Head Coach Gene Chizik earned his second win of the 2009 season by leading Auburn their first SEC win of the season over Mississippi State. The Tigers ran over and around the Bulldogs on the way to a 49-24 win.
"Tonight, of course, it was great to get our first SEC win," Chizik said. "It was one of those games. It is a typical SEC deal. It goes back and forth and back and forth. We played with a lot of energy. I thought we answered the bell quite a few times when some adversity hit our team. I am really proud of the way our players responded to a lot of negative things that happened tonight."
Junior wide receiver/quarterback Kodi Burns pulled out a touchdown earlier in this game than against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 5.
With 8:13 left in the first quarter Burns scored his first of three rushing touchdowns of the game on a 1-yard run.
"It is as good as it gets. It is great," Chizik said. "You are looking at great things happening to great kids. As we told (Burns) when this whole thing happened, we said 'You are going to help us win football games.' He has played a big role in the first two. It is great to see him contribute, and he will contribute in other ways, too."
Burns threw a 13-yard third quarter touchdown pass to freshman tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen.
The Tigers ignited the stadium at the end of the first quarter when senior defensive end Antonio Coleman returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown, giving the Tigers a 14-0 lead over the Bulldogs.
Freshman running back and SEC Freshman of the Week, Onterio McCalebb and senior running back Ben Tate each rushed for more than 100 yards in the game.
This makes McCalebb the first Auburn freshman to rush for more than 100 yards in his first two games at Auburn.
McCalebb ignited the Auburn crowd with a 48-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
"I give all the credit to the offensive line," McCalebb said. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to get a single yard. They hit all their blocks for me, and I was able to get down the field."
McCalebb's rushing counterpart, Tate, scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a 35-yard run.
"The offensive line is playing great with the whole blocking scheme," Tate said. "The coaches are working in unison with each other. It's been a little bit of the offensive line and a little bit of me. That's what it is. When we do that, we're bound to get yards."
Senior quarterback Chris Todd threw for 186 yards on 10-of-23 attempts.
"The offensive line has been doing a really good job of helping us run the ball," Todd said. "They are really helping out the passing game and giving me plenty of time to get rid of the ball. The whole offense really stepped up tonight and made some big plays. All of our receivers did a great job tonight of coming back to the ball and really stepped up right before the half when we drove the ball. All the guys have really come together, and we're really getting great chemistry on the field."
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