The 2017 Alabama Game

It's here, the game expected to be the biggest since 2013.  Alabama is 11 and 0; Auburn is 9 and 2.  The winner plays in Atlanta with a chance to be in the final four.  Alabama is a 4 point favorite which is about what it was in 2013.  My biggest question going in: can our offense be consistent enough to help the defense?  That means being able to run the football and pass well enough to be balanced.

FIRST QUARTER

After the teams swap possessions the Tigers drive 94 yards to take lead.
On third and two from the three KJ hits  Nate Craig-Myers on a TimTebow pop pass for the score.
Great play.  Great play call.

Auburn 7  Alabama 0

Alabama gets the benefit of an interference call and pushes on to the Auburn 43.
A chop block backs them up.
Hurts fumbles and Tre Williams recovers!!!

Auburn on the Alabama 44 first and 10.
First down to the 19.
First down to the 6.
Kerryon Johnson to the four.
We move to the third and goal from the four.
Stidham drops the snap and Alabama recovers on the 9.  Oh,my.
The quarter ends on a downer.
Stidham drops the snap and can't  pick it up.  Looks like he tried to pick it up rather than fall on it.
Bad, bad, bad in a game like this.
We miss a golden opportunity to go up early by two scores.
Maybe Stidham can redeem himself later.

SECOND QUARTER

The second period starts with Alabama first and 10 on their nine yard line.
This will be a four quarter game.
The Tide goes three and out .  Yes!
Alabama gets a big bounce on the punt and we start on our 22.
Roberts should have fielded that punt.
Their punter has been their biggest asset so far.

Auburn goes three and out.
Alabama had a good rush on Stidham that time.
We are hurt by Roberts not fielding that punt.
Alabama takes the ball on their 40 with the clock just under 12 minutes.

Alabama to the AU 48.
Hurts is a good runner.
He is most of their offense carrying the ball on keepers.
The possession goes to 4th and 1.
Hurts runs for the first down.  He is their offense.
Alabama on the Auburn 36.
First down TD pass.  Our defender got turned around and their receiver catches the ball in the end zone.  It was almost a hail Mary and our defender lost the ball.
8:31 to go and we are tied.

Auburn 7  Alabama 7

We've had the Stidham fumble inside their 5 and an offensive play by Alabama and we are tied.
A bad go by Dinson in the end zone on that TD pass.
Auburn starts on the 23.
KJ for only one.
First down pass to Davis to the 34.
First down run by KJ.
Gain of 7 by KJ.
First down run to the Alabama 45.
But there is a 4 yard loss by Malik Willis on a keeper.
AU moves to third and 12 just across midfield.
Auburn has to punt on 4th and 9.  The Willis play put us behind the chains.
The punt is downed at the Alabama two!  A good punt for once.
The Tide goes three and out and is punting from their seven.
Roberts fair catches at the UA 49.

KJ for four yards.
On a pass downfield Slayton is pushed down but there is no interference call.
Big time pass completion to the UA 22.
We move to third and eight from the 20.
Timeout with 48 seconds left.
A completion but only to the 16.
Timeout UA with five seconds left as Auburn lines up for the field goal attempt.
The 34 harder is good as the half ends.  Auburn leads at the half.

Auburn 10  Alabama 7

THIRD QUARTER

Alabama receives and drives right down the field unimpeded by our defense all on the ground except for one short swing pass.
That was ugly.  What happened to our run defense on that series?  They ran thru gaping holes.  Goodness!  That was power running 79 yards right down the field.

Auburn 10  Alabama 14

AU starts around their 21 or 22.
This is a big point in the game.
If they stop this possession we could be in trouble.
We move to third and three.
There is a 21 yard completion to Hastings.
There is an incompletion to Slayton and once again no interference call.
We get a five yard substitution penalty though.
First down to the UA 45.
There is a 15 yard PF on Alabama.
The ball moves to the UA 29.
We move to third and 8 at the Alabama 27.
Alabama is getting pressure on our QB.
We move to a field goal attempt.
The kick is good!  At least we answered with three.

Auburn 13  Alabama 14

Alabama is three and out after a great open field tackle by Stephen Roberts.
Auburn starts on their 31,
We move to third and five.
There is a completion to Ryan Davis to the UA 41.
We move to third and seven.  They are getting too much pressure on Stidham.
Stidham scrambles for the first down to the UA 27.
Stidham scrambles to the Tide 12 on a quarterback draw.
KJ is close to the 10.  We keep running Johnson between the tackles without much success.
Stove sweeps to the three and a third and one.
KJ runs to the one and a first down.
KJ up the gut for the score!
THAT was a statement drive.  Auburn is in this game to the end.
KJ is one tough running back.  He may have been nicked up on that last drive because he will lower his head and push.  That was a big drive.
The Tigers have scored ten straight points after Alabama's opening touchdown.

