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(01/07/14 6:54am)
Auburn has needed last second heroics time and time again this season, and all of those times they came out on the winning side.
That streak ended in the BCS National Championship game as the Tigers fell to No. 1 Florida State 34-31 on a last second touchdown pass from Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston.
"First of all, I'm very proud of my team, and how far they've come from the very first game to getting here, and just being on the brink of winning the whole thing," said head coach Gus Malzahn following the game. "I'm very proud of them."
Auburn's defense was all over Winston in the beginning causing him to struggle. He finished the first half going 6-of-15 for 62 yards, was sacked twice and had one fumble.
"At the end of the day he's a freshman, and I think tonight we exposed that," said senior defensive end Dee Ford. "Very early I saw that he was a little hesitant."
After Auburn's first drive, which ended with Nick Marshall missing a wide-open Ricardo Louis that would have put the Tigers up by a touchdown, Winston led his Seminole offense down the field for a 35-yard field goal by Roberto Aguayo to put Florida State up 3-0.
Auburn was then able to get into a rhythm and score three unanswered touchdowns to go up 21-3.
Trailing was not something Florida State was used to.
When Tre Mason scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Nick Marshall with 3:07 left in the first quarter, Florida State found itself facing a deficit for the first time in more than 583 minutes of play.
The Seminoles would cut into the Auburn lead just before the half making it a 21-10 game.
Florida State would carry this momentum into the second half, and pull within one point after an 11-yard pass from Winston to Chad Abram with 10:55 left to go in the game.
Auburn would then answer with a field goal to make it 24-20, but Florida State's Kermit Whitefield would return the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to give Florida State the lead.
Giving up kickoff returns is not something characteristic for Auburn.
"Obviously we didn't cover it very well," Malzahn said. "That was a big play in the game, and that was uncharacteristic, but at the same time you've got to give them credit."
With less than five minutes to play in the game it looked like Auburn's chances of winning were slowly fading away, but with some hard running from Mason and third-down completions from Marshall the Tigers were able to regain the lead with 1:19 to go in the game after Mason scored on a 37-yard touchdown run.
Mason finished the night with 195-yards rushing, giving him the Auburn single-season rushing record, passing legendary Auburn running back Bo Jackson.
"It's a blessing to surpass his yards that he put up, but it would be great to do that while holding the crystal ball in the air," Mason said. "But that's just the way it is."
All Auburn needed to do was hold Florida State out of the end zone for 1:13, and they would be national champions.
But a 49-yard completion from Winston put the Seminoles on the Tigers 23-yard line with less than a minute to go in the game.
Winston would then go on to throw the game winning touchdown pass to Kelvin Smith with 13 seconds left on the clock, and would hold on for the win.
Even with the disappointing loss, the Tigers came back from the worst season in Auburn history in 2012 to be just second away from a national championship in 2013.
"The entire time we set a goal to have the biggest turnaround in college football history," Ford said. "It was an amazing journey for me, and I'm definitely proud to be an Auburn Tiger right now."
(01/05/14 6:31pm)
On the eve of Auburn's second BCS National Championship game appearance in four years, head coach Gus Malzahn made his final media appearance before his No. 2 Tigers take on the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles at the Rose Bowl.
Keeping things as normal as possible for the players has been a major focus for Malzahn and his coaching staff.
"It's been a good week," Malzahn said. "Our guys since we've arrived here have been focused. We've tried to keep this as game like and game week like as possible. We've had some solid practices, and we're just ready for the game to get here and play and see what happens."
One of the biggest storylines going into tomorrow night's game will be if the Auburn defense can keep up with the high-powered Florida State offense, led by Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston.
"Well, I think the bottom line is you've got to keep them off balance, and that's a huge challenge," Malzahn said. "They've been machine-like on offense. They run it well. They throw it well. They've got NFL wide receivers that put people in one-on-one situations."
While Malzahn knows how tough it will be to defend Winston tomorrow night, he also has confidence the Auburn defense will have a good game plan ready.
"Coach Ellis Johnson is one of the best in the business," Malzahn said. "He's been in big games before. He's got a very good plan, and we'll just have to do our best to try to keep him off balance."
With Auburn also having a high-powered offense, many believe the game will turn into a shootout.
Malzahn was asked how many trick plays he has installed since the Tigers last played to try and keep up with Florida State offense.
"Well, a lot of people say we run trick plays, but from our players' standpoint we call them special plays because we actually work on them and we have certain situations we like to run them." Malzahn said. "It's just all a matter of putting pressure on the defense and really the bottom line is scoring points, no matter how you do that."
