Auburn Basketball Pearl Jam Highlights

Auburn Football: "The Jungle"

Cross Country: SEC Championship Preview

AUBURN TIGERS/ OLE MISS REBELS

AU/Ole Miss

11/01/2014

photo by: Randy Comer

Our Auburn Tigers are still in the grind!

It is evident we won't be stopped!!

As we focus on one game at a time,

And move closer to the top!

It was like a chess game with South Carolina!

Back and forth, and side to side!!

But we fought hard with pride and stamina!

And Our Tigers would not be denied!!

Our success has placed us under the gun!

And the bullets are flying fast!!

We vow to keep our enemy on the run!

And make each play like it might be our last!

Now another battle will soon be upon us!

And every new fight is one if a kind!

The Ole Miss Rebels are our total focus,

As we move forward one victory at a time!!

A top priority is to protect our ball!;

And stop their passing game!!

With our explosive plays, we'll be standing tall,

With much to lose, and all to gain!!

We will bring the Ole Miss Rebels to their knees!!

And keep fighting with all that we've got!!

Leaving Oxford in the cold, with an icy freeze!!;

And return to AUBURN smoking hot!!

WARRRRRRRR EAGLE!!!

The Poetic Tiger

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Poetic-Tiger/137682986293169

Auburn Soccer: Senior Feature 2014

Men's Golf: Fall Season Recap

CFP Committee Protocols

Here are some excerpts from the Declaration of Protocols set by the College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee.

Proposed Selection Process:

Establish a committee that will be instructed to place an emphasis on winning conference championships, strength of schedule and head-to-head competition when comparing teams with similar records and pedigree (treat final determination like a tie-breaker; apply specific guidelines).
The criteria to be provided to the selection committee must be aligned with the ideals of the commissioners, Presidents, athletic directors and coaches to honor regular season success while at the same time providing enough flexibility and discretion to select a non-champion or independent under circumstances where that particular non-champion or independent is unequivocally one of the four best teams in the country.
When circumstances at the margins indicate that teams are comparable, then the following criteria must be considered:

• Championships won
• Strength of schedule
• Head-to-head competition (if it occurred)
• Comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory)

College Football Playoff Selection Committee Protocol

1. Mission. The committee’s task will be to select the best teams, rank the teams for inclusion in the playoff and selected other bowl games and, then assign the teams to sites.
2. Principles. The committee will select the teams using a process that distinguishes among otherwise comparable teams by considering:
   • Conference championships won,
   • Strength of schedule,
   • Head-to-head competition,
   • Comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory), and,
   • Other relevant factors such as key injuries that may have affected a team’s performance during the season or likely will affect its postseason performance.

3. Voting Process. The voting process will include seven rounds of ballots through which the committee members first will select a pool of teams to be considered, then will rank those teams. Individual ballots will be compiled into a composite ranking. Each committee member will independently evaluate an immense amount of information during the process. This evaluation will lead to individual qualitative and quantitative opinions that will inform each member’s votes.
4. Number of Teams to Be Ranked. The committee will rank 25 teams. If no champion of a non-contract conference is among that group, then the committee will conduct an additional process to identify the top-ranked champion of those conference champions.

Stephanie Campbell breaking through, on and off the court

Auburn wraps up fall baseball practice

Where do we go from here?

Lots of talk today about the upcoming playoff in college football. Just ahead of the 1st ever release of the rankings as seen by the CFP Committee, which, oh by the way, will be released Tuesday 10/28/2014.

The main topic of course, is who will the participants be in the 1st ever College Football Playoff. The answer is very cloudy at the moment, what with tons of games yet to be played. 

Our main concern is Auburn, and the teams that remain on our schedule, so we will take a look at some of things that need to happen for Auburn to be a part of these playoffs.