Auburn 20  Alabama 14

On the kickoff we give up another long return.
Alabama sets up at our 39. Yikes!
Alabama backs up five on procedure.
Dad gum that kickoff return burns me.
Davis is called on interference when they did NOT call similar plays on them.
There's another unfortunate event.  There was interference on Auburn but they did not call the same play on Alabama.
Alabama moves to third and 4 from our 13.
There is a deflected pass in the end zone ruled caught by Alabama and ruled a TD but the point of the ball was on the ground.  The play is reviewed and correctly ruled an incomplete pass.  Their QB threw it up for grabs.  Alabama was lucky on that play.
The FG attempt is no good as the holder cannot handle a good snap!
AU starts at the 26.

The quarter ends as Auburn picks up a first down at the 36 on another completion to Ryan Davis.
Can Auburn win this game over the last 15 minutes?

FOURTH QUARTER

This will be a 4 quarter game, but we knew that going in.
The Tigers drive impressibly for the touchdown.
I'm so nervous I can list every play.
Stidham scrambles for the score around left end.
The Tigers go for two on the point after.
The try is no good. The play didn't work.  Auburn still leads by 12.  Still a worthwhile effort.

Auburn 26  Alabama 14

Still early in the fourth quarter.  Plenty of time left.
Let's not give a big KO return please.
The kickoff goes out of the end zone thank goodness.
12:49 left.
From the 25 Alabama moves across the Auburn 40.
Alabama moves to third and 8.
Hurts runs for the first down to the AU 39.
Their QB is hard to contain.
UA is at the Auburn 33 on the next play.
We move to third and five.
There is a bad snap and a loss.
Here comes a big fourth down.
THERE IS ANOTHER BAD SNAP BACK AT THE ALABAMA 41 AS HURTS CAN DO NOTHING BUT FALL ON THE BALL!
THE CROWD AND THE PRESSURE GETS TO THE TIDE!
I LOVE IT!!!
The play is reviewed because there was an illegal snap as Auburn was getting players off the field.
Alabama could get the ball back with a 5 yard penalty for an illegal snap.
Alabama players were moving as the snap was made and Auburn was running players off the field.
They penalize Auburn even though Alabama had players moving.
Alabama gets another chance with a 4th and 4.
Alabama gets away with a snap with players moving.
AUBURN HAD 12 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD BUT THEY SNAP THE BALL WITH PLAYERS MOVING.
AUBURN GETS THE STOP!

Auburn regains possession at our 34.
We move quickly to a third and 4.
Stove is topped just barely for a yard gain.
Auburn is punting.
Alabama is offsides on the punt.
First down Auburn!
Alabama is making mistakes all over the field.
On the first down KJ goes down.  He is hurt.  He planted and went back left.
Timeout with 6:21 to go Auburn facing second and long.
KJ will go out not likely to return.  No more KJ between the tackles.  We still need to run the ball.
KJ does walk off the field under his own power however gingerly.
Second and 15.
Kam Martin runs to midfield and is slow getting up.
Now they are having to look at Kam Martin as he stays down.   Goodness!  Our running backs are dropping as we try to win this game.
We move to third down.  A first down would be awesome.
Auburn is punting from midfield with 5:40 remaining.  Stidham almost made the first down but there was a shoestring tackle to keep him short.  That might have been the play of the game so far.
It's going to be up to the Auburn defense the rest of the way.
Alabama fair catches the punt at their 16.

Hurts runs for 9 out of bounds.
First down at the 5:12 mark.
To the AU 31.
4:57 to go.
We move to third and seven.
Keep an eye on Calvin Ridley.
Hurts runs just enough for the first down.
Second and seven.
There's a pass to Ridley to the AU 30.
The clock runs close to the 3 minute mark.
False start on Alabama with 3:15 left.
Second and 15.
Hurts is sacked for a loss of 7.
Third and long and Alabama takes their last timeout.
Hurts has problems when Ridley is not there.
Third and very long.
Two more plays and this game will be on ice.
Third and 22 for Alabama from the Auburn 42.
Pass incomplete.
4th and 22.  This is the game right here.
Pass incomplete and Hurts was past the line of scrimmage !

Auburn takes the ball and Alabama cannot stop the clock.
Auburn runs the clock down to 14 seconds and calls timeout on 4th down and 12.
Auburn will punt with 14 seconds left and a 12 point lead.
The punt goes out of bounds with 8 seconds left.
The game ends after one long Alabama pass.

The Tigers win the West.  The Tigers earn another match with Georgia.
The Tigers rip Alabama.  How wonderful it is!!!
Saban has never beat an Auburn team with at least 9 wins.