Countdown to Kickoff: 43 Days

Well would look at what we have here... Two consecutive days of Auburn teams not expected to have much of a chance knocking off highly ranked Florida teams with game winning field goals. A tradition like none other.

The 2007 season did not started as expected for the Auburn Tigers. Auburn entered the season ranked #18 but barely escaped their home opener vs a Kansas State team lead by Josh Freeman and Jordy Nelson. No such luck the next two weeks. USF shocked the CFB world by knocking off Auburn in Jordan-Hare and the next week Tubs played QB roulette and Auburn lost to Sylvester Croom’s Mississippi State squad. I was at that State game. It was terrible...

So after beating up on New Mexico State, the Tigers limped to The Swamp sporting a 2-2 record. Nobody gave them much of a shot at knocking off the eventual national champion lead by Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. Not with QB questions and an offensive line featuring three true freshman.

But there’s nothing more dangerous than an overlooked Tommy Tuberville team against a top ranked opponent.

After forcing a quick 3 & out to open the game, Auburn put together a big boy drive on their first possession. Brandon Cox methodically marched the Tigers down the field on a 14 play, 86 yard drive that ate up 7:32 of game clock and ended on this Kodi Burns QB keeper

That drive was the Gorgeous Borges at his best....

Neither team found much success on their next offensive possessions but the Gators looked poised to put some points on the board early in the 2nd quarter until big Sen’Derrick Marks got a paw on 34 yard field goal attempt. Cox then promptly put together another magnificent drive, this one going 80 yards in 10 plays. Mighty Ben Tate punched it in from 3 yards out and all of a sudden the Tigers had a two score lead on the #4 ranked Gators.

Auburn took a 14-0 lead into half but Tebow’s squad wouldn’t go away quietly. On their first possession of the 2nd half, Tebow connected with Percy Harvin for a 52 yard gain, setting the Gators up for what looked like would be an easy score. Instead, Will Muschamp’s defense stood tall and forced the short field goal. On the Gators next possession, Tebow threw an absolute duck deep on the first play that Pat Lee easily picked off. Auburn would tack on a field goal on the ensuing drive. Heading into the final quarter, Auburn held a 17-3 lead but things were about to get tense.

First, there was Ben Tate’s fumble after picking up 18 yards. That seemed to ignite the Gator offense. Tebow took the Gators down the field on 9 plays and finished things off with the short TD pass to his tight end Cornelious Ingram. Auburn did nothing on the next possession and gave the ball right back to the eventual Heisman trophy winner. Another 9 play TD drive ensued this time going 89 yards and finishing with Tebow powering his way into the endzone. All of a sudden, the game was tied at 17.

But Auburn’s defense found their footing again and forced a quick 3 & out, getting the ball back to the offense for one final drive. Borges would find the magic again and thanks to two clutch 3rd down conversions by Ben Tate, Auburn found themselves just a 43 yard field goal away from victory. The true freshman Wes Byrum stepped up and planted his first game winning attempt through the uprights with ease. But just when the Tigers were starting to celebrate (Rod got so happy), you could hear the officials blowing their whistles as Urban Meyer had apparently called timeout just before the snap.

That meant the true freshman would have to do it again. Byrum, you take it from here....

Wes Byrum still holds the award for best kicker celebration of all time.

43 days till kickoff! War Eagle!