ESPN AU-MSU Preview

[AUChizad]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=5539632

Auburn-Mississippi St. Preview

Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton was named the SEC's offensive player of the week for his impressive debut with the Tigers. Now, he hopes his performance translates to conference play.

The 22nd-ranked Tigers open their SEC slate on Thursday night at Mississippi State, which hopes to prevent a fifth consecutive Auburn victory in Starkville.

Newton arrived at Auburn this season after starting his career with Florida, then spending the 2009 season leading Blinn College to the junior college national championship.

He didn't waste any time sparking the Tigers (1-0) to victory, throwing for 186 yards and three touchdowns and adding 171 rushing yards and two scores in a 52-26 win over Arkansas State on Saturday.

"I don't know if I have seen an individual performance better than Cam Newton's. He is the best player I have ever seen live," Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts. "He made a huge difference in the ball game tonight -- he is hard to bring down."

Second-year Auburn coach Gene Chizik was also pleased with his new quarterback, who leads an offense that ranked 16th nationally in 2009 but lost quarterback Chris Todd and top rusher Ben Tate.

"He did some nice things when maybe something wasn't there," Chizik said of Newton. "He turned some bad plays into good ones."

Auburn went 8-5 last year, including a win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl, but the team is hoping to improve on a 3-5 record in conference play -- its second straight losing SEC campaign.

The Tigers, however, have won eight of nine meetings with Mississippi State, including four straight on the road.

Their most lopsided SEC win last year was a 49-24 victory over the Bulldogs on Sept. 12. Mississippi State had few answers for Auburn's running game, which totaled five touchdowns and 390 yards -- matching its most since totaling 405 yards on the ground against the Bulldogs on Oct. 18, 2003.

Coming off back-to-back losing seasons, Mississippi State (1-0) held Memphis to 41 rushing yards to open with a 49-7 win Saturday.

The Bulldogs' passing game keyed the victory, totaling 372 yards and five touchdowns. Although junior Chris Relf started at quarterback, freshman Tyler Russell played most of the game, going 13 of 16 for 256 yards and four touchdowns -- two each to sophomores Chad Bumphis and Brandon Heavens.

"There were a lot of guys that were getting their first action out there today, and they responded," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "It is great to get that under their belt and get them some confidence going into the SEC schedule.

"That is a whole different ballgame when you start conference play, especially with a solid opponent," Mullen added. "I am expecting a big time atmosphere here Thursday night."

Auburn hasn't played well on the road well the last two years, losing seven of eight since a bizarre 3-2 win at Mississippi State on Sept. 13, 2008. The Tigers hope their defense plays like it did in that game, when it held the Bulldogs to 116 total yards.

The unit wasn't as sharp Saturday, allowing Arkansas State to rack up 323 passing yards.

"We have to make better tackles, especially in the open field," linebacker Josh Bynes said. "(It) was the first game, and I am not going to say it was first-game jitters, but all I can say is we have some things we need to work on."

It's unclear if Auburn will have linebacker Craig Stevens back in the lineup after he was suspended for the opener for disciplinary reasons. Stevens ranked second on the team in tackles last year.

"We hold our guys to a certain standard of excellence, and that is on the field and that is off the field," said Chizik, who didn't elaborate on the punishment. "If they are not living up to that certain standard right now then I've got tough decisions that I have to make."

[Hogwally]

     Coach Roberts is a good guy.  Played High School football with my brother, then was a practice teacher and coach of mine for a year at the same high school.

[JR4AU]

Word is that MSU is really geared up for this game. 

[Saniflush]

     Coach Roberts is a good guy.  Played High School football with my brother, then was a practice teacher and coach of mine for a year at the same high school.

Fucker.  We could have gotten some of that Arkansas State BBQ with your inside sources.

[GH2001]

Word is that MSU is really geared up for this game.

They are. Ive looked through some of their boards. Word is also that the players circled this game back in the summer. They want to beat us bad and will be out in the full force with teh cowbells. If we can silence the crowd quickly and knock the wind out of the players early, it looks good. If we let them stay in it, I don't like the looks of it.......

[Tiger Wench]

Word is that MSU is really geared up for this game.

I read somewhere, tho, that they just started practicing the game plan this week...?  How geared up can they be if this is true?  Amped up is great, but without practicing an established gameplan...?

[War Eagle!!!]

So I was looking for some info on Missippi State, and found some stats. Brandon Heavens caught 5 balls for over 100 yards and 2 TD's last week. if you remember, Auburn had this "sleeper" commit until Chizik got here...I think. I am not sure if Chizik stopped recruiting him or if he chose State when Tubs left.

