That point where it stops being about Auburn's luck

[Saniflush]

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2014/11/02/3390584_joe-medley-that-point-where-it.html?rh=1

There comes a point where lucky-beyond-belief Auburn has to be called that find-a-way Auburn team Gus Malzahn always touts.

It wasn't the "Miracle in Jordan-Hare" against Georgia last season. Too miraculous.

It wasn't Chris Davis' "Kick Six" against Alabama, though calculation went into Davis's placement for his date with Iron Bowl mortality.

Add this season's survival jobs against Kansas State, South Carolina and now Ole Miss, and there's too much pattern to call it all luck. Way too much pattern.

Once again, Auburn survived Saturday, outlasting Ole Miss 35-31 in game of one-loss, top-four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Once again, Auburn came away a winner despite bearing the classic warts of defeat.

A team that gives up 400ish yards passing should lose, but Auburn didn't for the second consecutive week. Ole Miss' Bo Wallace and South Carolina's Dylan Thompson have to be the SEC's two of the most frustrated quarterbacks.

A team that commits 13 penalties for 145 yards -- including multiple, galactically dumb hits out of bounds that helped an Ole Miss team playing for its playoff hopes at home -- should lose. Auburn didn't.

A team that twice had to defend its own goal-line, on the road, with a four-point lead in the fourth quarter should lose. Auburn was too busy winning.

Ole Miss got to Auburn's goal line. The Rebels just couldn't get over with the ball.

An Auburn defense that came up with three interceptions, including two in its own end zone, against South Carolina forced and recovered two fumbles to save the day Saturday.

Derrick Moncrief jarred the ball loose as Wallace struggled for the goal line. Kris Frost recovered.

Frost, a linebacker, wouldn't give up trying to pull Ole Miss wide receiver LaQuan Treadwell down from behind. Frost succeeded, just as it seemed every part of Treadwell's body but the hand holding the ball crossed the goal line.

Maybe Treadwell's breaking a leg had something to do with loosening his grip, but he lost the ball. Auburn's Casanova McKinzy dove on it in the end zone, just ahead of Ole Miss' Evan Engram.

The called touchdown was overturned on review.

But two fumbles weren't the end of Auburn's latest, find-a-way fairy tale. It was only half of the story.

The other half involved quarterback Nick Marshall, finding a way to generate in bombs what Auburn couldn't do consistently with its ground attack.

Three times, Marshall scrambled out of trouble and heaved the ball downfield. Three times, somebody on Marshall's team caught it for huge plays.

Marshall scrambled, re-established in the pocket and launched a 57-yard touchdown pass, hitting Sammie Coates in stride to tie the game at 14-14 in the second quarter.

On third down and 11 from Auburn's 26-yard line in the third quarter, Marshall scrambled to his left and found Duke Williams for a 41-yard bomb that that saved a drive. Marshall ended it with a 2-yard touchdown run to cut Ole Miss' lead to 24-21.

On third down and nine from Auburn's 26 in the fourth quarter, Marshall floated up in the pocket and lobbed a jump ball. Coates outjumped two Ole Miss defenders for the 41-yard play that keyed the drive for the winning points.

Miraculous? No way. It happens too often.

There comes a point where the narrative of lucky Auburn ceases and find-a-way Auburn begins. That point is now.

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2014/11/02/3390584_joe-medley-that-point-where-it.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

[The Six]

.

[Saniflush]

.

You don't say much sir but when you do....well you don't say much.

[dallaswareagle]

.

.

[Buzz Killington]

.

I know.  I'm speechless too.

[The Six]

Auburn should run out of the tunnel to this just to troll the world.

[WiregrassTiger]

I know.  I'm speechless too.

People can say what they want about that Six but I think he's right on point with this one. Frankly, this is one of his better posts. Dude knows what he's talking about, at least in this one. I hope he brings more on here just like this. That would be great if he could do the same thing every time.