Auburn’s A-Day game is going global.

The Worldwide Leader, ESPN, will be picking up a live feed of Auburn’s A-Day game and will broadcast it to the masses on ESPNU.

The game is set for Saturday, April 17, with a 1 p.m. kickoff.

This announcement comes one day after ESPN declared it would televise National Champion Alabama’s spring game. The games are set for the same day, with Alabama’s kicking off one hour later.

Perhaps this will force Gene Chizik to go by a normal scoring system. Last year’s, which rewarded points to the offense and defense for just about everything, probably wouldn’t be TV-friendly.

War Damn Dyer...Welcome to the Family Michael!!

That’s right Auburn fans, it’s National Signing Day.  A day when all college football fans get to brag about what place

they came in for untested talent.  Will this be Auburn’s best class ever?  Only time will tell.  Check back often as our resident poster and now official updater Chopper will be bringing you the latest signees.

Official Signees (faxes received)  **Page will be modified often, check back!!**

1. Brenham (Tex.) Blinn C.C. QB Cameron Newton – enrolled
2. Visalia (Ca.) College of the Sequoias OL Roszell Gayden – enrolled
3. Coffeyville (Kan.) C.C. TE Brandon Mosley – enrolled
4. Ariton (Ala.) High DE Craig Sanders – enrolled
5. Buford (Ga.) High LB Jessel Curry – enrolled
6. Jupiter (Fla.) High PK Cody Parkey
7. Atlanta (Ga.) Washington WR Antonio Goodwin
8. Kansas City (Mo.) Park Hill P Steven Clark
9. Springville (Ala.) High WR Jeremy Richardson
10. Greenville (Ala.) High DT Kenneth Carter

11. St. Matthews (S.C.) Calhoun County OL Eric Mack

12. Decatur (Ga.) SW Dekalb CB Jonathan Mincy
13. Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes OL Ed Christian

Corey Lemonier Announces his Decision to ink with the Tigers

14. Roanoke (Ala.) Handley FB Ladarius Phillips
15. Cordova (Ala.) ATH Ryan Smith

16. College Park (Ga.) Banneker S Demetruce McNeal
17. College Park (Ga.) Banneker ATH Shaun Kitchens
18. Olive Branch (Miss.) High OL Shon Coleman

19. Warner Robins (Ga.) High DT Jeffrey Whitaker
20. Troy (Ala.) Charles Henderson LB Jawara White

21. Little Rock (Ark.) Christian RB Michael Dyer

22. Little Rock (Ark.) Christian TE Dakota Mosley

23. Birmingham (Ala.) Woodlawn ATH Chris Davis

24. Linden (Ala.) High DE Justin Delaine

Will we be hearing Newton to Reed.. TD AUUUUUBurn

25. Bessemer (Ala.) Jess Lanier LB LaDarius Owens

26. Pelham (Ala.) High LB Jake Holland

27. Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln ATH Ryan White
28. Moody (Ala.) High OL Chad Slade

29. Hialeah (Fla.) defensive end Corey Lemonier

30. Thomaston (Ga.) Upson Lee C Tunde Fariyike

31. Thibodaux (La.) High ATH Trovon Reed

32. Fullerton (Ca.) C.C. DE Joel Bonomolo

This completes Auburn’s 2010 Class as of 1:20 pm.  This includes all commitments.  If there are any further surprises, I will add them.  Until then, welcome to our newest Tigers, and War Damn Eagle!

Discuss it in our forum here

Auburn vs. Northwestern in the 2010 Outback Bowl

By now you already know that Auburn accepted a bid to play in Tampa on New Year’s Day in the 2010 Outback Bowl.  Auburn will be going bowling again after missing last season’s festivities with its 5-7 record. Starting the season 5-0had most Auburn fans flying high.  However, they were quickly brought back to earth finishing the season 2-5 and  leading most fans to believe that there were definitely positives and negatives for Coach Gene Chizik’s first season. The combination of fan support and a strong showing in the Alabama game helped to convince Outback Bowl officials that Auburn was the 7-5 team they wanted.

Auburn’s opponent will be the 8-4 Northwestern Wildcats. The Wildcats come into the game riding a 3 game winning streak including wins over some pretty impressive opponents (Iowa and Wisconsin). In case you don’t know who or what Northwestern is, I present to you my cheat sheet to the Outback Bowl:

Northwestern University
2009 Overall Record: 8-4
Nickname: Wildcats
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Founded: 1851
Conference: Big Ten (Record 5-3, Tied 3rd Place)
Colors: Purple and White
Students: Approx: 18,208
Mascot: Willie the Wildcat

Athletics:

Coach: Pat Fitzgerald

Notable Players:
Mike Kafka, QB, Senior
Corey Wootten, DL, Senior
Sherrick McManis, CB, Senior

Rankings:

Total Offense: 57 (avg: 386 y/pg)
Scoring Offense: 76 (25.17 p/pg)
Total Defense: 43 (avg: 344 ya/pg)
Scoring Defense: 48 (23.3 pa/pg)

Schedule:

Northwestern’s football team has a history of futility; its all-time record is 468-614-44 (0.435) giving it the all-time record for Division I-A losses.^{[133][134][135]} Other dubious distinctions include being on the losing end of the greatest comeback in Division I-A history^[136] and holding the record for the longest losing streak in Division I-A, losing 34 consecutive games between 1979 and 1982.^[137][138] In 2004, Northwestern broke a 33-year losing streak (46 years at home) by defeating No. 7-ranked Ohio State 33-27.^[139] Although the team was invited to the 1996 Rose Bowl, 1997 Citrus Bowl, 2000 Alamo Bowl, 2003 Motor City Bowl, 2005 Sun Bowl, and 2008 Alamo Bowl, the last bowl game Northwestern won was the 1949 Rose Bowl.^[140] Following the sudden death of football coach Randy Walker in 2006,^[141]31-year old and former All-American Northwestern linebacker Pat Fitzgerald assumed the position becoming the youngest Division I FBS coach at the time.**

**Courtesy of Wikipedia

Outback Bowl Information
Date: January 1, 2010
Location: Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL
Time: 11 a.m. kickoff (ET)
Stadium Capacity: 65,657
Title Sponsor: Outback Steakhouse
Network: ESPN
Teams: Big Ten 3rd pick vs. SEC 3rd pick
Payout: $3.3 million (minimum) per team

Buy Auburn Outback Bowl Tickets: Here

Outback Bowl Events: Outback Bowl Official Website

Are the powers that be controlling more than the telecast?

by Kevin Strickland

When ESPN signed a blockbuster $2 billion, 15 year deal in August of 2008 with the Southeastern Conference for the rights to televise sporting events including football and basketball many wondered what impact the agreement might have on the future of sports.

