Auburn Football: New Situation, Same Result

I'll admit, tonight's game versus Tennessee was not the prettiest in the world.  The game could have been completely transformed in the second half.

Someone could have told me that Auburn was going to lose the game.  Someone could have told me that the Tigers just wouldn't have enough to finish it out.

I wouldn't have believed them even if Auburn lost.

The reason I'm writing so early after Auburn's victory is the way the Tigers handled themselves on the road.  Auburn has shown its resiliency at home, and tonight, they showed they can win on the road too.

The main difference in tonight's game is that Auburn got the lead first, something they had not done this season.  One would suspect that a young team like Auburn would give up the lead and fall back.

As I expected, the offense was slow to start.  It was just slow in a way I hadn't thought it would be. 

Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn purposely slowed down the tempo in the first quarter to get his offense confidence as the game progressed.  You saw the Tennessee defense starting to get winded in the second quarter, having to take timeouts to let their players rest. 

The defense gave up yards, but made plays when it had too.  Improvement on special teams also helped out with the game's outcome.

So what does this all mean to the 5-0 Auburn Tigers?  I'll tell you in three points.

1. Auburn belongs in the Top 25

If you pay attention to such things, Auburn has been left out of the Top 25 for whatever reason.  With a nationally televised win and teams losing at the very bottom of the polls, this should be enough to have the Tigers crack the Top 25.

The score and the stats really do not tell the tale of the game.  It would be a shame to leave this team out of the polls after proving up to this point what they have done.

2. Auburn has proved itself in different situations

In each game this season, Auburn had to come from behind at some point to win the football game.  Auburn jumped out first with two field goals by Wes Byrum and a touchdown run by Ben Tate.  They never looked back. 

They proved that they have what it takes to hold onto a lead, and keeping that lead on the road.  That is crucial for the confidence of this team, especially heading into next week.

3. Good luck finding a way to stop the offense

Even though at times Auburn looked confused, they still had a very balanced attack.  The screen passes, 10-15 yard slant routes, and the up-the-middle runs later in the game helped keep the vaunted Vol defense honest. 

Even though scoring wise they didn't have their best game to date, they still managed to score when it counted.  In the SEC, that is all that matters.

Those young men should be proud of their accomplishments tonight.  Work will still have to be done, but this win is a huge step in the right direction for this football team.

As I tend to say for all victories, "Celebrate tonight, go back to work tomorrow." 

There are some Hogs that need to be roasted next weekend.