Florida State's Winston has drawn several comparisons to former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who Malzahn coached in 2010 to a national championship, and he also recruited Winston to come to play at Auburn.
The success Winston has had came as no surprise to him.
"Well, Jameis is an outstanding player," Malzahn said. "I know him personally, and you could tell in high school he was a special player, and what he's done this year has been amazing."
While Auburn does not have as much of a high-flying passing attack as Florida State, Malzahn is confident Nick Marshall has what it takes to get the job done. Since the LSU game, Marshall has thrown only one interception.
However, since the LSU game Auburn has not been forced to throw the football as much. Many believe the Seminole defense will force Auburn to throw the ball more.
"We do feel good about our passing game even though we have not passed the football a lot, probably the second half of the year, because we haven't had to," Malzahn said. "But we do have a lot of confidence in Nick Marshall to throw it, and we feel like we've got some receivers that have gotten better. It just matters how the game unfolds."
With the game just more than 24 hours away, Malzahn took a moment to reflect on what his team has went through this season, and his personal journey from a high school coach in Arkansas to coaching in a BCS National Championship game.
"I think when you first go out there on the field, you get the environment around you and you're able to reflect a little bit," Malzahn said. "Then when you go back out there for real, you've got to flip the switch and get your mind on your business and don't let anything distract you."
(01/05/14 1:14am)
Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston is known for being good in front of a camera and always having something to say when a microphone is in front of him.
During Saturday's BCS Championship Media Day session Winston made another splash by commenting on how Auburn is being labeled as a 'team of destiny.'
"Well, I'm glad they call Auburn 'the team of destiny' because at Florida State, we control our own destiny," said Winston. "I mean, that's great. They had some great games beating people in the last 5 minutes, mentally more than physically they stayed in the game. That's one thing they talk about staying to the fourth quarter.
"But at Florida State, we are controlling our destiny and we are trying to do it big. We not looking for miracles to happen. We are looking to play football and do what we do."
While Winston went on to be very complimentary of Auburn, his comments still created a social media buzz.
Comments like this can sometimes help fuel teams by creating bulletin board material for some extra motivation.
"He has his confidence and we have ours," said senior defensive end Nosa Eguae. "More power to him, but we are just looking forward to coming out on Monday night and playing against him."
Linebacker Kris Frost said the team isn't worried about what is done off the field, or what people outside the team have to say.
"To be honest we haven't looked into it," Frost said. "We don't really know anything about that. All we are concerned about is playing Auburn football. That's what we've done all season and that is what's got us here."
Defensive tackle Gabe Wright is more sympathetic with Winston's situation of having everything he says talked about and dissected by media and fans.
"He's a 19-year-old kid, and I couldn't imagine being a Heisman winner and going through the pressures of winning that at his age," Wright said. "I'm 21 and I'm the humblest I've been, but that's because of growth and experience. He's just a redshirt freshman, and I'll respect him as long as he shows the respect back."
Winston will look to help Florida State cap off an undefeated season and a national championship with a victory against Auburn on Monday night in the BCS Championship game at the Rose Bowl.
So far this season Winston has destroyed his competition by throwing for 3,820 yards and 38 touchdowns.
"Yeah, well, the good thing is we've faced some very good quarterbacks in our league this year," said head coach Gus Malzahn. "Obviously he's the Heisman Trophy winner, he can throw it, he can run it. But our big challenge is going to be keeping him off balance."
This season Florida State average margin of victory is more than 47 points per game. Auburn focus will be keeping the game close, and now allowing Winston and he Seminole offense to feel comfortable in the game.
"We feel like if we keep any game close then we are going to win it," Malzahn said.
(01/05/14 12:20am)
Growth and improvement have been the foundation for the success of this year's Auburn football team.
From game one against Washington State in August, this team has continued to get better and better each week, eventually earning a chance to play in the BCS National Championship game against No. 1 Florida State.
Going into the 2013 season, Auburn was trying to rebound from a program-worst 3-9 record, which featured one of the worst defensive teams in Auburn history.
When defensive line coach Rodney Garner was hired away from Georgia to return to his alma mater at Auburn, he had one goal: Help bring physical toughness back to The Plains.
Since the first game against Washington State, the defensive line has improved greatly and laid a foundation for Garner to build on for the future.
"I've seen tremendous growth from these guys thus far," Garner said during the BCS National Championship Media Day session. "I think they have really bought in to what we are asking them to do."
This season Auburn has improved from being ranked No. 100 in rush defense in 2012 to being ranked No. 64 this season, giving up 164 yards per game.