Opponents remaining on the schedule are a veritable Who's Who of college football. Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, and of course our Iron Bowl opponent :)

The chart below is furnished via AL.com and Joel A. Erickson
Remaining SEC games by team
Alabama
Nov. 8 - at No. 16 LSU
Nov. 15 - No. 1 Mississippi State
Nov. 29 - No. 4 Auburn
Auburn
Nov. 1 - at No. 7 Ole Miss
Nov. 8 - Texas A&M
Nov. 15 - at No. 9 Georgia
Nov. 29 - at No. 3 Alabama
LSU
Nov. 8 - No. 3 Alabama
Nov. 15 - at Arkansas
Nov. 27 - at Texas A&M
Mississippi State
Nov. 1 - Arkansas
Nov. 15 - at No. 3 Alabama
Nov. 22 - Vanderbilt
Nov. 29 - at No. 7 Ole Miss
Ole Miss
Nov. 1 - No. 4 Auburn
Nov. 22 - at Arkansas
Nov. 29 - No. 1 Mississippi State

Next up:
First in line is Ole Miss. As you can see by the previous chart the Rebel/Black Bears only have to play 2 conference games. Their loss to LSU this past weekend actually hurt Auburn as well as themselves. A win by Auburn over Ole Miss now, doesn't carry as much significance as if they had remained undefeated.

What benefits Auburn:
 Auburn needs to defeat Ole Miss, and for the Rebels to defeat Miss State in the Egg Bowl.

November 8th vs Texas A&M:
The Aggies are an enigma right now. Which team will show up against Auburn? The one that destroyed South Carolina, or the team that really didn't show up against Alabama?

What benefits Auburn:
A strong showing and a decisive victory.

November 15th at Athens, GA:
Georgia on the other hand, is playing as well as anyone in the country right now. They have two road games remaining vs. Florida this weekend, and Kentucky on November 8th. The 'Dawgs have lost to South Carolina, and played a close game at home against Tennessee. They have won the rest of their games handily.

What benefits Auburn: 
Georgia needs to play well vs. the Gators this weekend, and next week at Kentucky. A win by Auburn could knock UGA out of the East division lead and set up a rematch of the 2013 SEC Championship game. Only if the Mizzou Tigers can navigate their remaining schedule.

Iron Bowl:
I would rather not have to rely on the heroics of our fantastic special teams this year, although I would take a win by any means. 

What benefits Auburn:
As bad as this sounds, we need Bama to beat Miss State.
Beating the media, the referees, and this Alabama team is enough for me. What it does in the minds of the CFP committee is yet to be determined, but I'd guess it would go a long way.

As you can see, there is an awful lot of football still to be played. This post only covers a small amount of obstacles that this Auburn team has in front of it. There is of course Florida State, Notre Dame, Michigan State(whom I will pull for because of last season), and Oregon still to consider. 

Other teams with a chance to make the CFP are TCU, Arizona, Kansas State, and Baylor.

Auburn's defense needs to play more consistently. The offense looked especially good vs. South Carolina, but the defense lacked the killer instinct. Pass rush, and open field tackling needs to be a focus. Reverting back to old habits at this crucial juncture would be disastrous. 

Whatever lies ahead for this Auburn team, it's going to be a thrill of a ride. Where we end up, is anybody's guess.

WAR EAGLE!

Auburn vs South Carolina Review

Toomer's Corner after the victory over South Carolina

 

 

 

 

photo by Tiffany Pyle

There was considerable anxiety from this writer earlier in the week. On Twitter I shared my worries with this statement.

In the end, our Tigers prevailed, but not without having their nose bloodied by the USC offense.

Only punting the ball once, Spurrier's Gamecocks allowed a 28 yard return for a net of only 19 yards. The next 6 4th down plays, South Carolina went for the 1st down converting 5 of the 6 tries.

Here is the highlight video from Auburn Athletics:


Auburn's offense appeared to be running as smooth as the title run last season. The defense however, had difficulty with the crafty South Carolina team. Next week Auburn takes on the Ole Miss Rebel/Black Bears, who lost to LSU this week.. Setting up a meeting of two Top 10 teams.

War Eagle!

Auburn Soccer: Tigers Win Iron Bowl of Soccer

Randy's Thoughts: South Carolina

As an Auburn fan, I can breathe a sigh of relief this morning after the game last night. Both Auburn and South Carolina produced over 1,000 yards of offense and there was very little defense. 

I was impressed with Auburn’s rushing attack and the play of Nick Marshall. Nick called a great game and CAP had a career day on the ground. 

It is obvious that Auburn does lack a pass rush with the absence of Carl Lawson. As we saw last night, if you give a good QB time in the pocket he will put up some big passing numbers on Auburn’s defense. 

Props to the Auburn defense for prevailing in the end on the final play of the game.

I might add that all of the South Carolina fans

were engaging, and seemed to soak in the 

Auburn traditions of “Tiger Walk” and Toomer's

Corner.

