What role has luck played in Auburn's season?

[Saniflush]

NEWPORT BEACH, California -- The Miracle at Jordan-Hare. The Kick Six.

Auburn's stunning late-game heroics from Ricardo Louis and Chris Davis against Georgia and Alabama, respectively, were the defining moments of the season. The pair of game-winning touchdowns allowed Auburn to wrap up the SEC West for a spot in the conference championship, but how much did plain old luck play a factor?

The question was posed several times during Thursday's press conferences for the BCS National Championship Game, and the Tigers had varying reactions.

"I don't think we look at it as luck," said center Reese Dismukes. "We rushed for nearly 300 yards against Georgia and Alabama. Alabama was No. 1 in rush defense and Georgia was up there too. We know deep down inside why we win games.

"If it happens at the end of the game, oh well. We're just trying to win football games. All that matters at the end is the W."

Quarterback Nick Marshall agreed, saying his team just finds a way to win the game.

Not all the players rejected the luck factor. Running back Tre Mason admitted their may have been some involved.

"We had some crazy wins that happened this season," Mason said. "Before luck I would say it's a blessing. Because without the man above, I would say a lot of things wouldn't be possible. But there's a little bit of luck still in there."

Fullback Jay Prosch also considers the wins a blessing, but said you get what you work for.

"I think we've put in the work to win the games we've won," he said. "I really think the crazy wins we've had that people say are luck may be luck, but I feel like we deserve those wins. That's part of life. You get what you work for, no matter how it comes."

The question was also posed to some of the Florida State defenders, who are hoping to avoid a similar late-game situation against the Tigers on Monday night.

"I don't really believe in luck that much," said Seminole linebacker Christian Jones. "What I get out of the wins Auburn has had this season is they play all four quarters. People look at the Alabama game and the Georgia game as games they should have lost, but that's a prime example of why it's so important to play four full quarters of football."

[AUJarhead]

In discussions with friends, I get mad when they tell me the Kick 6 was luck.  It was coaching, plain and simple.  It was the coaching staff that decided to put the punt return guys in when they saw Bama had the big fat guys on the field.  Gus just out coached Saban, plain and simple.

For the UGA game, sure the Hail Mary was luck that went our way.  But when Louis ran over Mason on what clearly would have been a first down, and would have prevented UGA from getting the ball back, that's luck that went against us.  If you're going to call the Hail Mary luck, then UGA was lucky they got it to begin with.

[CCTAU]

In discussions with friends, I get mad when they tell me the Kick 6 was luck.  It was coaching, plain and simple.  It was the coaching staff that decided to put the punt return guys in when they saw Bama had the big fat guys on the field.  Gus just out coached Saban, plain and simple.

For the UGA game, sure the Hail Mary was luck that went our way.  But when Louis ran over Mason on what clearly would have been a first down, and would have prevented UGA from getting the ball back, that's luck that went against us.  If you're going to call the Hail Mary luck, then UGA was lucky they got it to begin with.

UGA received their gifted TD from the refs. We received ours from above. God don't like that fat ugly dog either!

[GH2001]

In discussions with friends, I get mad when they tell me the Kick 6 was luck.  It was coaching, plain and simple.  It was the coaching staff that decided to put the punt return guys in when they saw Bama had the big fat guys on the field.  Gus just out coached Saban, plain and simple.

For the UGA game, sure the Hail Mary was luck that went our way.  But when Louis ran over Mason on what clearly would have been a first down, and would have prevented UGA from getting the ball back, that's luck that went against us.  If you're going to call the Hail Mary luck, then UGA was lucky they got it to begin with.

zak lee.

was a miracle they were even ahead. we had to shit the bed for a quarter to let them back into it. plus the help they got from the replay booth on the fantom td.

[Snaggletiger]

Lucky play in the Georgia game?  Yep.  Every team needs some "luck" along the way to get to a championship.  Alabama had to have Mount Bloatey's left titty get in the way of two game winning field goals against UT a few years ago.  It happens.  But as far as the Georgia game is concerned, it's amazing how everyone seems to write off the fact that Auburn had 37 points and 500 yards of offense before that play. 

[Buzz Killington]

Lucky play in the Georgia game?  Yep.  Every team needs some "luck" along the way to get to a championship.  Alabama had to have Mount Bloatey's left titty get in the way of two game winning field goals against UT a few years ago.  It happens.  But as far as the Georgia game is concerned, it's amazing how everyone seems to write off the fact that Auburn had 37 points and 500 yards of offense before that play.

Smoke and mirrors

[Saniflush]

Smoke and mirrors

Sissy football

[jmar]

zak lee.

was a miracle they were even ahead. we had to shit the bed for a quarter to let them back into it. plus the help they got from the replay booth on the fantom td.

We got complacent and sloppy for that entire quarter with the replay call just adding insult to injury. But it was no accident that Murray and Co. were advancing the ball at will against us either alternating screens to Gurley and that string of completed timed passes to offset our rush. Had Grantham called them over on the miracle catch just as a reminder: Hey, no hero's... if you get the deep ball you bat it down RIGHT! That never happened. So to me that was a missed opportunity to remind a freshman safety to keep his wits but as we saw the other kid went tard/thug in an effort to get the pick and it backfired. EOS

And I say this because all of that positive effort went for naught and then Richt finds himself w/o a veteran QB against Nebraska and Bobo can't summon the same magic because the kid isn't capable of seeing what Murray sees while avoiding a rush and while it looks like poor team effort, it's mostly just lack of confidence by not having that all important leader on the field.   

[CCTAU]

And I say this because all of that positive effort went for naught and then Richt finds himself w/o a veteran QB against Nebraska and Bobo can't summon the same magic because the kid isn't capable of seeing what Murray sees while avoiding a rush and while it looks like poor team effort, it's mostly just lack of confidence by not having that all important leader on the field.

I beg the differ. All we hear is that Gurley is a beast. Yet they were so uninspired blocking that he could not even get going. Show a little inspiration and I think Gurley has a Heisman day. But it looked like even he was just going through the motions.

[jmar]

I beg the differ. All we hear is that Gurley is a beast. Yet they were so uninspired blocking that he could not even get going. Show a little inspiration and I think Gurley has a Heisman day. But it looked like even he was just going through the motions.

True but with Murray you got results.

[Snaggletiger]

Definitely want Jawja to keep Richt.  He's a good man.  And he'll always finish in second place. 

[DnATL]

I beg the differ. All we hear is that Gurley is a beast.

he must have no conditioning, because that fucker is always winded - Tre Mason he ain't

Definitely want Jawja to keep Richt.  He's a good man.  And he'll always finish in second place.

's favorite, a man who always finishes second