"For us defensively, it all starts upfront," said senior defensive end Nosa Equae. "Our main concern is stopping the run, and when it's time to get after the quarterback we need to get after the quarterback and affect him as well."
A big reason for the improvement in 2013 has been the emphasis Garner has placed on being the most physical team in the country, and that emphasis has made this team a much more physical team than they have been the past few years.
"Without a doubt," said defensive tackle Gabe Wright. "Guys are much more physical, and it all goes to show the level of confidence that coach Garner had in us. He played in the league and understands the physicality that it takes. He has had a big hand in our growth and improvement this season."
It was not always easy for Wright with Garner. When Garner first arrived it was tough for Wright to listen to the changes he needed to make to become the player Garner wanted him to be.
"I can tell you the transition from Gabe Wright to me was a very difficult one for him," Garner said. "He probably thought I was crazy at first, but he embraced it and I think he has definitely improved from a physicality stand point."
This season Wright has doubled his tackles for losses from 2012 from 4.5 to 8.5 this season, and Garner credits this to him being a more physical player.
"He's always been a very talented kid that has a lot of athletic ability for a defensive lineman," Garner said. "But the physicality part of it was not something he embraced before, so I have definitely seen him grow in the physicality department and take his game to another level. If he can continue to grow in that area he can be a very good defensive lineman."
Now just days before playing for a national championship, Wright is thankful to Garner for being tough on him, and his fellow defensive linemen.
"I can't talk enough about the guy because he stayed on me," Wright said. "He's had his weeks with me, Montravius (Adams), Carl (Lawson) and even with Dee (Ford). I think that's what I like most about the guy he treats all his players the same."
(01/04/14 8:36pm)
Leading into the BCS National Championship game between No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Auburn there has been a lot of talk.
Talk about Florida State and Auburn's offenses, Florida State's defense, Auburn running back Tre Mason and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston.
What has not been talked much about is the Auburn defense.
"It was the same thing in 2010," said senior defensive back Ryan White. "When we played Oregon everyone was talking about the two high-powered offenses and nobody was really giving the defenses a chance. That game turned into a physical battle, and that's what I expect from this game."
Going into Monday's game, Florida State's offense ranks No. 5 in the country in total offense at 529 yards per game, and Auburn ranks No. 11 at 505 yards per game.
Auburn's defense, on the other hand, ranks No. 89 in the country in total defense, giving up more than 400 yards per game. Florida State's defense ranks No. 3 in the country, allowing an average of 268 yards per game.
Many are saying the lack of dominant play from the Auburn defense will be the difference in the game on Monday night.
While Auburn's defense has not shut down any of their opponents this season, but when big defensive plays were needed, the defense came through.
Critics doubting Auburn's defense have only provided motivation for the Tigers.
"It's provided motivation for us all season." said linebacker Kris Frost. "We haven't really got a lot of positive attention this season, but we know that we come up with big plays in big spots and we know that we have a solid defense.
"We've got this far with our defense and we know that we've got a lot on our hands with Jameis (Winston) and his supporting cast, but we are just going to continue to play hard and do what we do."
Redshirt freshman Winston has blown away all the competition he has faced this season. The Hueytown native has thrown 38 touchdown passes for 3,820 yards and only 10 interceptions.
"He's a great quarterback and you can't really compare him to anybody," said defensive end Nosa Equae. "He's kind of a jack of all trades because he does everything good. He may be a freshman, but he plays beyond his years. We know that we have to go out and put pressure on him and play good football against him. If we do that then we'll be successful."
Not many teams have been successful against Florida State so far. The closest game they have played this season was a 48-34 victory against Boston College.
"We know they are going to play well and they are going to make their plays," said defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. "We've got to get a couple of turnovers and get a couple of big stops at key times if we want to win."
Winston's birthday will be the day of the national championship game, and defensive end Dee Ford is confident he and his fellow defensive players can handle him and the rest of the Florida State offense.
"I have a birthday wish for him," Ford said jokingly. "He's not going to do much celebrating."
(12/23/13 6:44pm)
The coach of the year awards just keep coming for first-year head coach Gus Malzahn.
On Monday Malzahn was named AP College Coach of the Year after taking his Auburn team from a program worst 3-9 season in 2012 to playing for the BCS National Championship against No. 1 Florida State in 2013.
"It's a real tribute to our players that they've bonded together," Malzahn said. "They've done everything our coaches have asked, and I think the No. 1 thing is we developed good relationships with our players. We trust our players, the players trust our coaches and we've got each others' backs."
Malzahn is the second Auburn coach to be named AP Coach of the Year. The first was Tommy Tuberville in 2004.
