2009 Auburn V Alabama: On The Plains Once Again

Auburn is hosting the Western Division Winning Alabama Crimson Tide on the Plains. Auburn is led by a first year Head Coach. Auburn is extremely thin on talent and players. The year is not 2009 it is 1999. Tommy Tuberville was the new head coach and led the Auburn Tigers to a 17-28 loss to Alabama that day. It was the last game of a 5-6 season. Alabama had blown out Auburn in Tuscaloosa they year before to the tune of 31-17. There was talk of Alabama being back and Auburn not being competetion for years to come. The Talent differential was too great in the third year of Alabama Head Coach Mike DuBose. Alabama had built an insurmountable lead over all the SEC West and was going to dominate the SEC for years to come. Alabama beat Florida that year to win the SEC. The media was full of predictions of the return of Alabama domination like the 70's ERA Tide.

Auburn won the SEC West the next year. We all know what happened to Alabama over the next decade. Football is a fickle game that can turn on the least whim. History inevitably repeats its self. It is funny how similarities can be so marked. Tommy Tuberville was widely thought to have a great recruiting class that year. Auburn got many of the states best prospects for the first year in a while. Auburn had a highly regarded running back committed for the next season (Ronnie Brown). Auburn had a highly regarded quarterback coming off red shirt (Jason Campbell). Of course this was the 2004 class that was undefeated.

Alabama was to fire Mike DuBose the next year and replace him after failing to meet the high expectations of the Tide. DuBose has spent the last four years coaching Milsap College to four consecutive championships. Maybe the man could coach a little after all.

Gene Chizik is also in his first season at the Helm of the Auburn Football Program. He took over a program that was devoid of sufficient players and talent to succeed in the SEC according to most analyst. The team was particularly thin on defense much as the 1999 team. Chizik and Staff have brought this team to seven wins. A 7-4 record is better than the 5-5 record of the 1999 Tigers at this point. Defense was the weakness this year just as it was in 1999. The only reason this Auburn team has given up more points than any team in Auburn History is they have played a 12 game schedule. 

Nick Saban is certainly not Mike Dubose, and Gene Chizik is not Tommy Tuberville. One must marvel at the historical parallels though. Then as now Auburn was written off by the media. I guess if anything can be learned from past events, Auburn Fans should take hart that circumstances inevitably change.

In the upcoming game no analyst or pundit gives the Auburn Tigers any chance at all. The line on the game is 10 points now and many expect that to go over 14 before the game. Alabama fans are running on high and sure they have the coach, talent and plan to relegate Auburn to the cellar for years to come. One local Tide Radio Personality has predicted a similar thrashing to last years game.

With all expectations and all logic giving Gene Chizik and his Auburn Tigers a clean canvas they have nothing to lose. As long as they can stay within 36 points or score they will have improved. Alabama can't win, expectations are so high the Alabama team will never be able to meet them. It is not good enough to win, they must match or exceed last years 36-0 beating to break even.

This years Iron Bowl is a great opportunity for this Auburn Team to go out and play a top team and see where they need to go. If they do well it will be a big win, if they fall on their faces, it will simply be what is expected. There is absolutely no pressure or expectations. Alabama fans will flock to the plains in droves to watch a beat down of epic proportions. It is an absolute recipe for success for this Auburn team. If they score one field goal they will have won.

 The key thing to watch in this game is the Coaching Strategy of the Auburn Staff. If they put the Auburn team in a position to succeed in any way they will have out coached the Alabama Staff. Auburn should not succeed in any facet of the game. Alabama has superior talent at every position and the best coaching staff in the nation according to all the media and pundits. If Gene Chizik and Team can pull off anything at all it will reverberate across the entire nation. 

I think this will be a fun and interesting day for the Auburn Tigers. I shall be watching with an open mind and looking for the future in this game!