match ups. Despite bringing everything we had we still weren't able to blow out inferior opponents.

That Mississippi State team has just broke into the top 25 but, what wins are they hanging their hat on? They got blown out by 22 at LSU, they beat a down-trodden A.J. Green-less UGA team in Starkville, went to Gainsville and beat Florida in a game eerily similar to Auburn's 2008 visit to Starkville that finished 3-2, then, returning home, the bulldogs snuck past UAB 29-24. Dan Mullen's squad has struggled with below average quarterback play all season and that is what saved Auburn in week two. MSU was driving at the end of the fourth quarter with a chance to win but Chris Relf was unable to exploit Auburn's weak secondary and Auburn eeked out the win.

How about those Wildcats? After beating up on weak opponents the first three weeks of the season Kentucky had their first test in week four against Florida (yeah, that same Florida team who only scored seven points against Mississippi State and has now lost three in a row) and they got drilled 48-14 in front of their home crowd. Then, Kentucky traveled to Oxford and fell to Ole Miss 42-35. The next week Kentucky returned home to take Auburn down to the wire with Auburn not kicking the game winning field goal until the clock struck 0:00. Kentucky now sits at 4-4 and 1-4 in the SEC.

Now looking at Ole Miss, sure they started out horribly but they have certainly turned things around. Since their 1-2 start they've defeated Fresno State by 17, they beat Kentucky by a touchdown then fell in two tough road games against Alabama and Arkansas but were competitive in both. A closer look at their game against Arkansas reveals they actually out gained the Hogs 512-464 in total yards. Jeramiah Masoli appears to be finding his stride in the Rebel offense contributing 425 total yards of offense against Arkansas (as a reference point the most total yards Cam Newton has had in a single game this season is 408 against Kentucky). Masoli has enough talent running and throwing to give Auburn's defense fits.

For the first time all season Auburn decided to lighten up at practice. Tuesdays are traditionally the designated "physical" practice. This week Coach Chizik decided to go in shells only (only shoulder pads and helmet) in an effort to allow the team to heal up from the knicks and bruises that eight straight games will give a team. Will this be noticeable on Saturday? Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe is one of the SEC's best and a step back in physicality could lead to number 57 living in the Tiger backfield.

Extra Ole Miss energy, a dual threat quarterback capable of exploiting Auburn's weaknesses on defense and an Auburn team who is beat up, exhausted and ready for a break... that is the recipe for an upset.

Ok... that was painful.

Let's set the record straight. Ole Miss sucks. The only win they have to hang their hat on is a seven point home win against a Kentucky team who is 1-4 in the SEC. And upon further inspection, Kentucky out gained Ole Miss by 123 yards but lost the turnover battle 3-0. Against Alabama Masoli went 18/40 (45%) for 110 yards through the air. Alabama went up 23-3 in the third quarter and turned on cruise control. And that Arkansas game? The Razorbacks went up 21-0 and took a 21-3 lead into halftime before two lightning delays totaling nearly 90 minutes took the rhythm out of the game. Ole Miss got within 10 early in the fourth quarter but the game was never in doubt with Arkansas finishing with a 14 point victory.

Jeramiah Masoli, while a dangerous weapon, was bottled up for a half by a pitiful Arkansas defense and looked awful facing an Alabama defense which has had some struggles defending the pass this year. He's only completing 56.5% of his passes this year and has thrown six interceptions in seven games.

Ole Miss has struggled with injuries this year, particularly on the offensive line where they will start three freshmen along the interior of their line including one player who joined the team as a walk-on this summer. That player, Patrick Junen, is hobbled by an ankle injury but will try to go this Saturday while being matched up against... Nick Fairly. That should be fun.

Against Auburn's defensive line there is almost no chance that Ole Miss will be able to generate a traditional running game. Their defense is ranked eighth in the SEC in yards per game and dead last in points per game so the most powerful offense in the conference should have no trouble putting up points in bunches. The Rebels will have no choice but to turn to the pass early and often and let Masoli loose. This could certainly turn into their best offensive output of the season but more likely it will turn into a mix of explosive plays and devastating turnovers.

Auburn put up 31 points in the first half against Kentucky before going to sleep in the second half. I see no reason Auburn couldn't repeat that first half performance this week on the road, the only difference is Ole Miss doesn't have the offense to make the second half comeback and Auburn's offense won't go into a shell for an entire quarter again.

I haven't predicted a score all season so I won't start this week but I feel confident that Auburn will remain focused and do enough to roll over an over matched and over hyped Ole Miss team.