Some, echoing the sentiment expressed by former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville, expressed concern at the amount of influence the network now commands and raised the question of where the line between broadcasting games and having a vested interest in their outcome begins to blur (http://www.tigersx.com/ks/espn-influence-is-also-its-curse/).

As the 2009 SEC season unfolds, many are wondering if the specter of tampering with the possible outcome of games might already have reared its ugly head.

In recent weeks a series of egregiously bad officiating calls have gone against opponents of both SEC front runners Alabama and Florida.

It’s undeniable that the calls in question changed the dynamic of the games if not their actual outcomes and each contributed heavily to keeping both the Tide and Gators undefeated through ten games.

When the Gators were in danger against a resilient Arkansas team, the Razorbacks were mystifyingly flagged for a personal foul/ The sham penalty extended a Florida drive allowing the Gators to tie the game with just over seven minutes remaining.

When Mississippi State challenged the Gators, the officiating crew and then the replay booth allowed a Florida touchdown on an interception when the naked eye and numerous slow-motion replays proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the ball was fumbled before crossing the goal.

On Saturday, with Alabama up six and driving in the fourth quarter, LSU intercepted a Greg McElroy pass. Everybody in the stadium saw it. Everybody watching on television saw a clear pick with both feet placed squarely in bounds. There was even a large divot where the first foot had been planted.

The only people in the stadium who didn’t see the interception? Two confused officials and a blind replay booth. The officials ruled the pass incomplete but not before they looked into each other’s eyes as if puzzling over what to do. Adding insult to injury, the the replay official confirmed the errant call.

Alabama went on to kick a field goal and increase their lead to nine. The difference between a six point spread and nine point advantage is canyonesque in a game where points are at a premium.

Could LSU have driven the field and scored to take the lead? Alabama fans snort at the idea and insist their defense wouldn’t have allowed such an affront, but stranger things have happened against better teams. Would the Tigers have seized the shift in momentum and broken the back of Alabama’s undefeated season? As a result of the blatantly erroneous call, we’ll never know.

Later, officials failed to react to an obvious foul on a screen pass to Julio Jones that helped spring the Alabama receiver for a long touchdown that sealed the win.

Shoddy officiating or a pattern of protecting the league’s sacred cows?

Because these were clearly the right calls to make....wink...wink!

“Speculation,” LSU head coach Les Miles grimly offered in the aftermath of the loss to Alabama, “is rampant.”

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin and Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino have all come under fire for questioning the competence, if not the integrity, of the SEC officiating crews.

The crew that worked the Arkansas-Florida game was suspended for their blatant incompetence.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has made it clear that he won’t tolerate criticism of officiating by firing warnings and leveling fines on coaches who do — even when those coaches are correct in their assessments.

When coaches are prevented from questioning obvious wrongs and are fined for speaking out, does that promote transparency or make it appear that the SEC does, in fact, have something to hide?

What does the SEC and by proxy ESPN have to gain by offering protection to Alabama and Florida? Isn’t the adage that an upset can happen on any given Saturday part of the pageantry and allure of college football?

The answers? Money, and lots of it. And not so much any more.

ESPN has a multi-billion dollar tie-in with the SEC. It is in the best interests of the network for the SEC to be represented in the BCS title game. The parent company of ESPN — ABC — owns the broadcast rights to January’s title game. It is also in the best interests of that network for an SEC team to hold one position.

When Florida was in trouble against Arkansas, can’t you imagine the suits at ABC sweating? What if the Gators had lost? And then beat Alabama in the championship game? Would the BCS computers spit out a Texas vs. TCU or Boise or Cincinnati title matchup? That would spell ratings disaster.

No, the SEC needs to make sure it holds up its end of the bargain and sends either the Gators or the Tide to the major stage.

Forget pageantry and the innocence of the college football experience. Cinderella’s a great story, but it’s not good for the bottom line if the kitchen help shows up at the ball and steals the spotlight away from the pre-ordained princesses.

Texas is, at this point, a virtual lock. The Longhorns would have to stumble and stumble badly down the stretch. Baylor, Kansas and Texas A&M should pose no significant threat to Texas’ march to the title game and the Big 12 North opponent in the Big 12 Title Game is likely to offer little competition.

With half the bracket hopefully filled, ESPN and ABC needs a Florida or Alabama on the other side of the slate to help boost ad revenues, amp up viewership and pad ticket sales. The networks can’t afford to roll the dice on a BCS computer spitting out a Boise State or TCU at number one or two. Think of the lost revenue.

But what if Texas does trip over a blade of grass down the stretch? If the Tide and Gators are potentially off the board, the networks could envision a disaster of comet-smashing-into-the-Yucatan impact.

It’s a worst nightmare scenario, the kind of thing that causes network executives to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, to consider the possibilities if media darlings Florida, Alabama, Texas, USC and in any other season LSU and Oklahoma were to all fade.

USC imploded. ESPN and ABC couldn’t help the Trojans despite spending $2.4 million on hair gel for Kirk Herbstriet and getting Pete Carroll to grace their commercials.

Oklahoma flopped. Not even the networks could magically repair Sam Bradford’s shoulder, but not for lack of trying.

By the time LSU got to Alabama, the Bayou Bengals had a loss under their belts. Not wise to risk a one-loss team making the SEC title game and knocking off an unbeaten Florida.

The networks can’t do anything about Texas, the Longhorns have to make their own way. But what if they don’t?

Should Texas fail and if the SEC Champion is toting a loss, the possibility of a BCS title game between Boise State and TCU or Cincinnati exists.

If the refs looked like this no one would complain about the officiating.

That would be the mother of network nightmares. If the BCS burped out a Boise-Cincinnati BCS title game, it could also spell the beginning of the end for the BCS itself. The major conferences would balk and balk vociferously at a system that could create a title game that lacking in old-school star power.

To what lengths would the SEC and its partners ESPN and ABC go to prevent just such an epochal event?

Is it too much to believe the network might subtly exert its $2 billion muscle and quietly encourage the SEC to protect its investments?

Is such a suggestion coming from a company that staked 15 years of its future on the league really so far-fetched?

