Granted, there is still more than three-and-a-half quarters left to play in the Iron Bowl, but the Tigers are up on the Tide 14-0 with minutes left in the first quarter.
(Yes, that was Mike Slive you just heard gulping. Very, very deeply.)
(And the whole of TCU and Cincinnati cheering. Very, very loudly.)
So, how'd the game get to this point in such a hurry?
First, a Terrell Zachery 67-yard touchdown run with just under 12 minutes left in the first quarter put the Tigers up 7-0. Then Coach Malzahn grabbed his two Lil' Gus' and attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by kicker Wes Bynum.
58 yards later, a Chris Todd-to-Eric Smith one-yard touchdown pass pushed the lead to 14 with just under six minutes left in the first.
In the meantime, the Tide's had two first-quarter possessions, and have two three-and-outs to show for it.
There is, obviously, still a long way to go, but this game, should it continue on its current path, could have major ramifications in the national title hunt.
That onside kick after going up 7-0 just shows that Auburn is A.) scared and B.) chickenshit.
The fact that it worked shows that Alabama is A.) overrated and B.) overrated.
That onside kick after going up 7-0 just shows that Auburn is A.) taking a risk, which paid off and B.) playing to win.
kismet:
An onside kick (a TRICK onside kick, no less) when no one is expecting it works, and that makes Bama overrated?
No. It just means Chizik knows that he's gonna have to pull out every trick he knows in order to even stand a chance against the Tide.
14-14. I hope you Auburn fans enjoyed the lead while you had it, cause now you've just made the giant angry.
All that onside kick shows, Sean Martin, is that Auburn knows they can't beat Bama playing football like men. They have to try to be sneaky.
Unlike last year, it looks like Bama is going to get exposed before the SEC title game this year.
Well, gator_prof, Florida has already been exposed against the likes of Mississippi State and South Carolina, teams that Bama blew out.
Can't wait till the SEC championship.
wow some of you guys are funny/stupid.
i dont think anyone can make anything close to an arguement that Auburn is of the same talent level as Alabama. so if Chizik just lines up and tries to get into a slug fest what do you think will happen? you tide fans would just be calling him an idiot.
he's being a good coach, doing what he feels he has to do to put his team in position to win.
he was up 14-0 and caught the tide off guard.
whats next tide fans? you gonna say Navy is a bunch of women cuz they run the triple option to negate the athletic differance from the major college teams they wouldnt compete with based on pure and simple level of talent?
give me a break
No, the triple option is awesome because the heavy focus on the running game is more like old school football, which is a real man's sport. Terrible example.
My point was that the onside kick up 7-0 in the first quarter (not to mention it being a trick onside kick, which Bama had basically no chance to recover) was a chickenshit move.
And it really doesn't matter at the end. After Auburn got done pulling every trick they know out of their sleeves, Alabama quietly outscored them 26-7 and went about their business.
The score of this game honestly doesn't reflect the domination that happened.
bbq,
Do you actually watch the games?
Did Bama really blow out SC? I saw a 13-6 game until late in the 4th at Bama. Hardly a blow out. Yeah, the ol' ball coach played UF tough at home, but still lost by 10. I would say that comparison is a push.
Yup, Mullen did a nice job against his old team...no surprise there.
Uhm, what about UT? You guys were completely out played and need a 1/4 FG performance to eek by.
Keep flapping the jaws. The end result will be much like last season. Once again, you guys go through the season without seeing a defense like UF's. They will stop Ingram cold and McElroy will melt.
gator_prof . . .
We beat South Carolina 22-6. That is a blowout. Maybe not by UF standards, but at Bama we just play to win and don't run up the score.
Also remember that the 1/4 field goal performance against Tennessee was due to two BLOCKED field goals on Bama's part. And Tennessee and Alabama always play close, no matter how good either team is, so I expected a similar outcome. Don't believe me? Check the game's history.
And by the way, don't forget that last year Bama dominated Florida in the 3rd quarter and headed into the 4th with a lead. If not for a couple of crucial 3rd down penalties in the final minutes, you wouldn't be talking so big now.