Game Preview and Open Thread - Auburn vs ULM

That Thing You Do! is one of my favorite movies. It tells the tale of a one-hit wonder band from the early 1960s. They produce a hit record, travel the country, and struggle to find themselves and stay together in the harsh realities of stardom. Toward the end of the movie (spoiler alert), they’re together at a recording studio and the lead singer walks out on the contract.

Essentially, what we’re trying to do today is avoid a breach of contract. Auburn’s paid seven digits for Louisiana-Monroe to come in to play us. And let’s not put it lightly, we’re paying them to lose. Lose easily. We’re not in this so that the Tigers can pay for the Warhawks to get a program-defining win like they did in Tuscaloosa in 2007, or Fayetteville in 2012.

As Tom Hanks says “no one’s going to prison”. That may not be true if breach of contract becomes a reality tomorrow. We’d probably see Gus Malzahn lose all the good will he accrued last weekend in the demolition of Georgia.

Auburn controls its own destiny, but there are bigger games on the horizon. We’ve got Alabama next weekend at home, and if we get through that, what’s the reward? Oh, just another matchup with Georgia, except on their side of the state line. Then, if we get through that, two more top four teams await in the Playoff.

It’s a tough cross to bear, but tomorrow shouldn’t be a difficult task. Win. Stay healthy. Make it fast. That’s all we need to do.

War Eagle!