Whether there’s any veracity to the suspicions and speculation that now runs rampant, the video evidence appears to show a conclusive pattern to the botched calls. Perception is reality and the appearance of impropriety clearly exists.

Not even a replay from the booth can overturn that call.

Auburn and it's fans riding high at 5-0

By: Kevin Strickland

The Auburn Tigers knocked off the Tennessee Volunteers 26-22 on Saturday night in Knoxville, surviving a 16-point Volunteer fourth quarter. While the Tigers answered a number of nagging questions in Rocky Top, others persist.

First the good news.

Auburn is 5-0. With a game against Furman still to come, the Tigers are all but assured a bowl game, which at the beginning of the season was considered a reasonable goal for 2009. Given the current state of the SEC, expectations for an upper tier bowl are now not unreasonable.

Tiger head coach Gene Chizik notched his first road win as a head coach in one of the most hostile environments in the league and in the process extended Auburn’s winning streak over its longtime rival.

Chizik’s young team proved it can maintain focus and thrive away from the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

It will be almost impossible for poll voters to ignore Auburn now. The Tigers should crack the poll for the first time since a loss to Arkansas slammed Auburn from the rankings on October 11 a year ago.

Auburn’s offense acquitted itself well against a Monte Kiffin-directed Tennessee defense that had clamped down on the Florida Gators and was expected to provide a significant challenge to a resurgent Tiger offense.

Auburn moved the ball significantly better against Tennessee than did the nation’s number one team, Florida. The Tigers put up better numbers despite the efforts of more than 100,000 Volunteer fans in Knoxville. Florida had the luxury of taking down the Vols at home.

Auburn piled up 459 total yards on Rocky Top. Florida managed just 323.

Running back Ben Tate continued to chew up the opposition, rolling up 128 yards on 25 carries. On one highlight-reel quality hit, Tate lowered his shoulder and sent All American safety Eric Berry pinwheeling into a backward slide.

If that doesn’t give you pause, try to wrap your mind around this:

Tiger quarterback Chris Todd outperformed Florida Heisman Trophy winner (and presumed favorite unless you’re Lou Holtz and have an unhealthy obsession with all things Notre Dame) Tebow.

Todd was 19 of 32 passing for 218 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t throw an interception and wasn’t sacked. Against the Vols, Tebow threw for a meager 115 yards. He was sacked three times and was picked off once. Florida’s superman did rush for 105 yards on 24 attempts, but that’s not the role Todd is required to play.

Nobody’s cranking up a Todd for Heisman campaign yet, but the Auburn quarterback has numbers that rank near the top of the SEC in every significant category. Todd is second in the league in yards per game with an average of 246. He’s fourth in passing efficiency.

He is cool and efficient in running offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s game plan. Todd took his lumps against Tennessee as the Vols brought pressure and hit Todd often. He took the punishment and delivered despite the beating he suffered.

The special teams gaffes that plagued the Tigers in all four games were non-existent on Saturday. Onterrio McCalebb’s kickoff returns were electric.

His fourth-quarter return flipped field position and provided the Tigers momentum that should have finished off the Volunteers.

Auburn did no damage on punt returns but that includes damage to itself which has been a weekly occurrence. Fair catches ruled the day and while they limited field position with four coming inside the Tiger 20, there were no muffs or bobbles.

Wes Byrum continued solid place-kicking work, hitting four of five field goals.

Wes Byrum continues to be a foot above, helping Auburn win at Tennessee

Overall, it was a fairly thorough domination and a game Auburn never seemed in jeopardy of losing control over.

At the very least, the Tigers established themselves as a team that will require attention by the rest of the SEC.

Now for the bad. And it’s not all bad.

Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but the game should not have been nearly as close as the final score reflected.

Auburn’s performance was much more dominant than it would appear on the surface. The Tigers wasted several opportunities to drive a stake through Tennessee’s heart. Auburn should have put Tennessee away and finished with a 10-15 point differential instead of the final four-point spread.

As the Tigers navigate a progressively more difficult October schedule, Auburn can’t afford to waste scoring opportunities.

McCalebb dropped a pass in the end zone that should have been caught for one touchdown.

Late in the game, leading 23-16, Auburn had the ball inside the Tennessee five. Malzahn seemed to abandon his traditional method of attack content to drain the clock and kick a field goal for a 26-16 advantage with 34 seconds remaining.

Those two series alone would have been enough to turn a 26-22 win into a more typical for 2009 37-13 type spanking.

As it turned out, the field goal on the last offensive series was needed as Tennessee covered 79 yards in the final 34 seconds to tack on a consolation touchdown on the last play of the game.

There were worse final 34 second spans on Saturday. Georgia suffered one when LSU’s Charles Scott broke loose for a game-winning score.

But the worst of all came when Ball State allowed a long game-winning pass for a score in the waning seconds against Toledo.

Auburn didn’t suffer the ignominy that either the Bulldogs or Cardinals did, but still, the ease with which the Volunteers motored down the field as time ticked down is a concern.

Auburn’s defense played relatively well most of the game. The Tigers did an excellent job of containing Tennessee’s rushing attack, holding the Vols to 163 yards on the ground, well below their season average.

Tennessee opened the game with a 41-yard rush but that first series ended with a missed field goal. Nine of the next ten Volunteer possessions finished with a punt.

The lone exception was a seven-play 70 yard touchdown march at the end of the first half.

If you’re being honest, however, you have to acknowledge that many of the punting situations were caused as much by Tennessee miscues as they were outstanding Tiger defensive efforts.

Volunteer receivers dropped pass after pass. Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton threw in front of, over, behind and in front of open receivers.

Frustration was high. Just prior to the Vols late first half drive, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews noted chaos on the Tennessee sideline with coaches and players having to be physically separated.

Yet Auburn could not take full advantage of the turmoil.

Tennessee players know better than to ask Crompton to pass the salt at dinner because it’s likely to be intercepted before it gets there. Crompton had at least one pick in every game dating back to his first pee-wee effort. But he didn’t have one Saturday.

Instead, Crompton had one of his best days as a Vol.

The much maligned Tennessee quarterback played like Tom Brady in the fourth quarter against Auburn after playing like Marsha Brady for most of the last two years.

Auburn took a 23-6 lead with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and appeared to have the game well in hand.

Despite the desperation of the situation the light went on for the Volunteer offense.