Game Review: LSU

Knee-Jerk Reaction
That was one of the most physically dominating performances I have ever seen against an SEC opponent, and for it to be LSU makes it even more impressive. The LSU defense was allowing 83 yards rushing per game and this offense racked up a staggering 440 yards rushing. Even if you take away Cam's 217 yards on the ground the rest of the rushing attack had nearly triple LSU's per game average. As for Cam... what can I say? What ever can be said has been said. He is amazing. I will go on record right now as saying he is the greatest running quarterback in college football history. I am going to take the next paragraph to give you some insight into exactly how dominating and rare a season Cam Newton is having.

Through eight games he already has the most rushing yards from the quarterback position in SEC history and with the addition of an SEC Championship game he will be well within reach of the NCAA single season rushing record by a quarterback (1,649), and possibly could eclipse Bo Jackson's 1,786 yards which would then be the greatest rushing season by any player in Auburn history regardless of position. He already has the Auburn record for most total touchdowns (27) in a single season with four, maybe five regular season games left. He is three touchdowns shy of tying Cadillac Williams and Bo Jackson's record of 17 rushing touchdowns in a season. With all of those amazing, long standing rushing records he is rewriting, you would think he isn't passing the ball at all. If Newton maintains his current pace and we make it to the SEC Championship game he would finish with the 10th most passing yards in Auburn history and would finish one touchdown pass shy of tying the school record set by Chris Todd last year (22). His current 2,441 yards of total offense already would rank 7th all-time in school history and if he maintains his current pace he would finish with 3,966 yards which would shatter Dameyune Craig's previous record of 3,277 yards. So, in summary, he is within striking distance of the single season records for rushing yards (at Running Back U!), rushing touchdowns (ditto), passing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and total offense. Uhh, wow.

Back to the game. As great as Cam has been the forgotten heroes of this undefeated team are the offensive linemen who completely dominated a LSU D-Line loaded with NFL talent. Coming into the game LSU DT Drake Nevis was neck and neck with Nick Fairly for Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC. He recorded two tackles. That's it. Speaking of Fairley, he was remarkable. I read over the weekend that one ESPN writer considered putting Fairley on his Heisman ballot. He's been that dominating. His 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss against LSU all but solidified his post season honors and put him firmly in the discussion for the Outland and Lombardi trophies. The last Auburn player to win those national awards was current D-Line coach Tracy Rocker.

Overall it was a great effort by the defense to keep pressure on the LSU quarterbacks all afternoon, keep the running game from breaking anything big and eliminate any big plays through the air (the one lapse there was the halfback pass for a 39 yard touchdown). Great game plan by Ted Roof and wonderfully executed by the team. Malzahn's game plan was fairly vanilla. He called a few deep passes to keep their safeties deep but otherwise kept the linebackers and ends on their heels with misdirection and zone reads giving this great offensive line all the advantage they needed to plow the way for all those rushing yards. Honestly the game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Auburn out gained LSU 526-243 and averaged 7.7 yards per play verse 3.6 for LSU.

Positives
Offensive Line - They get the top spot this week. Not only did Ziemba, Berry, Pugh and Isom rock out but, once again, Brandon Mosley held his own and continues to impress in his first year playing the position.

Cam Newton - Everything that needed to be said was said above.

Mike Dyer - Dyer quietly hit the 100 yard mark on just 15 carries. That alone would have been better than any rushing attack against LSU all year. He is hitting his stride at the right time and it is obvious he is developing into a special runner right before our eyes.

Onterio McCalebb - Squirrel did what he does best. Once he hits the corner not many players in the country are fast enough to catch him. What he does for this offense is so under valued by most fans. His 70 yard run was a perfect call by Malzahn because as soon as a defense stops respecting his outside run and tries to crash down inside on Dyer and Cam that is when McCalebb hits them for the home run.

Wide Receiver Blocking - Those kind of long runs don't happen without great blocking on the outside. On a night when we only threw for 86 yards a lot of credit needs to go to the guys on the outside who didn't get discouraged by the low number of passes and kept giving 100% in the other facets of their game.

Negatives
I got nothin'.

Looking Ahead: Ole Miss
As The Diesel (the bar in the Highlands, not Shaq) has been warning us all year, "It's A Trap!" After two huge home wins against nationally ranked opponents it would be easy for us to want to take a breather against a seemingly down Ole Miss squad. Now we have the #1 BCS ranking to defend and a streak of three straight road losses by the #1 team to break. Masoli had success through the air against Arkansas and also will prove dangerous on the ground as well. Their defense has talent but has struggled all year with a lack of focus and execution. The Rebel Black Bears are more than capable of pulling off the upset if we do not bring our 'A' game.