Also, Tyler Russell, freshman QB that had a big day on Saturday, was a 4 star coming out of high school and rated the #12 QB in that class. He is a big kid. 6'4" guy that can run and throw pretty well.

The other WR that had a big night was Bumpus. Auburn recruited him as well. He was a 4 star prospect that can run.

I bet that Mississippi State is going to be a tough challenge. Mullins is a damn good coach.

Also, it has been raining like hell yesterday and today. I would be surprised if that weather doesn't show up at all over in Starkville.

[JR4AU]

I read somewhere, tho, that they just started practicing the game plan this week...?  How geared up can they be if this is true?  Amped up is great, but without practicing an established gameplan...?

They had a game last week.  Another team.  But, trust me, they put in some of the Auburn Game plan last week, and in the weeks before. 

[AUChizad]

Al.com is not as kind (go figure)

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/5_things_to_watch_in_the_sec_t.html

3. Trap game for Auburn.  The trip to Starkville has "danger" written all over it for Auburn, even with its impressive offense. It's Cam New­ton's first SEC start. It's a short week. It's a road game in a difficult environment. It's an opponent whose coach, Dan Mullen, knows Newton's tendencies from their time together at Florida. Cowbells or no cowbells, Missis­sippi State squeaks out a wild game.

[djsimp]

This is going to be a great game I do believe. The stats from their game against Memphis you can throw out the window, and ours against Arky St. I do believe we will have some monster yards via rushing in this game. I still think we beat them by 2 touchdowns.

[War Eagle!!!]

Good news guys. If we can stop the post, we may have a chance...

[Snaggletiger]

Questions.  Why would MSU circle this game?  Yes, it's a huge game for both teams because it's the SEC opener.  And yes, their fans would be rabid whether this was Auburn or Georgia or Tennessee coming in.  MSU fans have little to cheer about because their program is the epitome of SUCK.  They finally have a little life because they rarely start out in impressive fashion like they did last week.

So, why is "Short week" only a factor for Auburn?  Did MSU not play a crappy ass Memphis team Saturday?  Mullen knows Cam's tendencies?  What the hell is that all about?  Yeah, he corched him for while.  Does that mean he has the innate ability to make his players aware that "If Newton scratches his left nutt with his right hand before coming to the line, he has a tendency to roll left boys".Fuck Mississippi State.  The bottom line is once the game starts and the pads pop, all that speculation means nothing.  If our defense shows up, we kick that ass.  If they don't, it'll be a who scores last affair.  AU has far more talent and they just have to execute.

Fuck Mississippi State

[Tiger Wench]

Fuck Mississippi State

And that rhat thar is why I loves you muchly.

[Saniflush]

and do you really think they will not be thinking more cowbell when Cam and company are on the field?

http://www.respectthebell.com/

I think not.

[Tiger Wench]

I read that... respect the bell...

**SNORT**

Cartman begs to differ...

[JR4AU]

Al.com is not as kind (go figure)

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/5_things_to_watch_in_the_sec_t.html

3. Trap game for Auburn.  The trip to Starkville has "danger" written all over it for Auburn, even with its impressive offense. It's Cam New­ton's first SEC start. It's a short week. It's a road game in a difficult environment. It's an opponent whose coach, Dan Mullen, knows Newton's tendencies from their time together at Florida. Cowbells or no cowbells, Missis­sippi State squeaks out a wild game.

When these idiots write fucking moronic shit like that, their whole take loses credibility.  Knows his tendencies?  He tends to either hand the ball off, throw, or tuck the ball and run depending on the play called...not to mention the fact he's being coached by Malzahn now, not Mullen, and was coached by another coach at the JC.  I can see Mullen now screaming at his defense from the sideline as we line up to run a play.  "Newton blinked twice with his left eye, and 3 times with his right, then tugged on his left nut, that means they're running the old double wing dipsy doodle".  Jesus H. Christ these sports writers/bloggers are morons.  Mullen, or his DC better be concerned with Malzahn's "tendencies" instead of Newtons.   

[Saniflush]

I was thinking something more along these lines.....

[DnATL]

So I was looking for some info on Missippi State

First of all, that's not how you spell it

[RWS]

I bet MSU gets fined after this game for cowbell. The SEC made public a warning that said if cowbells are used at any time other than timeouts, after TDs and before the ensuing PAT then between then and the kickoff, that the SEC would fine them. The SEC said they would actively monitor this, so I suppose we shall see.

Also, I didn't realize that AU has lost 7 of their last 8 road games. They better fucking win tonight, because I picked yall in Battle for the Crown.

[AUTailgatingRules]

They better fucking win tonight, because I picked yall in Battle for the Crown.

You feel dirty don't you?  I know I do every time I pick Bama