Tennessee churned 62 yards in seven plays, burning less than two minutes off the clock. Crompton, who’d shown all the finesse of a brick layer through three quarters caught fire. He hit four of five passes including a 31 yarder for a touchdown that trimmed Auburn’s lead to 23-13.

After a defensive stop, Crompton went back to work. He was six of 12 on a 72-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. Four of the six completions gave Tennessee a first down, including an 18-yard completion on fourth and six.

From 23-6, Tennessee closed to 23-16.

McCalebb’s return and the Byrum field goal that ended Auburn’s next possession effectively slammed the door, but in the final threeTennessee drives, Crompton went from being a liability to at least window shopping the hero’s cape.

He padded his stats with 64 yards on three completions in the final 34 seconds. Of his 259 total passing yards, 181 of them came in the fourth quarter.

Part of the reason for Crompton’s success was Auburn failed to pressure him. The Tigers didn’t register a sack and Auburn defenders were credited with a mere five hurries, a number that is probably generous.

Auburn managed to survive a revitalized Crompton over the final ten minutes of the game, but his success has to buoy the confidence of the Ryan Mallets, Jevan Sneads and Greg McElroys waiting down the road.

That’s a worry for next week.

Auburn is 5-0. The Tigers will likely be ranked for the first time in a calendar year when the polls come out today. Auburn is a virtual lock for a bowl game and probably a win or two away from getting New Year’s Day consideration. The positives far outweigh the negatives.

By: Kevin Strickland

Saturday’s showdown between first-year coaches Lane Kiffin of Tennessee and Gene Chizik of Auburn offers a variety of interesting subplots. As both replaced coaching legends whose stars had dimmed, and as each are tasked with re-establishing the proud traditions of their respective programs, this head-to-head matchup is inevitably a major benchmark in measuring the progress of each.

Come Sunday morning, Tiger fans will have more reason to boast while Volunteer supporters will be left scratching their heads and wondering when they’ll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The meeting between the Tigers and Volunteers is a study in contrasts. In everything from the demeanor of their head coaches to their respective strengths and weaknesses, the two teams are polar opposites.

Chizik is low key. He gives little to the media beyond standard coaching cliches and pat phrases. His press conferences are virtually interchangeable. He’s cautious, reserved and evokes a business only aura.

Kiffin is ebullient. He’s angered opposing coaches and drawn the ire of SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer by sniping at rivals, and engaging in media-fueled battles with opposing coaches. His press conferences are events, because no one is really sure what Kiffin’s going to say — or have to apologize for — next.

Chizik’s Tigers have surpassed early expectations. Poll voters haven’t noticed, but Auburn is 4-0.

Kiffin’s Volunteers have struggled to match his abrasive bravado. Tennessee checks in at 2-2, or 3-1 if you count moral victories. At this point, polls are the last thing on their mind.

Chizik came to Auburn with a reputation as a defensive wizard. As defensive coordinator at Auburn and then Texas he presided over two straight undefeated seasons and one national title — or two if you count titles like cross-state rival Bama fans do.

Kiffin was the pick at Tennessee in large part because of his work with the offense at USC, where the Trojans were a perennial national contender.

Irony number one?

Chizik won his Texas national title while running the Longhorn defense against Kiffin’s Trojans.

Irony number two?

Despite Kiffin’s offensive reputation, Tennessee’s best chance on Saturday rests with its defense. The Volunteer offense remains stuck on start and has shown little sign of go. The Tennessee defense is talented and extremely effective.

Conversely, Chizik’s defensive rep is overshadowed by Auburn’s performance on offense. Questions abound for the Tiger defense, but the Auburn offense has rolled up more than 500 yards per game on average and is scoring a blistering 45 points per outing.

On Saturday something has to give.

Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Lane’s father, devised an outstanding plan to put the brakes on Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators in a 23-13 loss/moral victory at Florida.

The Mouth vs. The Surprise

Chances are the elder Kiffin will have a similar scheme to derail a resurgent Chris Todd and the high-scoring Tiger offense.

Kiffin’s task was made significantly more difficult with the loss of linebacker Nick Reveiz, whose 27 tackles are third on the team.

The problem for the Volunteers is that the Auburn offense seems capable of putting points on the board. Tennessee might be able to slow it down, but the chance of stopping it outright seems remote.

Auburn averages 526 yards and 45 points per game. The Tigers pick up an average of seven yards per play. Even if the Volunteer defense is able to cut that production in half, it will likely still be enough against a Tennessee offense that puts the “in” in inept.

The Volunteers are moderately effective at running the ball (nearly 200 yards per game), but to say Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton has struggled would be putting it kindly.

Crompton has thrown eight interceptions in just four games. A six-year old child could draw up the defensive gameplan against Tennessee.

Put eight men in the box to limit the run and put pressure on Crompton. Force him to make a mistake.

After West Virginia torched Auburn for two big plays early in a 41-30 Tiger win, that’s essentially the plan defensive coordinator Auburn Ted Roof employed. The result? Five Mountaineer interceptions and a Tiger win.

Auburn’s defense has issues. The Tigers allow a too-high 4.6 yards per play. Opponents average more than 150 yards rushing and more than 170 passing. Opponents score an average of 24 points per game.

That must improve for loftier season expectations to come to fruition. As it pertains to Saturday’s meeting, however, the Volunteers show no indication they are capable of taking advantage of the defensive questions the Tigers present.

Last season these two teams waged an epic battle on the floor of Jordan-Hare Stadium that resulted in 792 combined yards. Punting yards. Tennessee punted ten times for 399 yards, the Tigers nine for 393.

Given Auburn’s offensive prowess and the Tigers’ defensive questions, you may see another 800-yard effort — with no punts — on Saturday.

As the lights go down, you’ll also see a 5-0 Auburn team. The only question is whether poll voters will finally take notice.

Chizik and Auburn Get no Respect.

By: Kevin Strickland

Auburn head football coach Gene Chizik schlumped into his weekly press conference, flopped wearily into his chair, adjusted the microphone, and issued a resigned sigh.

He reached up, tugged at the knot of his tie and eyes bulging declared:

“No respect, I tell ya. We get no respect at all.

“When the polls came out on Sunday, I sent an email to one of the voters. Told him I was climbing up to the top of Samford Tower and was going to jump. They sent Brother Chette to talk to me. He says ‘Ready…Set…’

“No respect.

“I ran into Coach Dye when we went out to eat the other night. I asked him what he thought about the execution of our special teams. He says it sounds like a good idea to him.

“No respect at all. I tell ya.