War Eagle!

Auburn Soccer: Mississppi State Highlights

Auburn Basketball at SEC Media Days

AUBURN / SO. CAROLINA 10/25/2014

We are halfway through the season;

And there is one thing we have learned,

Everything happens for a reason!

And Championships must be earned!

Football is not just a game we play!;

But how we handle life!

On or off the field, day by day,

Facing adversity and facing strife!!

Sometimes we lose our focus,

We stumble and we fall;

But it's how we get back up to fight,

That keeps us standing tall!!

We may have lost one battle,

But the SEC War still remains!!

Our spirit has not been rattled!

We have nothing to lose, but all to gain!!

We are going on the offensive!

Meeting new challenges one by one!

We are shielded by our defenses!;

And our climb to new heights has just begun!!!

We have wrestled the enemy that lies within!

Our Auburn Tigers are Back!!

Don't count us out!!  Count us in!!

The Gamecocks can't  stop our attack!!

So get ready for some great Auburn football!!!

Saturday is a brand new day!!

Prepare to roll Toomer's Corner again!!

OUR CHAMPIONS ARE HERE TO STAY!!

WARRRRR EAGLE!!!!!!

Poetic Tiger

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Poetic-Tiger/137682986293169

Auburn Basketball: Classroom Takeover

Auburn Volleyball vs Ole Miss Highlights 10/17/14

Bruce Pearl Auburn Media Day

Men's Tennis: Day Five

WNT vs. Haiti: Highlights - Oct. 20, 2014

The USWNT annihilates Haiti  

 

No Time Like the Present

Auburn's offense has been tooling along nicely for the most part. This season however, it seems to be moving at a slower pace. Let's take a look at some numbers and try to figure out if Auburn's offense is working faster or slower than last season.

**all stats courtesy of cfbstats.com

The average rushing yards per attempt equal 6.30 in 2013 versus 5.55 this season thus far. One needs to remember these 2013 stats are padded by a woeful Western Carolina team that allowed every Auburn RB except Chandler Shakespeare and Patrick Lyman to average over 15 yards per carry.

Halfway thru the season, the total number of plays is below 50% by almost an entire game.   For Auburn to reach the lofty numbers of 2013, three things must happen.

 First Penalties must be reduced. Drive altering penalties have cost the Tigers dearly so far this season. Most have come from the offensive line that has seen different personnel in almost every game.

Second, Auburn's offense must improve in running the football. The average per carry is down, and the defenses we still face on the schedule are only going to be better, with the exception being Samford. Sometimes inefficient down field blocking have all led to fewer 1st downs per game.

Lastly, Auburn's passing game has to improve. Dropped passes, poorly thrown passes all must be improved.

Coach Malzahn offense depends on that initial 1st down of every drive to start the fast pace process. Elimination of three and outs must be an emphasis going forward.

The pace at which Auburn goes, also depends on the offense converting 3rd downs into 1st downs. While the percentage is up slightly over last season, the missed opportunities will cost you in close games as seen in Starkville, MS. For the last two games the Tigers are running below the 2013 average at 44.44%.

With all of the talent and Senior leadership on this team, Auburn has the ability to surpass the achievements of the 2013 squad. They can play for the National Championship if all the pieces to the puzzle were to fall into place.

This can be the most explosive Auburn offense in history if the corrections can be made. I believe they will. The schedule is no piece of cake, and no team in America has a tougher road ahead of it, so if Auburn is to make these improvements and play for championships, there's no time like the present.

WAR EAGLE!

Volkswagen - Eyes on the road

Men's Tennis: ITA Regional Day Four

Men's Tennis: ITA Regional Day Three

Gimel President Stumping for Playing Time

One Auburn Tiger football player has really improved thus far through the 2014 campaign. Watch this video courtesy of Ryan Black and the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Auburn Women's Basketball: Practice Report

Men's Tennis: ITA Regional Preview

Nick Ruffin 10 14 14

Bulldogs Best the Auburn Tigers

When the highlight reel starts with a 1 yard loss, and ends with a pass completion, there just isn't much to say. 

Mississippi State had their way with this Auburn team beating them 38-23 in Starkville, MS. Auburn giving the Bulldogs plenty of help via turnovers and penalties adds a sting to the wound. Knowing that the offense, which had looked so promising the week before, played with an ineptness that we had not seen previously, makes the matter worse.

