The Great State of Alabama Football: Roll Tide Roll and War Damn Eagle

In two consecutive years, two teams from one state have marched toward an opportunity to win the college football national championship. Last year, Alabama completed its journey in the Granddaddy of all college football bowl venues, the Rose Bowl. It was a fitting place for the Crimson Tide to finish their championship run. In 2010, Auburn has a championship within its reach. 

Last year, the Auburn Tigers entered the Iron Bowl with a 7-4 (3-4) record, and few people gave them a chance against the undefeated Crimson Tide. All the Tigers did in that game was lead or remain tied for 57 minutes.

It took a fourth-quarter championship drive for the Crimson Tide to keep their championship hopes alive. The Iron Bowl turned out to be the greatest hurdle that the talented Alabama team had to clear in the 2009 season. Alabama won the game, 26-21. Championship players make championship plays in championship games to win championships.

One year later, It was the Auburn team that entered the Iron Bowl as a clear favorite. Sure, some of the media hounds gave Alabama a chance to win the game, but they couldn't develop a plausible argument to defend their prediction. Clearly, at 9-2 (5-2) on the season, Alabama was the underdog and in the position to upset the undefeated Auburn Tigers.

With two weeks of preparation, and a scrimmage against GSU along the way, the Crimson Tide coaching staff put together a game plan that clearly was a formula for success against the Tigers. It would require flawless execution and a commitment to play for 60 minutes.

Insignificance of Statistics

Statistics tell a story; they just don't tell the whole story. Coming into the game, some number-crunchers gave Auburn anywhere between a 10- to 15-point advantage, considering all that had happened and all the numbers accumulated offensively and defensively leading up to the Iron Bowl.

In the end, Alabama had a record day, statistically: 446 yards of total offense, 23 first downs against 17 for Auburn, 71 total offensive plays versus 61 for Auburn and Alabama dominated on the clock, as well. The Crimson Tide had the ball 33:01, while Auburn had to make do with only 26:59 of offensive time of possession.

Defensively, Alabama forced seven punts, accumulated four sacks and recovered one fumble. Of 61 offensive plays, Auburn rushed for only 108 yards, only 2.6 yards per carry. On the season, the Tigers averaged 307.9 yards per game and 6.8 yards per carry. Statistically, the Auburn offense got their clocks cleaned.

But in football, as in life, the only statistic that matters is who got the win. The score is always the bottom line. In the 2010 Iron Bowl, the final score was 28-27 in favor of the Auburn Tigers.

How does that happen? Well, most true fans of the game have it figured out. Coaching staffs have it figured out, as do the players on the field. When the talent on the field is evenly matched, it has to do with opportunistic plays, above-average effort when the game is on the line and maximum effort during key plays—and very few know when or where those plays will occur on the field.

A Tale of Two Halves

In the 2010 Iron Bowl, there were at least six plays that changed the outcome of the game. In the first half, it wasn't a fumble on the part of Mark Ingram, it was a great punch-out by Antoine Carter that caused the ball to travel from the Auburn 19-yard line through the end zone for a touchback. A great defensive play from a great player at an opportune time.

The ball traveled 19 yards to within one to two yards of the sideline. It was an unlikely occurrence for the ball to stay inbounds, but it happened. It was a great defensive play, not an offensive mistake.

At the time, Alabama was dominating the game and led, 21-0. Most observers knew that was a lost opportunity to score for the Crimson Tide, an opportunity that would likely affect the outcome.

Auburn did nothing good with the turnover. Six plays later, the Tigers were in punt formation. In fact, Alabama started their next possession on the 50-yard line after a horrid 20-yard shank by punter AU Ryan Shoemaker. A potential game-changer. 

Alabama traveled 47 yards in the next three plays, with the majority of those yards accumulated on a 42-yard catch and run by receiver Julio Jones. Mike McNeil made a touchdown-saving shoelace tackle on Jones. Great plays by great players win championships.

On the ensuing 1st-and-goal, Alabama RB Trent Richardson dropped a three-yard pass in the end zone. Richardson then failed to score on a quarterback sneak (wildcat formation) that would have resulted in a touchdown had he followed his blocker, Julio Jones, wide around the end. Instead, Richardson, a north-south runner, cut upfield too early and ran into AU linebackers Josh Bynes and Neiko Thorpe. They stopped Richardson's progress at the 2-yard line. Great players make great plays.

Alabama eventually scored on a 20-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelly to go up, 24-0. Believe it or not, at 24-0, it was an uncomfortable lead for the Crimson Tide.