“Went to the doctor yesterday morning. Told him that when our defense is on the field I start to get sick at my stomach and feel like throwing up. He says he doesn’t know whats wrong with me, but my eyesight’s perfect.

“We get no respect at all…”

If a team goes 4-0 and nobody is there to rank it, does it make a noise?

Chizik’s Auburn Tigers are 4-0. So far the polls haven’t noticed. Despite a win over an athletic West Virginia team and a demolition of the same Mississippi State team that was four inches and a too-cute coaching ploy from knocking off number four LSU, Auburn gets little love from the polls. The Tigers remain unranked.

The Tigers aren’t alone. There are six unbeaten teams on the outside looking in, including Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, South Florida, and UCLA.

All six have valid cases for inclusion, particularly considering there are 14 once-beaten squads dotting the latest poll.

Ole Miss was a top ten team based on little more than vapor and a fascination with Reverend Houston Nutt. The Rebels laid a rotten, stinking egg against South Carolina, the only legitimate competition they faced this season.

Cal clogged up the Top Ten until the Bears were hammered into an submission by Oregon.

Neither of those teams are playing as well as any of the six unranked teams. Yet Cal checks in at 24th and Ole Miss skidded to 21st from fourth after being punk-slapped by the Gamecocks on Thursday.

Since the ranking services debuted in the ’30s, only one Auburn team that started 4-0 remained unranked entering the fifth week of the season.

The Tigers remained unranked despite a 5-0 start in 1963. Auburn leaped into the poll at number five after its sixth win. Promptly felled by Florida, dropped to ninth. The Tigers ended 1963 with a 9-2 record and were ranked fifth.

So what gives? Why are the 2009 Auburn Tigers getting the Rodney Dangerfield routine from poll voters?

A few theories:

1. Pollsters don’t like to be wrong

Poll voters are a curious lot. They start with preconceived notions in their pre-season rankings and are averse to changing their mind regardless of evidence to the contrary.

It’s why you’ll see one team lose a game and cling to a spot in the rankings, often climbing quickly back to about where it was to begin with. A team that performs at a relatively average level will often end the year within a spot or two of where it started at the beginning.

LSU was slotted in the Top Ten based primarily on history. Voters are accustomed to voting LSU there and dismal performance has had little poll impact. The Tigers flailed against Vanderbilt at home. Last week, LSU got an interception return for a touchdown and a punt return for a score and still needed a two-play brain freeze from four inches away by Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen to survive the Bulldogs. LSU is the fourth-best team in the country? Yeah. And Kansas coach Mark Mangino runs a four minute mile.

2.  Auburn hasn’t played anybody

This is a rehash of the fraudulent argument used in 2004 to justify denying the Tigers a BCS Championship berth. If you say something often enough – and the media has repeated the ‘who has Auburn played?’ mantra ad-infinitum – people, even voters, accept it as truth.

While a schedule consisting of Ball State, West Virginia, Mississippi State, and Louisiana Tech isn’t exactly murder’s row, it’s not chopped liver either.

Mississippi State ripped Vandy and shoulda’, coulda’ shocked LSU. The Bulldogs are going to stun some teams before 2009 is in the books

Would it surprise you to know that the combined defensive rankings of the four teams Auburn has played is higher than the rankings of the four played by cross-state rival and poll darling Alabama? Really? Be surprised. The average defensive ranking for Alabama’s opponents is 82.75. Auburn’s opponents average defense ranking is 67.5.

Who hasn’t played anybody? That would be number three Alabama actually. But who’s counting?

3. The Tuberville Effect

The Tuberville effect comes in two parts:

1. Despite his frosty relationship with Auburn administration, former head coach Tommy Tuberville was a media favorite. He was accessible and articulate. He maintained a positive demeanor and was usually good for a quality sound bite. When he was ousted (or resigned if you are the one person in the country who accepted athletic director Jay Jacobs’ lame explanation) the media reaction was general outrage. Tuberville was successful and his removal evoked a sense of disgust and disdain from most in the media. It was also poorly received by fellow coaches. Media members and coaches are pollsters. To give Chizik and his staff too much credit—as in ranking the Tigers—would mean that they were possibly wrong about the impact of Tuberville’s departure. Wrong? Not a word in their vocabulary.
2. Remember the whole “don’t like to be wrong” thing? Over the last ten years Tuberville’s Auburn teams made a habit out of proving the media and pollsters wrong. Rank the Tigers high and they’ll likely fall flat. Rank them low and they’ll mutilate expectations and send the fanbase into a media-hating frenzy. It’s possible that voters have settled into a Show Me state of mind in regard to Auburn. The Tigers will eventually crack the poll if they keep winning. But if they don’t? They won’t intrude on the Top 25 and the pollsters don’t have to ever be wrong. They get to maintain the I-told-you-so high ground. Show Me is Missouri’s motto. Not working out too well for Mizzou, either.

4. The Chizik Effect

When Chizik was hired, the nationwide outcry was loud and vociferous. From the fan who famously bellowed “We want a leader, not a loser” at Jacobs when the Chizik hiring seemed imminent, to countless sports journalists who compared his hiring to some of the worst in college football history, the reaction was negative across the board.

Auburn’s talent was derided as sub-juco level. Chizik’s qualifications for the job were panned. Auburn’s unorthodox recruiting tactics under Chizik were ridiculed.

Remember the “don’t like to be wrong” concept? Here we go again.

Acknowledge that Auburn appears to have undergone a near-miraculous transformation in offensive execution and a complete reversal of attitude and you have to also recognize that maybe your Hindenburgian predictions were a bit off base.

Note that Auburn has exceeded expectations and you might have to retract some of your criticisms. Who wants to do that? It’s almost like admitting you were wr…wr…wro,…not entirely correct.

Rank the Tigers after four games and you’re essentially saying that maybe, just maybe, you were wrong about Chizik. That just can’t happen. Because you don’t like to be wrong. Wrong really doesn’t work.

Regardless of the reason the pollsters chose to snub Auburn, there’s only one thing the Tigers can do about it.

Win.

Eventually winning will become too much to ignore, regardless of the objection.

Still no love for the 4-0 Auburn Tigers

By: Kevin Strickland

The Auburn Tigers out-punched the Ball State Cardinals 54-30 Saturday night to move to 4-0 on the season. If history is any indicator, the hot start bodes well for Tiger fortunes.

Only 27 teams in Auburn history have started a season 4-0. Eight of those occurred after 1974.