Malzahn has also been awarded several other coach of the year awards including Home Depot Coach of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year.
"It's a true blessing," Malzahn said. "It's a tribute to our assistant coaches, which have done a wonderful job, and to our players. When you win, you get awards, and anytime you get a head coaching award it's a group thing."
Malzahn will not take much time to reflect on his individual accomplishments as he will have his focus on playing Florida State in the BCS National Championship game on Jan. 6 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
(12/23/13 5:49pm)
Since junior small forward KT Harrell transferred from the University of Virginia, Auburn fans have been looking for a breakthrough performance on the court from him.
On Sunday fans got what they wanted against Boston College and the Southeastern Conference took notice of his performance on Monday.
Harrell's career-high 29 points against the Eagles helped earn him SEC Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors.
Harrell averaged 21.5 points per game on 57.7 percent shooting from the field and 53.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc in leading the Tigers to wins against two ACC teams, Clemson and Boston College, last week.
Against Boston College he went 10-for-17 shooting, which included a career-high six 3-pointers, which tied for the most-ever 3-pointers made by an Auburn player under the direction of Coach Tony Barbee.
"KT was big," said head coach Tony Barbee after the Boston College game. "I've been waiting for a breakout. He's played well all year. Self-confidence is an issue sometimes with KT. I've been on him to keep fighting, keep pushing, keep being aggressive. (Against Boston College) he was that."
In the first half alone Harrell scored 16 points in 16 minutes of action, hitting 6-of-7 from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point range.
"I was just aggressive," Harrell said after the Boston College game. "I hit like three in a row and I was just trying to be aggressive in the beginning."
He has now scored in double-figures in each of Auburn's first nine games.
Auburn will now take a break for the Christmas holidays, returning to the court on Dec. 30 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Auburn Arena.
(12/21/13 12:28am)
Usually when a team gets a fine from the SEC league office it's a big deal, but not many members of the Auburn Family will be upset following the fine handed down by the SEC on Friday.
The No. 2 ranked Tigers will be fined $5,000 for the fans rushing the field after the exciting last minute finish in this year's Iron Bowl.
"These were some of the most exciting and intriguing games of the college football season and we understand the exuberance of our fans in the celebration of their schools' victories, but these incidents pose a significant risk of injury and we must always make the health and safety of our student-athletes and fans the top priority," said SEC commissioner Mike Slive.
The league's access to competition area policy went into effect on Dec. 1, 2004, with penalties ranging from $5,000 for a first offense to fines of up to $25,000 for a second offense and up to $50,000 for a third violation.
The last time Auburn fans stormed the field was in 2001 following a 23-20 win against top-ranked Florida.
Missouri was also fined $5,000 for the same offense, and Ole Miss was fined $25,000 because this was its second offense in three years.
Mississippi State was also fined $25,000 for violation of the SEC's Artificial Noisemaker Policy.
(12/17/13 12:44am)
Auburn kicked off its first practice, on Monday, since winning the SEC Championship, in preparation for the BCS Championship game against Florida State.
"It was good to get back on the practice field after a week off," Malzahn said. "We focused a lot on our younger guys, which is always good. They were flying around and having fun."
Malzahn's 12-1 season has earned him several coach of the year awards, and on Monday he was honored by winning the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. This award was the latest in a long list of awards for Malzahn.
"It's a true blessing," Malzahn said. "It's a tribute to our assistant coaches, which have done a wonderful job, and to our players. When you win, you get awards. Anytime you get a head coaching award it's a group thing."
Malzahn's success this season has him linked currently to several vacant head coaching jobs around college football. Including the position at the University of Texas.
Malzahn signed a new six-year contract the day before the SEC Championship game and Monday he reaffirmed his commitment to Auburn.
"I'm a good fit for the Auburn Tigers," Malzahn said. "That's why I signed a contract the day before the SEC Championship. I said it before, I'm tickled to death to be here."
With 21 days until the Tigers face off against the Seminoles in Pasadena on Jan. 6 Malzahn is focused on his team and not Florida State.
"Early this week we are just going to focus on us," Malzahn said. "The older guys focused on fundamentals and the little things that we need to continue to improve on. Then half the time we let the younger guys have a chance to put the ball down and play a little bit. We'll do that for probably the first half of this week."
The extra practice time will be especially important for quarterback Nick Marshall who was only able to go through two weeks of fall camp before being thrust into the starting role for the Tigers.
"This is the first time other than the two off weeks that we are able to just really focus on some of the little things that I know (Nick) and coach Lashlee are working on," Malzahn said. "He's doing a great job with his decision making we've just got to get him to hold onto the ball. That was the biggest thing from the last game is we've got to protect the football better."
