Ten Days to Go

I do not like having the bye week before the Bama Game.  I hate that the SEC made Auburn and Alabama play on Thanksgiving weekend.  Why should they care when the teams bye weeks are?  Oh well, I guess that gives us time to talk about the big game for two weeks instead of the usual one.

Personally, I think that Auburn will play quite well.  The Georgia game showed some progress in the offensive unit.  Granted the Dawgs defense is not the greatest, and Alabama will have a week to prepare, but steps were made this past week. 

Kodi looked comfortable, and had no interceptions.  His fumble was quite awkward, and I think was just a lack of concentration.  Gabe McKenzie made his return to the TE spot, and what a job he did.  Trott was quickly becoming Kodi’s favorite target, but he will most likely be out against the Tide.  Gabe might be the answer to that.  Also, Fannin must have been hurt more than any one realized.  I have a hard time believing that Tuberville would not have had him on the field as a RB earlier, if he was healthy enough to play.  He was as good as advertised against UGA.  It is the first time that I remember him being our featured guy, whether it be passing or running.  Our receivers are still having issues getting open, but when they do Kodi is getting the ball to them a little better.  He is still not hitting them in stride, but he is getting closer.  What could have been had he started and played all season.

Our defense was back to their original form.  We tackled much better, and Thorpe and Powers played well against two top notch receivers.  I miss Blackmon for his playmaking ability, but Josh Bynes is pretty solid.  He seems to get us as fans pumped up as well.

Auburn will need to improve yet again during these two weeks of practice time.  Bama is good, no matter how you look at it.  There kick/punt return game is good, offense is good, and defense is very good.  I still am not sold on John Parker Wilson… for some reason I still can see him making the BIG mistake.   Julio Jones is as good as AJ Green and our DBs will have to step up.

Auburn will have to play its best game to keep the streak alive.  Speaking of the streak… how about Saban getting a little peeved at all the questions regarding the streak?

"I've been asked that twice now, and if somebody in this room can prove to me that what happened over the last six years is going to have any effect on what happens in this game, then we'll talk about it. Otherwise, I think it's pointless. How's that sound? It really doesn't matter.”

Why would he say the past games do not matter?  If the media and fans are talking about it then it matters.  How do you think that coaching rumors turn into coaching changes?  When the media gets a hold of a story it becomes bigger.  Auburn going for 7 wins straight against the Tide is a big deal, even more so since Bama is 11-0 and looking for a National Title.  This is more than likely the biggest game for Bama over the last 20 years.  The pressure that is on Saban and Alabama’s players is huge.  No one really wants to admit it but it is there.  Auburn has made the huge upset before and Tuberville is a great leader.  If the Tide finds a way to lose this game, the streak continues and Bama’s hopes for a national title end a week early.  Also, what will that say about the Auburn Tigers and the continuing winning streak?  I bet everyone in the country would say that it did truly matter. 

On paper this game should not even be close.  Alabama owns Auburn in almost every category.  I will give Auburn one category though, and it does not show up on the stat sheet.  We have what commentators like to call the intangibles.  We have a coach who needs a win badly, a team with a QB with nothing to lose.  I think it will be close.  Maybe just maybe we can steal one away from the confident Tide.

War Damn Eagle.