Of the eight teams in the last 35 years that started 4-0, only two failed to win at least ten games. The 1994 Tigers reeled off nine before a closing with a tie and a loss. Auburn started 2000 with five consecutive wins before fading to 4-4 down the stretch.

Two of the eight finished the season without a loss.

Only one of the eight lost more than two games.

Three of the eight won the SEC West (one other would have but was on probation).

Six of the eight finished in the Top Ten. All eight were ranked at the end of the season.

Seven of the eight opened the season with at least five consecutive wins.

Of interest to fans of college football’s greatest rivalry, seven of the eight Auburn teams that opened 4-0 defeated cross-state rival Alabama.

The 2009 Auburn Tigers have a long way to go before they can start considering double digit win totals.

Auburn special teams are truly special, particularly if you’re using the term “special” to describe something malformed, hideous and shocking to the senses.

Auburn special teams or another bad showing from Cher?

Against Ball State the Tigers fumbled a punt that led to a Cardinal touchdown, attempted a ill-timed and poorly-executed fake punt that helped Ball State put a field goal on the board, committed penalties that nullified the only quality punt and kick off returns, and did a poor job containing Cardinal kick returners.

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said special teams were his focus after flops against Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State were costly. There seems to be little, if any, improvement.

Kicker Wes Byrum provides lone spark to the woeful special teams effort. Byrum appears to have regained the consistency he showed as a freshman and has been methodically efficient.

Defensive lapses are also particularly troubling.

The Tigers gagged up 30 points to a team that managed just ten against North Texas.

Auburn continues to display a frustrating inability to get the opposition off the field on third down.

Poor tackling continues to plague the Tigers.

Fortunately the Auburn offense has no such issues. Tiger quarterback Chris Todd continues to gain confidence and the Tiger offense has more than compensated for the defensive deficiencies.

Auburn racked up nearly 600 yards against the Cardinals despite sporadic struggles in the rushing game, including a dreadful failure on fourth down in the first quarter.

At some point during the SEC season, Auburn will run into a team that will put the clamps on the offense and the Tigers will have to lean on the defense to earn a win.

The Tiger stopping unit has so far shown no indication it is capable of holding up its end of the bargain.

Still, the Tigers are 4-0. It’s better to be 4-0 with clearly defined areas in need of improvement than 0-4 and performing at peak efficiency.

From a historical standpoint, the 4-0 start forecasts an expectation-defying season for Auburn.

The last Tiger team to start 4-0 banged out five straight wins, including a gutsy 24-17 win over South Carolina in Columbia. Auburn started 2006 ranked fourth and had a chance to leap into the number one spot before Arkansas derailed the winning streak and bounced Auburn out of the Top Ten 27-10.

The 2006 Tigers finished the season 11-2 and were ranked ninth after knocking off Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl.

Other Auburn teams that opened a season with four consecutive wins:

2004 — SEC Champions

Auburn won 13 straight games and finished the season ranked second in the nation. The Tigers were denied a shot in the BCS title game despite playing the toughest schedule among the top three teams and despite beating more top ten teams than the other two competitors combined.

2000 — SEC West Champions

Tommy Tuberville’s second Auburn team roared out to a 5-0 start behind the surprising dominance of junior college transfer Rudi Johnson. The Tigers climbed to 19th in the polls before dropping back-to-back games to Mississippi State and Florida. Auburn finished the year 9-4 after losses to Florida in the SEC Championship Game and Michigan in the Outback Bowl.

Auburn (9-4) closed 2000 ranked 18th.

1997 — SEC West Champions

A year before the Terry Bowden era imploded, quarterback Dameyune Craig helped power Auburn to a 6-0 start. The Tigers clawed their way to sixth in the poll before falling to number seven Florida. The 1997 Tigers lost to Tennessee and Peyton Manning 30-29 in the SEC Championship Game before upending Clemson in the Peach Bowl.

Auburn (10-3) finished the 1997 season ranked 11th.

1993 – 1994

Bowden’s Auburn tenure got off to an incredible start. Despite probation and limited expectations, his first Auburn team clicked off eleven consecutive wins, including a 22-14 win over Alabama.

Even though Auburn was the only major program in the country with an undefeated record of 11-0, the Tigers finished fourth in the polls.

The streak continued through the first nine games of 1994. Georgia halted the winning streak with a 23-23 tie before Alabama upended the Tigers 21-14 to end the season.

Auburn (9-1-1) was ranked ninth in the final poll in 1994.

1988 — SEC Champions

Auburn opened the 1988 campaign ranked seventh. Four wins later, the Tigers had surged to fourth when they visited Baton Rouge for a showdown against LSU Tigers. In a classic SEC bout, the Bayou Bengals set off seismic waves when a fourth quarter touchdown gained a 7-6 win.

The loss was probably the most frustrating of Dye’s career. Three straight shutouts followed and the Tigers only allowed 28 total points over the remaining six games of the season — all wins.

Had Auburn survived LSU, the Tigers would have played a typically overrated Notre Dame team in the Orange Bowl for the national title. Instead, Auburn got a Sugar Bowl bid and fell 13-7 to Deion Sanders and Florida State.

Auburn finished the season 10-2 and ranked eighth. 10-2

1986

In the first year of the post-Bo Jackson era, Pat Dye’s 1998 Tigers churned through seven straight games, rising as high as fifth in the polls, before 20th-ranked Florida rallied in the fourth quarter to eclipse Auburn 18-17. Georgia skimmed past the Tigers 20-16 two weeks later. Auburn smacked Rodney Peete and USC 16-7 in the Florida Citrus Bowl to finish 10-2, seven total points from an undefeated season.

The 10-2 Tigers closed 1986 ranked sixth.

1974

Auburn rolled up seven consecutive wins to open the 1974 campaign. Legendary Tiger coach Shug Jordan was one dismal season away from retirement and this was his last great team.

The Tigers finished 10-2 and were ranked 8th.

1972

One of the most cherished of all Auburn teams, the Amazin’s were expected to flounder after the departure of Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Pat Sullivan and record-setting receiver Terry Beasley. The team flourished instead.

Auburn won four straight before a loss at LSU. The Tigers rebounded and knocked out six consecutive wins to close the season. Included in that string was the famous Punt Bama Punt game, an improbable 17-16 Auburn win, and a 27-3 thrashing of Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

Auburn (10-1) finished the season ranked fifth.