While Malzahn is currently focusing on his team, it does not mean he has not studied the No. 1 Florida State team yet.
"They're extremely fast," Malzahn said. "When you turn on the film the thing that jumps out to me is their speed. They are extremely fast on both sides of the ball. They are doing a great job of recruiting and they've got a lot of great players."
Malzahn is also familiar with Florida State's Heisman Trophy starting quarterback Jameis Winston from his days as offensive coordinator for Auburn.
"I recruited him when I was here and I got to know him and his family pretty well," Malzahn said. "He's phenomenal within his system and when things break down (he can still make plays). He's strong and he's got a baseball arm. The ball can get there in a hurry and he can hurt you with his feet."
The team will return to the practice field on Tuesday as they continue to get ready to play for the national championship.
(12/11/13 8:42pm)
The awards just keep on coming for the Auburn football team.
The SEC announced its 2013 individual awards on Wednesday, which included Gus Malzahn being named SEC Coach of the Year, and Tre Mason being named Offensive Player of the Year.
Alabama's C.J. Mosley and Missouri's Michael Sam were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year, Alabama's Christion Jones was named Special Teams Player of the Year, Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell was named Freshman of the Year, Georgia's Aaron Murray was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Texas A&M's Jake Matthews earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy.
The 14 SEC head coaches voted for the awards, and were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Malzahn was also awarded Home Depot Coach of the year earlier today, and is a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year awards.
Mason, who turned in a record-setting most valuable player performance at the SEC Championship Game with 304 rushing yards and four touchdowns, recorded an SEC-leading 124.7 rushing yards per game this season.
Mason has run for 1,621 rushing yards on the year, which ranks among the top-10 all-time on the SEC's single season list with a league-leading 23 total touchdowns this year.
His 23 touchdowns this season are tied for third on the SEC's all-time single season list.
Mason will be one of six Heisman Trophy finalists headed to New York City for the trophy presentation Saturday, Dec. 14.
(12/11/13 7:35pm)
This season just keeps getting better and better for Gus Malzahn.
After going 12-1, winning the SEC championship and earning a berth in the BCS National Championship game, all in his first season on The Plains, Malzahn has now been named the Home Depot national coach of the year.
The award will be presented to Malzahn Thursday, Dec.12 at 7 p.m. as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards show.
Malzahn engineered a turnaround this season that matches the biggest in college football history after Auburn went 3-9 in 2012.
He has also turned the offense from one of the worst in the country last season, to one of the best this season. His offense leads the nation in rushing yards and is in the top 10 in total offense.
Earlier this week Malzahn was named the Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year, and the SEC coaches will name their coach of the year later today.
Malzahn is also a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
(12/09/13 8:15pm)
Gus Malzahn and Tre Mason both highlighted the Associated Press All-SEC awards.
Malzahn's turnaround of the Auburn football program in his first season has helped earn him SEC Coach of the Year and Mason's 304-yard performance in Saturday's SEC Championship game boosted him to SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Mason also earned All-SEC first team honors after leading the SEC in rushing with 1,621 yards and 22 touchdowns.
The other Auburn players to receive SEC honors were defensive end Dee Ford and left tackle Greg Robinson.
Rimington Trophy finalist center Reese Dismukes earned second-team honors along with tight end C.J. Uzomah and cornerback Chris Davis.
Quarterback Nick Marshall, punter Steven Clark, safety Robenson Therezie and defensive tackle Gabe Wright all earned honorable mentions.
(12/09/13 1:39am)
It's now official, No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Auburn will play for the BCS National Championship for the second time in four years in Pasadena, Calif., at the Rose Bowl, Monday, Jan. 6.
Auburn did not need a prayer in the Georgia Dome Saturday night, but they did need a prayer to be answered in Indianapolis if they wanted a chance to play for the BCS Championship.
With previously No. 2 ranked Ohio State falling to Michigan State last night in the Big 10 Championship, Auburn has moved up to the No. 2 spot in the final regular season polls, and will get a chance to knock of the No. 1 Seminoles and Heisman Trophy frontrunner Jameis Winston.
The BCS formula is 1/3 Coaches' Poll, 1/3 Harris Poll and 1/3 computer rankings.
Auburn came in at No. 2 in both the USA Today Coaches' and AP polls as well as the BCS. They also received four first place votes in the AP poll.
Here is the list of BCS bowls and the teams playing in them:
(12/08/13 2:45am)
After going winless in the SEC in 2012, first-year head coach Gus Malzahn and the No. 3 Auburn Tigers win the SEC Championship with a 59-42 victory against the No. 5 Missouri Tigers.