Auburn's coaches have their hands full figuring out and implementing the corrections needed to get back to winning football. 

There are several areas for concern. Nick Marshall has had a lot of balls tipped at the line of scrimmage this season. Partly due to play of our offensive line, and partly due to Nick looking down his receivers on short timing routes. 

I had thoughts that Jeremy Johnson may have been a better fit at QB in that particular game, because of the Miss St defensive front. I am not saying he should replace Marshall as the Auburn QB, just that Miss St has a glaring weakness in their pass defense, and Johnson is a more polished passer than Marshall. After falling behind, was not the time to switch QB's. Plus, Marshall gave us the best chance to come from behind.

Our defense is much improved over last season, yet still lacks that killer instinct at the pass rush edge. We are seeing good penetration in the middle of the line, yet lack a threat from the outside.

Linebacker play is spotty. Sometimes it looks as though Frost and McKinzy are world beaters, then a lapse in judgement, and the results are big gains by the opponent. 

Overall, there is room for improvement, and our best days are ahead of us. Coach Malzahn and his staff have work to do, and the road is only getting tougher. I believe in our coaches, now is the time to show what they are made of.

WAR EAGLE!

Auburn Soccer: Missouri Highlights

Auburn Creed: International

Randy's Thoughts

Saturday was a difficult day for Auburn fans. If you have ever been to Starkville, you will realize that the stadium is designed for the home team's advantage. Along with the constant noise of the cowbells and the loud PA system, I believe that it is the loudest stadium in the SEC. I do feel that Auburn could have won that game on a neutral field or at home.  My observations from this game are:

1) Auburn was unable to score consistently in the "Red Zone". I would prefer to see Auburn go for the TD instead of the field goal when they are close. If you do not score, you will at least leave  the opposing team with bad field position.

2) I was impressed with "Roc" Thomas and I would like to see him get more playing time. I think that he would be good to use in a 2 back system with CAP. Also, "Roc" catches the ball well and I kept thinking screen pass or play action on Saturday.

3) Nick Marshall did not have his best day throwing the ball; however, there were some dropped balls and I noticed that Sammie Coates broke off his route at times. Perhaps Sammie and Nick were not on the same page on some plays. It does seem to me that Nick Marshall ad Duke Williams communicate well on the field. 

4) Of course, I am sure that we have all seen the pass interference call on Sammie Coates. I personally feel that the officiating crew missed that call. It was obvious that the defender had his hands on Sammie Coates and he was just trying to go for the ball. Stan White even said that the penalty was for a possible horse collar at the end of the play before the ref announced offensive pass interference. That call was crucial to the momentum of the game in a hostile environment.

5) It is hard to overcome a 21 point deficit in the first quarter of a football game against a good football team. I do have to give the Auburn football team credit for staying in the game and not giving up. If a few calls and plays had gone Auburn's way, they would have won this football game.

It is time to move on and prepare for the remainder of this football season because Auburn is still in the playoff race.

War Eagle!  

Auburn Soccer: Ole Miss and Tennessee Highlights

Auburn Gymnastics: 2014 Commercial

The race is on!!!

AU/MISS ST OCT 11 2014

THE RACE IS ON.......

Auburn Tigers dominated LSU last week,;

And in the jungle the ground began to rumble!!

This started a seismic shift in the SEC;

Which caused some teams hopes to crumble!!

Proudly our Tigers are setting the pace!!!

While getting faster and raising the bar higher!!!

We are moving up to the front in this SEC Race!;

And finishing FIRST is our greatest desire!!

We have gained respect, but have more to prove!!

We will let nothing stand in the way!!

We will stay focused on one win at a time;

And improve  with each game we play!!

It will be business as usual in Starkville!!

With pedal to metal we won't let up on the gas!!!

We will take over the  field as if it we are home;

And we are going to be dangerously fast!!!

Mississippi State has some plans of their own,;

And this game may go down to the wire!!

But in the end our Auburn Tigers will be victorious!

We are motivated and we're on fire!!

Our Auburn Tigers will return home with another great win,

Leaving Bulldogs lying helpless on the dog pound floor!!

Shouts of War Eagle will be echoed again and again!!

And the clanging of cowbells will be heard no more!!!

WARRRRRRR EAGLE!!!!!!