Cam Reaches Superstar Status

I'm your biggest fan
I'll follow you until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

Promise I'll be kind
But I won't stop
Until that boy is mine

Baby, you'll be famous
Chase you down until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

So I guess this is when all my blog readers find out (if you didn't know already) I'm a secret Lady GaGa fan.

When the Arkansas game was over, long after the midfield hugs and hand shakes, after the rest of the team had already been celebrating by the student section for multiple cheers, fight songs and sing-a-longs, and after Cam Newton had wrapped up his post game interviews, everyone in the stadium (still at least 60,000 remained 20 minutes after the final whistle) noticed the now legendary number two trotting towards the students. Keep in mind this is after one of the most exhilarating football games, setting a record for points scored, Cam Newton was now clearly the best player in college football, and for many of the fans who were still left cheering they are now realizing they are witnessing a once in a generation type football player. The screams of jubilation as Newton approached rivaled any of the eight touchdowns Auburn scored that night.

For those who have been fortunate enough to attend a great win in Jordan-Hare you know how loud the students get when the team runs over to celebrate the win with them. Multiply that times 10.

As soon as any photographer on the field realized that Newton had completed his interviews (and those who had never left his side) he was completely swarmed. He skipped towards the south end zone with his smile you could have seen from the upper deck while waving his white towel in the air. When he entered the gate and crossed through the hedges there were light bulb flashes from every direction going off multiple times per second as if the media members were afraid to miss even a single movement from this now epic figure.

Standing 42 rows up in section 16, one section adjacent to the student section, I started humming GaGa's "Paparazzi" song.

Cameron Jerrell Newton, quarterback for these undefeated Auburn Tigers, is on top of the college football world.

On Sunday night's BCS Selection show on ESPN they brought on Newton to do an interview.

On Monday afternoon he was interviewed on the Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio.

Monday night he made an appearance on TMZ when the director of "Friday Night Lights" was filmed highly intoxicated telling the cameras that Cam was his favorite, despite not being able to recall his name at the time, referring to him as "that Auburn quarterback, Cal something."

Word is that Newton will grace the cover of one of Sports Illustrated's up coming issues.

On Tuesday he officially took the lead in ESPN's Heisman poll.

Not only is he mentioned in the same sentence as Bo Jackson, many have dared to even say he may be better.

It is really hard to comprehend how he has gone from a junior college transfer with a checkered past and some serious questions about his ability to lead an offense to now being the biggest star in college football.

By the time LSU rolls into town on Saturday it will have been a full week since Newton's paparazzi moment. More eyes will be on him and this Auburn team than ever before. The biggest remaining test for him is to live up to the hype as the greatest player in college football and remain the humble leader that has gotten him this far.

Quick Observation

LSU's Schedule (sans McNeese State):

Opponent	Pass Yds.	Pass Rtg.	Rush Yds.
North Carolina	35th	26th	86th
Vanderbilt	101st	88th	60th
Mississippi St.	88th	NR	21st
West Virginia	57th	22nd	66th
Tennessee	71st	62nd	94th
Florida	84th	83rd	75th
Auburn	76th	2nd	6th

The only teams LSU has played to this point who are even ranked are Mississippi State (#24) and West Virginia (#20). Neither has a particuarly good offense (MSU is 55th, WVU is 64th) and the Bengal Tigers got both teams at home.

I am not going to say that LSU's defense isn't good. It is. But, perhaps it isn't as good as it has appeared thus far due to playing less than stellar competition.

The only category that Auburn doesn't stand head and shoulder's above the rest in is Passing Yards. But, when you see that the passing offense is ranked 2nd nationally in pass efficiency you can deduct that we simply haven't had to throw that often but when we do go to the air we do so with exceptional, nearly unmatched, efficiency.

The best rushing offense they've seen, the most efficient passing offense they've seen, on the road... not sayin', just sayin'.