"It's been a unique experience," Malzahn said after the game. "We had some growing pains and we had some tough times. We strained the dog out of our players in the spring, but this bunch came together and we are playing our best football right now."
Auburn had a record-breaking night in the running game, finishing with 545 yards with five different backs getting carries.
Tre Mason led the Auburn rushing attack with a career-high 306 yards and was MVP of the game.
Mason was quick to give credit to his offensive line.
"The offensive line works their butt off everyday," Mason said. "They opened up some of the biggest holes that I've ever ran through. It's a blessing to have those guys in front of me."
Mason surpassed his best single-game rushing performance in the first half alone with 195 yards. It was Mason's eighth 100-yard rushing performance of the season, his fifth consecutive 100-yard game and 11th of his career.
The second half started off slow for both offenses, but picked up late in the third quarter.
The game went back and forth, but with 11:09 left Auburn was able to build a 10-point lead, and then cruise to the victory and the SEC Championship.
Auburn finished the night with 677 yards of total offense, and Missouri finished with 534.
The 101-point total was the highest point total in SEC Championship history.
While Malzahn was not pleased with giving up more than 500 yards, he said his team made plays when they needed to.
"First of all, you've got to give Missouri credit," Malzahn said. "They got really huge receivers that can run. Their quarterback's one of the best in the league. Their running back is a phenomenal running back. But when we needed it and the game was on the line, our defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, got us the ball back, stopped them on fourth down when they went for it, and helped us win. That's kind of been (the defenses) M.O."
Now, Auburn will wait and see if this win will be enough to put them in the BCS National Championship game.
Before the game Malzahn did not want to talk about whether his team should play in the BCS if they were to win the SEC Championship. Now that Auburn has won the SEC, Malzahn was much more willing to argue his team's case.
"We're the SEC champ," Malzahn said. "I believe (the SEC) has won it the last seven years. We play the toughest schedule of any of the teams there, and we're playing our best football. A lot of teams aren't getting better each week. This team is."
If Ohio State or Florida State lose Saturday night, then no argument will be necessary. Mason said the team would be watching the scores very closely tonight.
"We're going to find a way to see the scores of those games, but we're just looking forward to our team getting better, how we're going to get better each and every day. God willing, we get into the National Championship."
(12/07/13 2:00pm)
Now that the greatest Iron Bowl -- and maybe the greatest college football game ever -- is over, Auburn can move on to Atlanta to face No. 5 Missouri in the SEC Championship Game.
Last season, both of these schools had miserable seasons. The media picked Auburn and Missouri to finish near the bottom of the SEC in 2013.
Now they will head to the Georgia Dome as the two top teams in the conference thanks to fantastic coaching jobs by both Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel and Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn.
While Missouri is no Alabama, they will still be one of the toughest opponents Auburn has faced all year, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Auburn has only faced two offenses better than Missouri this season -- Texas A&M and Georgia.
While both Texas A&M and Georgia have better total offensive numbers, Missouri is a much more balanced team on the ground and through the air.
Missouri averages 236 rushing yards and 252 passing yards per game. Texas A&M and Georgia were more one-dimensional with pass-heavy offenses.
The Tigers from Columbia will also have the best rushing offense the Tigers have faced all season. Only Auburn averages more yards rushing than Missouri in the SEC.
Defensively, Missouri also presents challenges. While the numbers don't show it, Missouri has made plays on the defensive side of the ball when they needed to.
In their last game against Texas A&M they only gave up 21 points to Johnny Manziel and the high-flying Aggie offense.
As a whole, with exception to Alabama, this could be the toughest team Auburn has faced all season.
Missouri has faced a tougher schedule than the Crimson Tide and could easily be undefeated if starting quarterback James Franklin had not been injured for the South Carolina game.
If the Auburn Tigers want to walk away with the SEC Championship, they are going to have to do what has gotten them to this point in the season.
Run the football. \0x2028Last week, all of the national media said Auburn would not be able to run the ball against the Alabama defense, but they proved them wrong by putting up 296 yards -- the most a Nick Saban defense had ever allowed during his time in Tuscaloosa..
If Auburn can wear the Missouri defense down with the run game, then Nick Marshall will have some options in the downfield passing game.
This will be an easier task than last week because the Missouri defense is the worst in the SEC in defending the pass, giving up 266 yards per game through the air.
Another big advantage for the Tigers is the game being played in Atlanta.
Auburn has one of the best fan bases in college football and having the game where so many Auburn alumni live will be a big advantage for the Tigers.