The Poetic Tiger
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Poetic-Tiger/137682986293169

This Weeks Top 25 - Based on old BCS

College Football Computer Composite Ranking as of October 6, 2014:

  1. Auburn
  2 Florida State
  3. Mississippi
  4. Mississippi State
  5. Baylor
  6. Alabama
  7. Notre Dame
  8. Texas A&M
  9. Oklahoma
10. Michigan State
11. Oregon
12. Arizona
13. TCU
14. UCLA
15. Georgia
16. Missouri
17. Oklahoma State
18. Ohio State
19. Nebraska
20. Georgia Tech
21. LSU
22. Kansas State
23. Arizona State
24. Stanford
25. Clemson

(The Computer Composite, which reevaluates every game every week, is updated weekly and hosted by FootballFour.com.)

Auburn Mauls LSU

Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Auburn Tigers won a football game against Louisiana State University. It wasn't even close.

In a series filled with fantastic finishes, a named games, this one was over with the toss of the coin to start the game.

The final score of 41-7 isn't indicative of just how badly this could have been. It was evident in the second half, Auburn's coaches pulled back on the reigns and went "vanilla" in their play calling.



This was a dominating show of force by this Auburn team. A complete game led by the defense, with all the fireworks one could hope for from the offense. Below are the stats provided by the official AU website:

Quick Stats	AU	LSU
Total Plays	74	60
1st Downs	25	13
3rd down efficiency	6-12	0-13
4th down efficiency	0-0	1-4
Total Yards	566	280
Passing Yards	268	142
Comp-Att	17-25	8-24
Yards per pass	15.8	17.8
Rushing Yards	298	138
Rushing attempts	49	36
Yards per rush	6.1	3.8
Penalties-Yards	7-80	5-31
Turnovers	1	0
Fumbles lost	1	0
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Time of Possession	32:31	27:29

Auburn's dynamic duo of Sammie Coates and Duke Williams delighted the home field crowd with fantastic catches, and good runs after the catch. Tight end and H-back C.J. Uzomah also caught a TD pass from Nick Marshall, and then paid tribute to his friend, the late Phillip Lutzenkirchen by doing the "Lutzie". A dance step that was made famous after a winning TD catch vs. Alabama, who lost Saturday to Ole Miss.

Not lost on this writer is the fact that Daniel Carlson was a workhorse Saturday night. 2 FG's over 40 yards each, and excellent kick offs. Carlson is my Player of the Game.

Before the game I tweeted in wonderment if this would be Auburn's coming out party. It was! 

This was a complete team victory. This night Auburn played up to their fans expectations.

WAR EAGLE!

Go Inside Auburn's Tiger Walk

Auburn Football: "The Jungle"

In a little more than 36 hours from now, our Auburn Tigers will take another step toward destiny. What that destiny is, is anyone's guess. I know this, I have never seen Auburn teams better prepared, than the ones coached by Gus Malzahn.

The game will ebb and flow. There will be highs and lows. The better team may not win, but I have a feeling it will. 

LSU has given Auburn all it wants every season, this will not be an exception.

Whether our Tigers win or lose, I will always be proud to say "It's great to be an Auburn Tiger." 

Wear your Orange Saturday night. Don't forget to yell....

War Eagle!

A Score To Settle

AU Tigers/LSU Tigers Oct 4 2014

Auburn knows how it feels to be defeated;
And they've seen the view from the mountain top!
That's what gives them the motivation,
To keep fighting and never stop!!

We WILL NOT let the past define us!!
They are champions and so much more!!
Eagerly, they welcome LSU on our home turf!
Fired up and ready to settle the score!!

Our men are  molded by hard work and greatness!!
The Auburn Tigers are a breed above!!
They are part of the Auburn Family,
Bonded by a strong glue called brotherly love!!

Our younger men are eager to win;
While their seniors are setting the tone!!
Driven by Auburn pride and ambition,
No one man is ever alone!!

Its always great to be an Auburn Tiger Fan!!
Our enthusiasm is what makes our team thrive!!!
As a family, we BELIEVE and have FAITH in our men!!
We look forward to win number five.!!!!

LSU will go home tired And defeated!!
Our TIGERS are better than before!!
They will fight to the end, not backing down!!
This time we are barring the door!!!

WARRRRR EAGLE!!!!!

The Poetic Tiger
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Poetic-Tiger/137682986293169

Auburn Baseball Fall practice update

Can I Kick It?

Don't Miss a Moment