1957 – 1971

Auburn started at least 4-0 on five occasions between 1957 and 1971

1971: Auburn won nine straight and finished 9-2
1970: Auburn won its first five and finished 9-2
1963: Six straight to open the season led to a 9-2 finish
1962: Auburn won its first five, but fell to 6-3-1
1957: The National Champion Tigers ran off 10 consecutive wins
1908 – 1921
Auburn opened with at least four consecutive wins in 1921 (5-3 overall), 1919 (8-1 overall), 1917 (6-2-1 overall), 1916 (6-2 overall), 1915 (6-2 overall), 1914 (8-0-1 overall), 1913 (8-0 overall), 1912 (7-1-1 overall), 1909 (6-2 overall), 1908 (6-1 overall), 1907 (7-0 overall), and 1900 (4-0 overall).

It could get ugly...

By: Kevin Strickland

Due to the potential for excessive violence and simulated sacrificial slaughter, network censors mandated a 6 p.m. kickoff for Saturday’s showdown between Auburn and Ball State. Despite the late start, the game will likely carry a parental warning. Cover your eyes, kids. What the Tigers do to the Cardinals won’t be for the squeamish.

Predicting the outcome of an upcoming game normally takes a bit of research, particularly early in the season.  For that reason, predictions normally come on Thursday, giving a few days to digest the events of the week that just transpired.

No such research is required this week.

The Auburn Tigers (3-0) will annihilate the Ball State Cardinals (0-3).

Little known fact: Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet on the 70s sitcom Three’s Company is a Ball State alumnus. Even if she and TV co-star Suzanne Sommers (in their prime) were prancing the sidelines Cardinal cheerleader outfits it wouldn’t help Ball State avoid a Saturday thrashing.

Auburn rides buoyed confidence after surviving both a monsoon and early roundhouse kicks from West Virginia 41-30 last Saturday night.

After the Mountaineers connected on a 58-yard pass on the opening series and a 71-yard run on their second possession enroute to a 14-0 first quarter lead, the Auburn defense changed tactics and denied the big play,

West Virginia managed just four plays of 20-plus yards over the remaining three and a half quarters. One of those came on the last snap of the game.

The Mountaineers were intent on making Auburn quarterback Chris Todd beat them with his arm. He did, throwing for 300 yards and four touchdowns.

While the Tigers are cresting, Ball State limps into Saturday’s meeting with more negative momentum than a Scott Baio TV pilot.

The Cardinals are reeling after three losses, one to an abysmal North Texas squad.

Ball State was a bowl team a year ago, but head coach Brady Hoke fled to San Diego State, where he is coincidentally the boss of former Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges.

The Cardinal team that made the GMAC Bowl a year ago is also without record-setting quarterback Nate Davis, who leaped to the NFL and was drafted in the fifth round by San Francisco, as well as a handful of other significant skill players.

Little known fact: Jim Davis, cartoonist and creator of the Garfield comic strip is a graduate of Ball State.  Not even Davis could draw up a scenario where the Cardinals have a chance.

North Texas spanked Ball State 20-10 in the opener. The Mean Green followed that with a loss to Ohio (not State) and a 53-7 thrashing at Alabama.

New Hampshire shocked the Cardinals in week two 23-16. The Wildcats are 2-0 with big showdowns against Hofstra, Dartmouth and Towson coming up.  That’s right, New Hampshire is 1-AA.

Army punked Ball State 24-17 in the third week of the season. Army lost to Duke 35-19.  In football, not basketball.

Of some consolation to Cardinal fans, at least the offense is improving each week.  Ten to sixteen to seventeen.

Maybe against an Auburn defense that has struggled at times, Ball State can post 18 or even 19.

The host Tigers will likely match that in the first quarter.

It’s true you can’t do the comparative score analysis because it never works.  If it did hold true, you could pencil in a pretty convincing win by LSU over USC given the results of their respective efforts at Washington.

Wait, bad example. Who’s to say those Tigers wouldn’t clock the Trojans?  Obviously not ESPUSCN, but you have to look past their cam-crush on Pete and the men from Troy.

Back to Auburn and Ball State.

Little known fact: John Schattner, founder of the Papa John’s Pizza chain, is a graduate of Ball State’s Miller School of Business. Not even Papa John himself can deliver a Cardinal win.

Barring an unforeseen calamity of Biblical proportions, Auburn will win this game.

Since the outcome is all but pre-determined, what should Tiger fans hope to get out of the contest?

One, Auburn needs to get backup quarterback Neil Caudle some reps. Caudle fought his way to the number two slot in the signal calling pecking order and desperately needs to take significant snaps to help prepare him should he be needed in this campaign as well as to season him for his final Auburn campaign in 2010.

Two, the Tigers need to establish depth at the linebacker positions. With true freshmen and walk-ons pressed into duty, it is imperative for Auburn to get them accustomed to game speed. It’s not a matter of if they will be needed as with Caudle, but when.

Three, Auburn must see how it handles success. The win over West Virginia was emotionally draining, physically demanding and mentally challenging. Can the Tigers psych themselves up for an opponent that really offers little challenge?

Sandwiched between the revenge-motivated battle with West Virginia and a looming visit to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers, the Ball State game has all the hallmarks of a trap game.

In the past, Auburn has come out flat in similar circumstances. A week after one of the most physical, emotional games in Auburn history, a 7-3 win over LSU in 2006, the Tigers were listless against Buffalo. Auburn eventually prevailed 38-7, but the starters were unable to get the much-needed rest anticipated.

It is imperative for the Tigers to take Ball State by the throat, dominate early and let the second and third line players gain experience.

Four, Auburn must show it can handle looking ahead. Next week’s visit to Tennessee is one of four linchpins to Auburn’s season. The Rocky Top showdown grew significantly more interesting after the Volunteers tugged on Superman’s cape in the Swamp and effectively thwarted the Gator offense. Tennessee didn’t have enough offensive firepower to engineer a legitimate threat to the Florida dynasty– let’s face it, a wet firecracker has more pop — but the Vol defense sent a message.

The chess match between white-hot Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and wizened Tennessee defensive guru Monte Kiffin will be well worth watching.

On Saturday, none of that anticipation can be in the minds or eyes of the Tigers. Take care of the business at hand first before looking to the next challenge.

Five, Auburn must develop additional weapons. Darvin Adams (three touchdown catches against West Virginia) has established himself as Auburn’s go-to receiver. Ben Tate and Onterrio McCalebb have turned the rushing game on its ear. For the Tigers to have continued success, DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake must integrate themselves into the offense. Electric Mario Fannin needs more touches.