Game Review: Arkansas

Knee-jerk Reaction
THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE! I don't need to beat a dead horse by going on about the weaknesses of our defensive secondary. Once again, in the end this team and this defense found a way to get it done and get the "W" in one of the best games I have ever attended. We knew going in that Arkansas had the best offense we would see all year. We knew their biggest strength, their passing game, would dominate our biggest weakness, our secondary. We knew the Hawgs had 4th quarter struggles all season. I expected a shootout, maybe not a record breaking 65-43 affair but that's what we got and boy was it fun. If there was any doubt before the game, it is gone now, Cam Newton is the best player in college football. He is the clear leader of not just the offense but this entire team. Newton is quickly entering Tim Tebow status with his leadership qualities. The offensive line once again plowed the way for a 300 yard rushing effort (3rd in as many SEC games). This was easily the "closest" 22 point win ever as it had the feeling of a one point win. We all have heard about it by now - the refs were horrible - but they were horrible both ways. Mario Fannin did not cross the plane with the ball and the Broderick Green fumble in the fourth was debatable but the pass interference call in the end zone was as bad as they come and the 4th down spot Arkansas received was extremely generous. It seemed as if the refs knew they kept making bad calls and would make other bad calls to make up for it. In the end all we got was a lot of bad calls for both teams. I was really happy to see Dyer break that run in the 4th quarter to get a touchdown against his home state team. Apparently he was ailing from an ankle injury which kept him sidelined for most of the game but he sure looked fine as he broke through the middle of the line and away from the Arkansas defenders. A lot of credit needs to be given to Arkansas' Tyler Wilson. Before Ryan Mallet went out he was completing 66.7% of his passes (below his average) for a measly 6.4 yards per attempt. Wilson's passes (prior to his two interceptions) were on the money all night and were as good as any quarterback could have done. While he did have guys wide open on a few occasions, more frequently the completions were a product of perfect passes despite some decent coverage. In the four drives Mallet led, two of them ended with punts (they only had three punts in the entire game). It is entirely possible that our defensive game plan was designed to stop Mallet (and was doing a relatively good job) and Wilson's style and ability caught us off guard and it took until half way through the fourth quarter to make the appropriate adjustments.

Positives
Cam Newton - The nation's Heisman front runner has reached super star status. He is getting interviews on every college football related show, he is being talked about across the nation, and Auburn fans can't get enough. The only question at this point is how will he handle his new-found fame.

Offensive Line - I can't single out a single player without closer film evaluation but I don't recall hearing a single holding call or false start. That is miles from where we were as recent as week three this season. If I had to single out anyone it would be Brandon Mosley for seamlessly stepping into the starting line up and not once standing out as a weakness.

Josh Bynes - His two interceptions were not easy plays. We all know he can fill gaps in the run game but if he had a weakness before this season it would be how he performs in pass coverage. Clearly he has a spot in the NFL in a Tampa 2 defense because he fills that middle zone as well as anyone I have seen this year. His drops are deceptively quick and deep and his ball skills are phenomenal for a linebacker. Definitely having an All-SEC season.

Craig Sanders and Demetruce McNeal - I have never had so much fun watching kick off coverage. These two true freshman are in a competition on who can get the most tackles in kick off coverage and it seems to be one of the two every time. The Hawgs only crossed the 25 once (got to their 34) in 10 kick returns. They are fast, aggressive and hungry.

Wes Byrum - Without his two first half field goals we would have been tied going into the break and his third field goal on the opening drive of the half made it a two score game. His 43 yard field goal from the right hash gave us our first lead of the game and was not an easy kick. He ended the night with 17 points, an absolutely huge number for a kicker.

Negatives
Secondary - I could call out Neiko but I don't know enough about coverage assignments, safety help or other details that could change where the blame should lie. The only thing we know for sure is that 428 passing yards is WAY too many and the two interceptions on the night came from Bynes, a linebacker.

The Refs - It was mentioned above, but the Refs were just horrible against both teams, and this isn't the first week we have seen multiple blatantly bad calls. The officials seem lost. They throw flags went they shouldn't, swallow their whistles when they shouldn't, they are indecisive on fumble calls and the replay booth doesn't seem to be able to find indisputable evidence to overturn any call.

Looking Ahead: LSU
LSU will have the best defense we have seen to date and possibly the best we will see all year. Their defensive line could give us fits similar to what Clemson's did. That being said, our line was challenged to be more physical after that game and has responded by leading the way for over 300 yards rushing against South Carolina, Kentucky and Arkansas. If there is any game in which our secondary could look good and perhaps build some confidence, it is this one. LSU's pass offense is among the worst in FBS and with our solid run defense and potent offense, they should be forced into some less than favorable passing situations. The last thing a bad passing team wants to do is get down early and be forced into 3rd and longs. I said last week that we match up much better against LSU than we did Arkansas and I stand by that. Our offense may struggle relative to what we have become accustom to but even a below average offensive output should be enough to out score LSU's offense behind what should be another amazing home crowd.

Nation's Top QB's Collide On The Plains

When Arkansas and Auburn meet up this Saturday the majority of the onlookers will be focused on quarterbacks Ryan Mallet and Cameron Newton.

Mallet's 349.6 passing yards per game trails only Hawaii's Bryant Moniz. He also leads the SEC with 13 touchdown passes. At 6'6" 240 pounds his size compares favorably to Newton's but his style of play is more reminiscent of Drew Bledsoe. He is a statue in the pocket and his ability to throw the ball to any part of the field on a frozen rope is what makes him one of the NFL's most coveted prospects.

