Wall Street Journal: Hey Auburn, You're Our Last Chance!

[AUChizad]

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303914304579189943734372838

Hey Auburn, You're Our Last Chance!

The Tigers May Be the Only Thing Standing Between Alabama and Three Straight National Titles

By
Rachel Bachman

Updated Nov. 10, 2013 8:56 p.m. ET

To Mr. Gus Malzahn, Auburn football coach:

As you probably heard, the top-ranked Alabama football team beat LSU on Saturday in what might have been the Crimson Tide's last big test before their third consecutive appearance in the Bowl Championship Series title game. (You may also have heard that Alabama won the last two.)

Besides their typical greatness, the Tide even added a splash of panache, running the ball on a fake punt with the game tied, then scoring 21 unanswered points. This is like a stodgy-but-brilliant CEO belting out Sinatra at a company dinner and winning a record deal. It just isn't fair.

Alabama, which sits one game ahead of Auburn in the Southeastern Conference's West division, next plays at Mississippi State, then hosts lower-division Chattanooga—games for which the Tide should be favored by a combined 96 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the SEC's topsy-turvy East division is likely to send an overmatched team to play Alabama in the SEC championship, also known as the national-title play-in game.

Coach, this is where you come in.

Your Tigers host Alabama on Nov. 30, and could be the only thing standing between the Crimson Tide and yet another appearance in the national title game—which, I think we can agree, is getting a bit tedious. That's why you need to prevent it from happening. You need to take back the state of Alabama.

Before the season began, when Auburn did not receive a single vote in preseason polls and Alabama was No. 1, the "Iron Bowl," as it's known, held all the suspense of a salmon wrestling a bear. But since your Tigers stomped Tennessee on Saturday to move to 9-1 and hold onto the No. 7 spot in the Associated Press poll, the game against Alabama has become far more intriguing. And all in your first year running a major college-football program, Coach!

Alabama's coach, Nick Saban (you've probably heard of him), has said that the Tide do not always match up well with hurry-up, no-huddle offenses—your specialty, and an approach that has Auburn thriving this season. Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M nearly knocked off Alabama for a second year in a row with such mayhem, and your offense might be even more deceptive than the Aggies'.

Your quarterback, first-year starter Nick Marshall, steamrolled the Volunteers with 214 rushing yards while passing almost not at all: He completed three passes for 35 yards, a touchdown and an interception. That is the power of zone-read plays: Marshall repeatedly fooled Tennessee about whether he would keep it, pass or hand it off to running back Tre Mason.

It seems that the Auburn football program was built as a thrill ride. Just three seasons ago, when you were offensive coordinator at Auburn, quarterback Cam Newton led the Tigers to a national championship—including a regular-season comeback from a 24-point deficit against Alabama to stay unbeaten. The Tigers tanked last season, going 3-9 and firing Gene Chizik, the guy who coached that title game. Clearly, Auburn is not a place of half-measures.

You have an amazing opportunity, Coach. You'll have to get past a pesky Georgia team next Saturday in order to turn your game against Alabama into a tiebreaker for the SEC West title. But it can be done. Your team gained 437 yards against LSU in your only loss of the season, and showed its mettle in upsetting Texas A&M at raucous Kyle Field. You also have a better-than-average defense, 22nd in the nation in preventing scores.

Granted, Missouri has had a spectacular season in the SEC East, and is on track to reach the conference championship game. But do those Tigers have what it takes to stare down an ocean of crimson and beat Alabama at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta? Perhaps it's better not to find out.

This issue is even bigger than the conference, if it's possible for anything to be bigger than the SEC. It's about college football. Florida State is back. Stanford and Baylor, of all programs, are pushing toward the top. Ohio State is clawing for a chance to get back to the title game—the last great hope of a flagging Big Ten Conference.

Alabama is the only team that brings no mystery to the table. The Tide are simply so good, so methodical, that they seem to remove the element of chance. Without it, what's the fun of watching? But you, and Auburn, can change all that with one big game.

Sincerely,

Rachel Bachman

[War Eagle!!!]

Word!

[bottomfeeder]

Follow up with this.

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2013/what-happened-to-you-on-saturday-week-11-2/

Auburn Keeps Winning

Auburn is 9-1.  I know, crazy, right?  They are good.  Are they Beat Bama good?

On Saturday they traveled to Tennessee and won by a 32.  Tre Mason ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns, as he continues his quest to be first team All-SEC Running back.  Quarterback Nick Marshall ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns and even threw for (cough) 35 yards.  Hell, Will Muschamp even think they need more production from the passing game.  It was another impressive win for Auburn in Gus Malzahn’s first year.