Ball State provides an opportunity to work on bringing more of the game to those potential game breakers.

And six, the Tiger defense must work on fundamentals. Poor tackling allowed West Virginia to gain positive yards when they should have been stopped for a loss.

Auburn can’t seem to get off the field on third down regardless of the distance. A team can’t surrender third and ten-plus yards and be successful on a consistent basis.

Little known fact: David Letterman, long time host of Late Night with David Letterman on CBS is an alumnus of Ball State. Not even Letterman can find the Top Ten reasons Ball State has a chance against the Tigers.

The last time Auburn and Ball State squared off, the result was a 63-3 Tiger win in 2006.  That Auburn team, under  Borges, averaged 32 points per game — one of only two Auburn offenses to average more than 30 points per game in the last decade.

The conservative approach once favored by the Tigers is out the window under Malzahn.

Auburn’s new offensive coordinator thrives on a fast pace.  His goal is to find creative ways to neutralize the defense, to probe for chinks in its armor and then hammer relentlessly at those cracks until the armor crumbles under the pressure. Malzahn believes every offensive possession should result in points.

That’s bad news for the Cardinals.

Little known fact:  Current Ball State coach Stan Parrish has already led his Cardinals against a Malzahn-coached offense. When Hoke abandoned Muncie for sunny California, Parrish stepped in and directed the Ball State effort in the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa, where Malzahn directed the offense.

With less talent at Tulsa than he has at his disposal at Auburn, Malzahn’s Golden Hurricane offense rolled up 45 points in a 45-13 win.

On Saturday, 45 would be merciful.

By: Kevin Strickland

It seems like its been a long, long time since Auburn football was fun.

New offensive coordinator Gus Malzhan is well on the road to changing that dynamic. In his first two games with the Tigers, Malzhan has helped shred the team’s offensive record books, sent the scoreboard pinwheeling and put the Tigers at as solid a 2-0 as could have possibly been hoped for.

To say that Malzhan’s offense has so far exceeded expectations is like saying Kate Beckinsale is sort of pretty.

The evolution of that offense and the potential it brings to a Tiger team that has watched numerous seasons bog down with offensive ineffiency, adds a whole new dimension to fun at Jordan Hare Stadium.

How fun was Saturday night’s 49-24 demolition of Mississippi State?

It was mascot Aubie dancing with the band fun.

In the game’s final five minutes, fans were watching a play-by-play yardage total on the Jumbotron, urging the second team to gain a few more yards so Auburn could top 600 total on the night.

The Tigers didn’t quite get there, finishing with 589. Still, it was the second straight 500-plus yard outing for a Tiger offense that had difficulty gaining any yardage a year ago. Through two games, the Tigers amassed a school record 1145 yards.

Auburn didn’t break the 1100 yard mark as a team until the fourth game of 2008.

Ben Tate and Onterrio McCalebb both topped the 100-yard mark for the second straight time. It’s the first time in school history two backs have gone over 100 yards in consecutive games.

Tate finished with 157 yards and didn’t play a single snap in the first quarter. McCalebb added 115 on just 15 carries. Both Tate and McCalebb averaged more than seven yards per attempt.

Tate finished 2008 with 664 yards, even after rushing for 117 in the season opener. The Tiger senior has racked up 272 already in 2009.

Kodi Burns ran for three touchdowns and passed for another on a well executed run fake that drew the entire Mississippi State defense in.

Auburn put up 49 points — and should have had more — against a Mississippi State team traditionally known for its defense.

Auburn scored more than 40 points only once in the last three seasons — a 55-20 win over New Mexico State in 2007.

The combined total of 86 points through two games is the best since Auburn put 63 on Ball State and followed that with 37 against Western Kentucky in 2005.

Auburn’s two-game total margin of victory, 49 points, is the widest of any two consecutive games since Auburn blasted Washington State 40-14 and then hammered Mississippi State 34-0 in 2006.

Last season’s well-chronicled 5-7 debacle aside, Auburn won a lot of games over the last few years. The Tigers posted nine wins in 2005, eleven in 2006 and nine more in 2007.

So many of those were gut wrenching, close ball games where the Tigers relied on their defense to hold the opposition at bay while the offense did just enough to win. The record is littered with 23-17, 22-15, 17-3 type scores.

Former head coach Tommy Tuberville, despite a reputation as a riverboat gambler, grew increasingly conservative over the course of his ten year Auburn tenure.

The 2009 edition of the Tigers under new head coach Gene Chizik seemingly has no such conservative bent.

Case in point: Mississippi State blocked a second quarter punt to take a 17-14 lead with just 4:44 remaining in the first half.

In previous seasons, the Tigers might have been content to play it safe, run out the clock and plan for the second half.

No longer. Auburn roared 80 yards in just five plays, burning a mere 1:36 off the clock to retake the lead. McCalebb covered the final 48 yards on a charge around left end.

When the defense held Mississippi State to one first down on its ensuing possession, the Auburn coaching staff judiciously used its timeouts to preserve the clock.

Auburn got the ball back at its own 22 with just 1:29 remaining.

Sit on the ball and protect the lead? No thanks.

Todd hit Darvin Adams for 21 yards on a third and eight.

After a five yard bullrush by Tate, Todd and Adams connected again for 28 yards. A 20-yard Todd to Adams completion moved the ball to the Bulldog one with 21 seconds still remaining.

Burns plunged in from there for one of his three touchdowns on the night.

Instead of taking a 17-14 deficit and a basket of questions to the halftime lockerroom, the Tigers posted two scores in the final 4:44 and carried a truckload of confidence to the break.

The Bulldogs were never a factor after that.

Yes, it’s only Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State. Tech may struggle this season as evidenced by the 32-14 thrashing administered by Navy on Saturday. MSU may not win a single conference game and most observers peg the Bulldogs as the league’s worst team.

But the Auburn of the last five years didn’t beat the Louisiana Techs and Mississippi States as thoroughly as this Auburn team did. Those Auburn teams won more than their share of games.

It’s too early to begin building the Gene Chizik pedestal. It’s not time to start minting the Gene Chizik coins. Unless you live in Iowa where that was already done, that is.

It is time to recognize that if nothing else, Chizik and his staff have found a way to make football at Auburn fun again.

Now it’s time to see if they can make the Tigers relevant. The road to relevance starts with 2-0 West Virginia on Saturday.