Newton, as we all know by now, is simply a freak of an athlete. Despite being bigger than Mallet at 6'6" 250 pounds, he is elusive in the pocket, a threat running or throwing when he gets out of the pocket and when he decides to take it down and run his 4.5 speed and bulldozing style are the last things a defensive coordinator wants to try and defend.

Both quarterbacks, though, have their weaknesses. For Newton it seems as if his decision making ability isn't quite consistent enough. He knows what he should do but occasionally, without being pressured, he throws into coverage he has no business throwing into which has led to his five interceptions this season. In Mallet's case his interceptions occur when under pressure. After being hit a few times Mallet's footwork gets sloppy, he doesn't maintain proper technique and tends to unleash some errant throwswhich has led to six interceptions thus far this season.

Trying to game plan against these two players has to be one of the more disheartening experiences a defensive coordinator will have all season knowing full and well, despite their greatest efforts, they will appear to have failed at their job. Do you blitz? Do you drop seven into zone coverage or do you man up tight on the receivers?

When facing Mallet the obvious approach is to bring heavy pressure because that has seemed to be the only way to knock him off his rhythem. That being said, as the popular saying goes, "when you bring the blitz someone's band is going to play." Auburn's defensive philosophy thus far has been to focus on stopping the run and keep all the passing plays in front of us so as not to give up the big play. The best approach is likely a mix of the two.

No matter what we do they will get their yards. Alabama seemingly has fared the best of any of the Hawg's opponents holding them to a season low 20 points and forcing three Mallet interceptions but he still threw for 357 yards with a 65.8% completion percentage. Those will be the stats Auburn is going to hope for, and it may be more achievable than most think.

Auburn is ranked 19th in the nation (3rd in the SEC) in sacks and 14th in the nation (2nd in the SEC) in rush defense. With that combined with a roaucous home crowd Ted Roof's defense should make Arkansas one dimentional and some timely blitzes could lead to a turnover or two (the only game Mallet didn't throw a pick in was verse Georgia).

Ted Roof likely wont put this game on his highlight reel but as we've done all season long, I expect to be stout against the run, seemingly incompetent against the pass but do just enough to get the win.

Quick Observation

There are five SEC teams ranked in the top 12 of the AP poll, Auburn being the highest ranked at number seven. Three of the remaining four are Western division teams while the lone representative from the Eastern division is South Carolina. Three of the five have one loss, all of which came from another member of this quintet (Arkansas to Alabama, South Carolina to Auburn, Alabama to South Carolina). Every one of these teams still has a shot to play for it all as there are enough big games remaining on their schedules. Auburn still has three of the four teams left on their schedule not counting the potential SEC Championship game rematch with the Gamecocks.

The SEC's six team Western division has at least double the number of teams ranked in the top 12 than any other entire conference in the country. Teams from other conferences can talk about having tough games against top 25 opponents but none of them will have to beat four national championship contenders in their season, not even close.

It is also clear who belongs in the SEC's upper teir. Not much seperates the top five teams and in a round robin scenario any of the five could emerge on top without it being a surprise. The next highest ranked SEC team is Florida at number 22 and after getting crushed by Alabama and losing at home to LSU it is clear they are no longer in the SEC's top group.

Right now this is how I'd rank the SEC's teirs:

Teir 1 (National Title Contenders): Auburn, LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas

Teir 2 (Not Ready for Primetime): Florida

Tier 3 (Dangerous But Not Complete): Mississippi State, Georgia, Kentucky

Teir 4 (Looking Ahead to 2011): Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee

Game Review: Kentucky

Knee-Jerk Reaction
Despite the final score of this game, I never did feel it was in jeopardy. Maybe it was Cam's remarkable ability to make accumulating yardage and touchdowns look so easy, maybe it was because I was in the Highlands where the beer flows like wine. Either way, this Auburn team knows how to win close games; and that is quality of a championship team. The first half solidified Cam Newton's Heisman Trophy bid with 129 passing yards and 134 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He showed his poise and leadership on that final 19 play 86 yard game winning drive (in which he accounted for 74 yards) setting up Wes Byrum for a chip shot 24 yard field goal as time expired. The third quarter was one to forget (once again, we struggle to put together four complete quarters of solid play) and Cam deserves as much blame for the poor play as anyone. On his interception to open the half he had plenty of time in the pocket but decided to throw it to a player who was well covered. It seems that this is when nearly all of Cam's interceptions occur. They aren't because he is pressured and he makes a bad decision, and they aren't usually because he makes a horrible throw, they happen because Cam seems to get cocky. Every once in a while someone needs to tell him he isn't the Man of Steel and he can be stopped if he doesn't make the right decision. The first three drives of the 3rd quarter Cam went 0-4 with an interception. Whatever someone said to him or whatever changed in his mindset before taking over with four minutes left in the third, it worked. His first two passes of that drive were completed for 56 yards and he led us all the way down the field before his last completion was stopped short of the goal line and we settled for a 19 yard field goal. As for the running backs, it was very disappointing to see Dyer fumble again (on an almost identical hit) because if he wants to be our workhorse down the stretch than we need to be confident that he will be able to hold on to the ball. On the flip side Super Mario has had two successive weeks with out a fumble which is encouraging. He can help this offense in so many different ways so getting him on track is critical. Saturday night was McCalebb's first bad outing of the season. Kentucky seemed set on not letting any of our plays get to the outside (which is probably why the middle was so wide open for Cam). So if McCalebb's job is to stretch the defense to open up the middle, mission accomplished despite his lack of yardage. The defense... Oh, the defense. If you read my previous article, you know this game didn't surprise me. It played out nearly exactly as I expected it to so it is hard to criticise a unit for performing as expected. I see two ways of looking at it: The optimist in me says we held Kentucky to their lowest passing totals of the season, second lowest rushing totals of the season and held them to fewer total yards than Florida did (336 vs 352). Kentucky has a great offense and we have performed as well as anyone against them. The pessimist in me says that most of Kentucky's yardage in the Florida game came in the fourth quarter when the game was already in hand. Florida played the "bend don't break" style that we claim but our defense "broke" far too often while their defense held Kentucky to 20 fewer points. While the offense can claim one bad quarter, the defense was consistently porous, giving up 17 points in each half. We had become accustomed to great half time adjustments after shaky starts but we didn't get that this week. Plain and simple, our secondary is a liability. In the end we are 6-0, off to our best start since 2004 and have the top Heisman contender leading our team. Things could be worse.

Positives
Cam Newton - Career best 408 total yards is the top figure in the SEC this year. His first half explosion of 263 total yards and four touchdowns was one of the most dominant halves of football I have ever witnessed.

Offensive Line - Cam had time to throw and room to run all night, also Dyer and Fannin both averaged over six yards per carry. 311 yards on the ground and the line is doing something right and according to Cam, it was Lee Ziemba who gave the motivating speech prior to the game winning drive.

Wes Byrum - He nailed all three of his field goals and we needed every one of them. The 24 yard game winner was as easy as they come, but just ask Garrett Hartley how easy it is to shank one when the game is on your shoulders.

Negatives
Secondary - It is scheming that gives opponent wide receivers the big cushion at the line of scrimmage and whether or not that is the right approach is debatable, but being able to come up and make the tackle after the reception falls on our players. Far too often our corners can't get off blocks and our safeties are a step slow getting there or have their arm tackle shrugged off. Six games in it is hard to see much improvement but tackling needs to be an emphasis in practice the rest of the season.

The officials - Two horrendous personal foul calls on Zac Ethridge gave Kentucky one of their scores and a bad pass interference call on T'Sharvan Bell led to another. Penalties have been an issue for this team all year but a few of the flags Saturday night were simply incomprehensible.

Looking Ahead: Arkansas
This is a match up I have been dreading all season. When asked at the beginning of the season what two games scare me the most they would have been, and still are, Arkansas and Alabama. Our secondary has been torched all season and Ryan Mallet & Co are by far the best passing attack we will see all season. The Hawg's defense has improved enough to where we won't be able to drive the field with ease as we did against Kentucky. The defense will need to come up with stops. If Mallet has a weakness it is that, when rattled, he makes poor decisions which turn into interceptions. We need pressure from our front four and we need our secondary on its toes waiting for the first errant pass. Turnovers, as always, will be key in this game, particularly from the quarterback position on both teams. Home field advantage will be huge and hopefully be enough to push us to the win.

No Cat Nap For These Tigers

Heading into the game this weekend there are a lot of reasons for optimism from Auburn fans. And after Kentucky's meltdown last weekend against an Ole Miss team who lost by two touchdowns to Vanderbilt at home, it could be understood if folks in Lexington are more focused on opening weekend of Keenland's fall meet and UK's Midnight Madness which is just around the corner.

Yes, Auburn fans, basketball season is almost here. Who knew?

My last weekend in Louisville a buddy of mine who is a UK alum was talking about the hundreds of fans who were camping out for nearly a full week outside of UK's ticket office to get a ticket to the Madness. Madness indeed. All 16,000 tickets sold out in less than an hour. Boom M-F'er.

With 90 points surrendered in the past two weeks I'm certain the basketball team will have multiple two game stetches with fewer points allowed.

