I've noticed we're popping up all over the place this week as people are taking notice of what we're doing. We have a long way to go to solidify anything, but we're making noise.
FROM RIVALS:NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE WEEK: Gus Malzahn continued his makeover of Auburn's offense as the Tigers rolled up 589 total yards in a 49-24 rout of Mississippi State. The Tigers rushed for 390 yards in the victory.
FROM ESPN's PAT FORDE (as a featured "Grudge Game" of the week):West Virginia-Auburn (25). Offended party: Auburn. It was far from pleasant on the Plains last year when the Tigers played the Mountaineers in Morgantown. At that point Auburn was 4-3 and already had fired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. But Tommy Tuberville's tenure really hit the rocks when the Tigers blew a 17-3 lead by giving up 31 consecutive points. If they had won that game they would have gone bowling last year at 6-6.
FROM RIVALS "POSITION RANKINGS":RB - Ben Tate comes in from "unranked" to #25.
OL - Lee Zeimba comes in from "unranked" to #25.
DL - Antonio Coleman moves up from #22 to #19.
OC - Gus Malzahn moves up from #11 to #6.
(of note: Jimbo Fisher dropped out as OC and Turner Gil dropped out as HC).
FROM DR SATURDAY:• So much for 3 to 2: Auburn exploded for 589 total yards, 390 rushing, in a 49-24 bludgeoning of Mississippi State, its second straight week over 500 yards after failing to top 500 in any game since November 2005. The Tigers' best output in SEC games in 2008 was 22 points (in a loss to Arkansas) and 394 yards (in a loss to Ole Miss).
FROM CHRIS LOW, ESPN SEC BLOGGER:http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/3147/auburns-chizik-forcing-the-issue-before-halfhttp://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/3142/auburn-running-game-hot-crompton-nothttp://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/3105/what-we-learned-in-the-sec-week-2http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/3098/sec-helmet-stickers-week-2-2SEC Player of the Week:
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Antonio Coleman, DE, Auburn: Returned his first career interception 20 yards for a touchdown to give Auburn the lead for good, 21-17, in the second quarter.
FROM STEWART MANDEL, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:Spreading the field
• Guz Malzahn is working his magic again. Facing the same Mississippi State team it infamously beat 3-2 a year earlier, Auburn racked up 589 yards -- including a staggering 390 on the ground -- in a 49-24 win. Under the direction of the former Arkansas and Tulsa offensive coordinator, the Tigers currently rank fourth nationally in total offense, up 100 spots from 2008.
FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS POWER RANKINGS:11. Auburn 2-0
Last Week: W, Mississippi State 49-24
Why this is too high: The jury is still out on whether or not the team really is any good, and the passing game is a serious question mark after the win over Mississippi State, but ...
Why this is too low: ... the Gus Malzahn offense is rolling on the ground. Louisiana Tech and Miss State have decent run defenses, and Auburn ripped off 691 yards in the first two games. Ben Tate is seventh in the nation in rushing and Onterio McCalebb is ninth.
Up next: West Virginia
FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS BOWL PROJECTIONS:AT&T Cotton Bowl
January 2, Arlington TX, 2 pm Fox
Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Auburn
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