How good is Auburn?  Well, they are one of the best teams in the SEC, but they aren’t Alabama good.  Not when you are only completing three passes for 35 yards. They will need balance against Alabama if they want to shake up the college football world.  But, hell, the fact that we are even talking about it being a question shows you how far Auburn has come in only one year.

We have some things to work on to beat bama.

[CCTAU]

What bothers me about this is that we are seen only as the team that can stop the dominance of the SEC. Any other year, we win out and the SEC is in the GAME again. But once again, we are JUST Auburn....

Screw them. If the bamtards are the pinnacle of greatness, shouldn't the team that knocks them down be as good or better?

[Jumbo]

win the whole fucking thing.

[Saniflush]

win the whole fucking thing.

.

[War Eagle!!!]

Fucking awesome!

[AUTailgatingRules]

Should that not read "you guys stink and cheat"

[Saniflush]

Should that not read "you guys stink and cheat"

Well sure now you want to be all exacting.

[dallaswareagle]

What bothers me about this is that we are seen only as the team that can stop the dominance of the SEC. Any other year, we win out and the SEC is in the GAME again. But once again, we are JUST Auburn....

Screw them. If the bamtards are the pinnacle of greatness, shouldn't the team that knocks them down be as good or better?

I know its a small chance but Miss State could put together something. Fuck, who I am kidding. 

[CCTAU]

For now its like "Help me Obi-wan. You are our only hope."

Then afterwards we'll be treated just like the Wookie.

[AUChizad]

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/11/11/5090392/college-football-bcs-busters-fresno-state-northern-illinois

Is this the new Auburn?

Here's the thing about Auburn in 2013: for the most part, the Tigers have been good, not great. AU entered last week's Tennessee game with top-30 rankings across the board but still ranked just 22nd overall. (Their marquee win at Texas A&M was dampened a bit by the fact that F/+ justifiably hates A&M's defense.) On Saturday, though? Auburn played like a top-10 team.

At some point in the coming weeks, probably against Alabama (and maybe against Georgia), quarterback Nick Marshall is going to have to succeed at throwing the ball more than he has had to of late; in the last three weeks, Marshall has thrown just 16 passes because the run has been working so well. But against a Tennessee team that had scared Georgia and beaten South Carolina in its last two games in Knoxville, Auburn was bigger, stronger, and faster than the Vols. The Tigers rushed for 444 yards (Marshall had 221 not including a sack, Tre Mason had 117), harassed UT quarterback Joshua Dobbs, scored on a punt return, and turned a 13-6 Tennessee lead into a 55-23 romp.

Auburn's ability to win out (which would obviously include an Iron Bowl upset) will depend on its ability to avoid early holes and stick to its identity, but it's more likely than it was a few weeks ago, and it's always a good thing when a young team looks a little better and a little better each week.

[wesfau2]

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/11/11/5090392/college-football-bcs-busters-fresno-state-northern-illinois

it's always a good thing when a young team looks a little better and a little better each week.

Motherfucking werd.  This season became a success somewhere around the Ole Miss game...but the above quote is what really counts. 

[Tiger Wench]

a little better and a little better each week

Motherfucking werd.  This season became a success somewhere around the Ole Miss game...but the above quote is what really counts.

This, and you know what else?  The FIGHT. This Auburn team does not give up. They do not stop fighting. Not until the last whistle. And they BELIEVE.  They don't think they can beat you.  They KNOW they can beat you. And you better bring your damn "A" game if you intend to prove otherwise.  If winning is 90% mental and the other half is physical, then we have an ace up our sleeve, especially at home.

(I could have tolerated last season a bit more if there had been some fight in that team.  But no, they let Johnny fucking football stomp a mudhole in their ass on our field.  That was all on Chizik, and is unforgivable.  Never give up.  Ever.)

[Buzz Killington]

.

I say we give 'em all a big shitburger to eat!

[Saniflush]

I say we give 'em all a big shitburger to eat!

Oh I don't know. Let me get back to you, will ya, Charlie? I got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls

[Buzz Killington]

This guy's dead

[Saniflush]

This guy's dead

Scatch, him, off, the, list.

[dallaswareagle]

This, and you know what else?  The FIGHT. This Auburn team does not give up. They do not stop fighting. Not until the last whistle. And they BELIEVE.  They don't think they can beat you.  They KNOW they can beat you. And you better bring your damn "A" game if you intend to prove otherwise.  If winning is 90% mental and the other half is physical, then we have an ace up our sleeve, especially at home.

(I could have tolerated last season a bit more if there had been some fight in that team.  But no, they let Johnny fucking football stomp a mudhole in their ass on our field.  That was all on Chizik, and is unforgivable.  Never give up.  Ever.)

Just think how really good the 2010 team would have been under the current coaching staff.

[Tiger Wench]

Just think how really good the 2010 team would have been under the current coaching staff.

Not sure how you improve on perfection...?