Taking everything into account Auburn should be able to come away with a victory and the SEC Championship.
Auburn's run game will be too much for Missouri to handle and playing on a stage as big as this game will be something new for Missouri, while Auburn has a lot of experience playing in big games like this.
The game should remain close, but once the run game gets going Auburn should pull away to a 42-24 win and the SEC Championship.
The next question will be is this enough to get Auburn a spot in the BCS title game?
In my opinion if both Florida State and Ohio State win then Auburn will not make the title game, and the SEC's reign atop college football will end.
(12/04/13 11:03pm)
Auburn and Chris Davis graced the cover of the Dec. 9 issue of Sports Illustrated for his 100-yard game-winning touchdown against Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
The title on the cover is 'Auburn shocks Bama' with a tinted blue background.
Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron was on the previous cover.
Davis and Auburn will take on No. 5 Missouri in the SEC Championship Game Saturday, Dec. 7 in Atlanta.
(12/01/13 1:41pm)
Auburn's last second victory against the previous No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide gave the Tigers a boost in this week's rankings.
Auburn came in at No. 3 in the BCS, AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll behind new No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Ohio State.
Auburn received two first place votes in the AP, while Ohio State did not receive any in the AP Poll but they received four in the Coaches' Poll, and the margin between the two teams is a slim 25 points.
The Tigers will now make the trip to Atlanta to take on the SEC Eastern Division champion Missouri Tigers in the SEC Championship Game.
"It's what you coach for," said head coach Gus Malzahn. "It's what these kids play for, to get a chance to win the SEC Championship."
Both Missouri and Auburn were picked to finish near the bottom of the SEC this season after having disastrous seasons in 2012.
Missouri came in at No. 5 this week in the AP and Coaches Poll, two spots behind Auburn.
Florida State will play Duke in the ACC Championship and Ohio State will play Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship.
If either of these teams lose then the winner of the SEC Championship Game will advance to the national championship game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
"All I know is that we beat the No. 1 team in the country, and we are going to the SEC Championship Game," Malzahn said. "We're going to focus on that game and let everyone else focus on the other stuff."
(11/30/13 5:28pm)
Another prayer was answered for the Auburn Tigers after Chris Davis returned a missed Alabama field goal 100 yards to win the SEC Western Division and beat arch-rival, No. 1 Alabama, 34-28.
"We talked about we wanted to keep it close, and we felt like if we could get to the fourth quarter we would find a way to win," said head coach Gus Malzahn after the game.
Auburn finished the game with 296 yards on the ground.
Tre Mason led the Tigers ground game finishing with 164 yards and one touchdown.
"It was our O-line," Mason said. "Those guys do a great job. They gave me the room to run, and if there's anyone in the second level, I've got to find a way to get over through and around them."
Auburn would score the first points of the game after Nick Marshall ran it in from 45 yards out to give Auburn a 7-0 lead.
But Alabama would fight back and score 21 unanswered points.
With a little more than three minutes to go in the half the Crimson Tide was leading 21-7, and it looked like Alabama had the game in control, but Auburn continued to move the ball on the ground, and battled back to make it a seven-point game going into the half.
Auburn would continue this success when they came out of the locker room, driving the ball 69 yards on nine plays to tie the game at 21.
The game would stay tied through the third quarter, but in the first minute of the third quarter Alabama would put Foster in range for a 33-yard field goal that sailed wide left.
Foster missed three field goals on the day.
Alabama would answer back on the next possession with a 99-yard touchdown pass from AJ McCarron to Amari Cooper to give Alabama a 28-21 lead with 10:28 left in the game.
Both teams would then exchange big fourth down stops late in the fourth to keep it at a seven-point game, but with 3:54 left in the game Foster had a chance to ice the game for Alabama.
But Robenson Therezie blocked the kick and gave Auburn another chance.
Marshall and the Tiger offense would then go on a seven-play 80-yard drive capped off with a 39-yard pass to Sammie Coates to tie the game at 28 with 32 seconds to go in the game.
With 25 seconds Alabama managed to move the ball to the 39-yard line giving the Crimson Tide a chance to kick a 56-yard field goal for the win with back-up kicker Adam Griffith.
Griffith's kick would fall just short of the cross bar, but Davis was waiting and caught the ball returning it for the touchdown, and the win.
"When I caught it, I knew I was going to have some running room," Chris Davis said after the game. "I knew they had big guys on the field so I tried to set it up one way and hit the other way, and that's what I did."
The victory will now send Auburn to the SEC Championship Game next Saturday at the Georgia Dome giving the Tigers one of the biggest turnarounds in college football, after going 3-9 in 2012.