Despite all of that, Auburn is a mere six point favorite this weekend. If you ask the "wise guys" that line is way too low as betting trends on SportsBook.com indicate that 87% of the betting public is taking Auburn and giving the points while an astounding 100% of the betting public is taking Auburn to win the game.

And that is what worries me. I am not going to predict an upset but I believe this game is going to be far closer than any Auburn fan would like.

For one, despite playing for revenge after last year's aboration it is hard to believe that this team actually fears this Kentucky team. Watching them lose by a combined 41 points in their first two SEC games has that affect. A team that thinks they should win is always at great risk especially when their opponent's biggest strengths exploits their biggest weaknesses.

Watching this Kentucky team they have three players that they run their offense through: quarterback Mike Hartline, running back Derrick Locke, and wide receiver / wildcat quarterback Randle Cobb.

Hartline is a steady, if unspectacular field general. He's completing nearly 64% of his passes and has thrown eight touchdown passes compared to just three interceptions. A senior, now in his third year as a starter, Hartline has seen it all and cannot be counted on to make rookie mistakes.

Also a senior, running back Derrick Locke is the second leading rusher in the SEC averaging 108.6 yards per game. At 5'9" 190 pounds Locke isn't going to look to run anyone over, and perhaps that will work in his favor against an Auburn defense that has struggled against speed backs.

Prior to the South Carolina game our friends over at War Blog Eagle did a break down of our defense's results against speed backs compared to power backs. Here are the results:

SPEED BACKS:

Noel Devine (West Va. ’09): 15 carries, 128 yards, 8.5 YPC, 3 TDs
Derrick Locke (UK, ’09): 19 carries, 126 yards, 6.6 YPC, 0 TDs
Michael Smith (Ark. ’09): 18 carries, 145 yards, 8.1 YPC, 1 TD
Dexter McCluster (Miss. ’09): 22 carries, 186 yards, 8.5 YPC, 1 TD
Andre Ellington (Clemson ’10): 22 carries, 140 yards, 6.4 YPC, 1 TD

Totals: 96 carries, 725 yards, 7.6 YPC, 6 TDs

POWER BACKS:

Anthony Dixon (Miss. St. ’09): 20 carries, 92 yards, 4.6 YPC, 1 TD
Montario Hardesty (Tenn. ’09): 21 carries, 90 yards, 4.3 YPC, 1 TD
Charles Scott (LSU, ’09): 10 carries, 20 yards, 2.0 YPC, 0 TDs
Washaun Ealey (UGA, ’09): 18 carries, 98 yards, 5.4, 1 TD
Mark Ingram (‘Bama ’09): 16 carries, 30 yards, 1.9 YPC, 0 TDs
Trent Richardson (‘Bama ’09): 15 carries, 51 yards, 3.4 YPC, 1 TD*
Jamie Harper (Clemson ’10): 19 carries, 44 yards, 2.3 YPC, 0 TDs

Totals: 119 carries, 425 yards, 3.6 YPC, 4 TDs

We can now add Lattimore's 33 yards on 14 carries to the power backs results, further solidifying the evidence that we have great success when facing that type of runner.

So, is Auburn's 12th nationally ranked rush defense a product of only facing one speed back this year (Andre Ellington - see above)? Or was Ellington's success an aboration against a much improved defense? To this point we have no evidence that says we can shut down a speed back so this weekend will provide a great opportunity to change that.

Randall Cobb is their do-it-all offensive weapon. The junior receiver has scored touch downs five different ways this year (receiving, rushing, passing, kick return, fake field goal) and is one of the SEC's best all around players. He serves as a starting wide receiver, the wildcat quarterback, kick and punt returner, and the holder on field goals.

Kentucky will attack Auburn's defense on the edges. Expect to see a lot of bubble screens and jail break screens to Cobb to get him the ball in space against our corners who have been giving up a lot of underneath passes. Locke will use his speed to get to the edge and as soon as we begin to over pursue he will use his agaility to find the cutback lanes and hit us for big yardage if we become undisciplined. Another weapon they will turn to around the goal line is 6'5" 220 pound senior receiver Chris Matthews who leads the Wildcats with five touch down receptions.

This is an offense that should scare Auburn fans. I know they only managed 14 points against Florida but the Gator's have a very solid defense (UK managed 352 total yards vs. 271 for Alabama). With our struggles against speed backs, the quick underneath passing game and the screen game, I expect Kentucky to have a lot of success on offense.

Frustrating success. The kind of success that will keep our offense off the field and put up enough points to keep this game close well into the fourth quarter.