"I really didn't let my mind go there until I shook (Saban's) hand," Malzahn said. "It's what these kids play for, to get a chance to win the SEC Championship."
(11/29/13 9:32pm)
ESPN's College GameDay is no stranger to Auburn, and no stranger to the annual Auburn-Alabama game.
But this year's game could possibly be the biggest they have ever seen, with SEC championship and BCS implications on the line.
"It is truly the biggest," said ESPN Radio host Paul Finebaum. "I don't remember one quite like this, because both of these teams are legitimate national championship contenders, and the fact that Auburn could derail Alabama makes this one off the charts."
With Auburn's program worst 3-9 record in 2012 and a 49-0 loss to Alabama, GameDay was not expecting to be in Auburn for the game this year.
"If you would have told us last year that we would be here at the Iron Bowl with SEC and BCS implications, we'd call you crazy," said GameDay host Chris Fowler.
Fowler is not surprised at how big the atmosphere for this game will be on Saturday, because he said the Iron Bowl's special atmosphere is a big reason why the show is what it is today.
"We have a special place in our heart for the Iron Bowl," Fowler said. "The first full season of road shows in 94 we were at Legion Field, and then in 95 and 96. So the first three seasons of road shows we were at the Iron Bowl. You could tell right away there was something different and special about it. It's what the road shows are all about."
Even with SEC and BCS Championship implications on the line for the winner, Alabama is still considered a heavy favorite and most are not giving Auburn much of a chance on Saturday.
"I would say that it's going to be a phenomenal game for Auburn, but Alabama is going to win," Finebaum said.
ESPN analyst David Pollack, who played at the University of Georgia, said he knew Auburn would bounce back from last season's disappointment.
"It's the best turnaround in the country," Pollack said. "I don't ever expect Auburn to be down for a long period of time, and I don't think anybody does. This place recruits too well, and a lot of these guys were recruited for Gus's system and had familiarity with him, so I think it made it a smooth transition. I thought they would be successful, but I didn't think they would do this."
Finebaum who has covered 34 Iron Bowls in his career as a journalist in Alabama said he has seen some big upsets in both team's past but this one would be the biggest if Auburn pulls off the upset, and Monday would be an even crazier day than usual on his radio show.
"I think the South Carolina game a couple years ago (2010) people were beside themselves, and the A&M game last year even the governor came out and criticized coach (Nick) Saban, but I think this would be the all-timer because Alabama fans aren't really thinking about losing this game," Finebaum said. "I think they are really more concerned about Missouri next week or maybe Florida State. It is not a part of (Alabama fans) DNA to think they are going to lose to Auburn."
GameDay will be live in Auburn at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Green Space on the east side of Jordan-Hare Stadium. The fan area will open at 6 a.m.
(11/25/13 3:33am)
This week's Iron Bowl could possibly be the biggest in the rivalries' history, and the biggest game of the year for the Auburn Tigers.
So, is the team treating this game any differently than any other game.
According to the players and head coach Gus Malzahn, they are not.
"We're trying to stay in our routine," Malzahn said. "We had extra work last week, and we are trying to make this week as normal as possible."
Senior Nosa Eguae said keeping things as normal as possible is the best thing for the team to do.
"Football players are creatures of habit," Eguae said. "We get in a routine and we do that routine. I have a routine and every player has one. We want to stick with what has got us here and not change anything."
While most players say they won't be changing anything for a game with this much at stake, it's hard to not change a little.
"The way we approach it as players, I think, will be a little bit different in terms of bringing a little more intensity," said tight end C.J. Uzomah. "They are the No. 1 team in the nation for a reason. They are a really good team and we'll need to bring our A game."
Staying focused has been a big motto for this team so far this season. With a berth in the SEC Championship Game on the line this week, and still a possibility to play for the national championship, not looking ahead is a challenge the players will have to face this week.
"There's going to be some talk in the locker room, and then we'll have a team meeting and coach Malzahn will put it to rest," Uzomah said. "We can't think like that, because this is a great team we are going to play against, and they are going to bring it."
Malzahn said, blocking out those types of distractions will be key for the players this week.
"We've been very upfront and honest with our team about this game," Malzahn said. "We asked our guys to do exactly what they've been doing by taking it one practice at a time."
Also not adding any unnecessary distractions via social media.
"Coach Malzahn said today pretty much don't post anything," Uzomah said. "He said if you have to think about it then don't post it."
While the players say they are staying focused and treating this game like any other game, there is still an excitement level for the players as they prepare and stay focused.
"It's a big game," Eguae said. "This is everything you dream of playing in as a kid."