Notice I didn't mention their defense much, and for good reason. I don't believe they will have many answers for the top ranked offense in the SEC.

The crowd will be liquoured up (the plan for most will be to tailgate Keenland's opening day, party at the track until 5 pm, tailgate for another hour or two, before trickling into the stadium by the middle of the first quarter in standard Kentucky fashion) and their team now has nothing left to lose. If Auburn comes in over confident and gives the underdog too much of a reason to believe they can hang around than the 'Cats are more than capable of pulling the upset.

Don't sleep on this one.

Poll Position

Yeah, no reaction to the Louisiana-Monroe beat down. Not only was it a glorified scrimmage but Max also believes I was too emotional so I'll just keep my thoughts about that one to myself.

The more interesting observation after a week like that is Auburn's move to #8 in both major polls. Thanks to Florida's no-show in Tuscaloosa and Oregon's Auburn-esque come from behind win over Stanford Auburn moved two spots closer to... oh wait, nothing.

Nothing? Yeah, nothing. For Auburn, perhaps more than any other team in the country right now, the rankings mean nothing. And that's not just standard "its the beginning of October, we're focused on Kentucky" coach speak. Currently there are seven undefeated teams ahead of Auburn; let's take a look at their remaining schedules.

#7 Nebraska - The Cornhuskers sit at 4-0 and their biggest win so far was their thrashing of unranked Washington in Seattle. I'm really not sure what they have done to be ranked ahead of Auburn in the polls but the voters seem to like them. In week four Taylor Martinez turned the ball over three times but survived 17-3 against FCS foe South Dakota State. The only ranked teams remaining on their schedule are #22 Oklahoma State and #24 Missouri. The Big XII North is pitiful and Nebraska dodges both Texas and Oklahoma on the rotating schedule. Odds are Nebraska will meet up with Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship game.

#6 Oklahoma - Speaking of Oklahoma, after surviving the Red River Shootout against Texas' worst team in a decade the Sooners' only remaining ranked opponents are the same as Nebraska's. While the Cornhuskers have to play both on the road, the Sooners get their in state rival in Norman. Once again, all signs are pointing to the Sooners and Cornhuskers meeting for the Big XII Championship which should be both team's biggest hurdle to achieve an undefeated season.

#5 TCU - The Horned Frogs opened their season with a nine point win over then #24 Oregon State and hasn't been tested much since but they aren't in the clear yet. On October 23 TCU will get a visit from #25 Air Force who took Oklahoma to the wire in a three point loss in Norman. The Falcons aren't a great team but their offense is hard to prepare for and are more than capable of pulling off the upset. Two weeks later Gary Patterson's bunch will have to travel north to #10 Utah for what is shaping up to be the Mountain West Championship game.

#4 Boise State - The Broncos were leaning on two early out of conference opponents to boost their strength of schedule but neither Virginia Tech or Oregon State are currently ranked and the only ranked team remaining on their schedule is Nevada. The November 26 matchup should be a great game but Nevada is new to this type of attention while Boise has been in games much bigger than this many times over the past few years.

#3 Oregon - Perhaps the most dominating team thus far this season has been the Oregon Ducks. Their schedule has been questionable but Stanford appeared to be a legitimate opponent and despite trailing 21-3 in the first quarter, the Ducks outscored the Cardinal 49-10 in the remaining three quarters. The nation's best offense only has one ranked opponent left on their schedule when #9 Arizona visits Eugene on November 26.

#2 Ohio State - The Buckeye's home win over Miami in week two looks solid but squeaking past Illinois over the weeked cost them some points in the polls. October 16 OSU travels to to play #20 Wisconsin and a month later has to travel to #15 Iowa before hosting #19 Michigan the following week. The Buckeyes will have to play better not just to remain unbeaten but also to fend off Oregon who has already jumped three undefeated teams.

#1 Alabama - The defending champs now have dominating wins at home over Penn State and Florida and survived a road bout against #14 Arkansas. With road games against #19 South Carolina on October 9 and #12 LSU on November 6 before hosting #8 Auburn for the Iron Bowl on November 26 'bama is not in the clear yet. They deserve their ranking for now but they don't look unbeatable. If they survive the nation's hardest schedule there will be no doubt who the best team in the country is.

Looking at those schedules it is obvious that any hope for Auburn playing for the national championship is to defeat an undefeated 'bama team in Tuscaloosa. That is why our ranking means nothing right now. No other team ahead of Auburn plays a team ranked ahead of them which means all of those teams need their ranking and they need the style points. For Auburn it is entirely possible that we could show up in Tuscaloosa at 11-0 and still be ranked #8 but a win over 'bama (followed by a win in the SEC Championship game) and we're in.