At 8:01 left in the half, Auburn started a drive from their own 20-yard line following a lackluster 13-yard return by Onterio McCalebb. WR Kodi Burns, Auburn's least-accomplished receiver, led the ball-carriers on an 80-yard drive that resulted in Auburn's only score in the first half.

Burns accumulated 32 yards on two slant passes, inspiring his mates during the drive. The touchdown came on a flag pass from Cam Newton to Emory Blake for 36-yards.

On that touchdown pass, defender Mark Barron tore his pectoral muscle. An injury that would not keep him from continuing to play, but would be a significant injury, nonetheless. One that would allow a second reception for a touchdown in the second half. Barron could no longer raise his arm above his head.

The most significant coaching decision in the game was to allow Barron to continue to play in the game. Depth being an issue at the safety position for the Crimson Tide, a wounded Barron was apparently better than a completely healthy Will Lowery. Understandable, but unfortunate.

With 5:08 remaining in the half, Alabama drove the ball from their 23-yard line to the AU 8. A 69-yard, 8-play drive. The ensuing first down resulted in a one-yard loss with Ingram rushing over the left end. On second down, Nick Fairley beat his block at the line, ran through Ingram's attempt to block and reached Greg McElroy before the Alabama quarterback could cock his arm.

Fairley stripped the ball from McElroy. then released the quarterback and found the ball before three Alabama offensive players even knew the ball had been fumbled and lay at their feet. Championship players make championship plays in championship games to win championships.

With 0:54 remaining in the first half, Auburn took possession of the ball. Alabama was turned away with no score after 1st-and-goal from the 7-yard line. The crowd was stunned by the turn of events. Yet Alabama led 24-7 at the end of the half. They had accumulated record numbers on their way to the first half lead.

In the second half, Auburn started from their 30-yard line and Newton carried for a one-yard loss. Alabama fans were expecting more of the same from the first half. Then, out of the shotgun, on play-action, Newton hit Terrell Zachery on a 70-yard touchdown pass. Barron was the defender. Barron could not defend the pass because of the injury to his pectoral muscle. He could not tackle.

It looked like Barron just gave up on the play; he was in extreme pain and shouldn't have been on the field. Nevertheless, it was a score for the Auburn Tigers. A great play that put them back in the game after being completely suffocated in the first half. It doesn't take much fire to light the fuse of a championship team. Great play usually follows, as it did on that day.

With the fuse lit, the AU Tigers mounted the greatest comeback in Iron Bowl history. For an Alabama fan, it was hard to watch, but hard to deny. Alabama fought valiantly, despite what others have written and posted in recent articles. Alabama did what they could to hold back the talented Tigers offense.

In prior contests, Newton and the Auburn offense rolled over opposition defenses in the second half of games, most recently posting 28 points in the second half against a tough Georgia defense. After a 34-point first half against Ole Miss, Newton and the offense posted another 24 points in the second half against the Rebels. Twenty-one points in the third quarter against Clemson and 21 in the second half against South Carolina.

Auburn won those games by making adjustments on defense and giving the offense the ball with a short field, punishing the opposition's offense and limiting their athletic ability by hitting hard and playing tough. Kyle Parker testified to this when he missed an overtime touchdown pass due to his inability to throw with accuracy as a result of a beating he took in the second half against Auburn.

Stephen Garcia fumbled twice in the second half against the AU defense, and his coach, frustrated and short-sighted, pulled the senior quarterback out of the game and put in a true freshman substitute. A fatal flaw in the cockfight on the plains.

Georgia, frustrated and left wanting in the second half against the Tigers, tried to take out Fairley on an illegal chop block. The fight that broke out left Auburn with two defensive linemen suspended for the first half of the Iron Bowl.

In the fourth quarter, Julio Jones and Darius Hanks were sidelined from hard hits received while trying to do all they could to land a knockout punch to the Auburn Tigers. It was truly a battle of champions. Punches thrown by both teams. At the 11:55 mark in the fourth quarter, Auburn took a 28-27 lead.

Following possessions and defensive stops by both teams, Alabama's championship quarterback McElroy took over at the UA 31-yard line with just under six minutes to play in the game.

Following an 11-play, 29-yard drive, a punch-drunk McElroy was carried off the field. A concussion suffered on a sack by T'Sharvan Bell for a four-yard loss. This was a tough game, a tough loss for Alabama. A well-deserved, hard-fought victory for the Auburn Tigers.

The best team won on Friday, all hats off to the Auburn Tigers. Out-coached, outplayed, call it what you want. The Auburn coaching staff made critical adjustments that worked in the second half. Auburn won with very little help from the Alabama team. They overcame adversity like no other team has ever done against the Crimson Tide. Not just in the history of the Iron Bowl, but in the entire history of Alabama football. 

The greatest comeback of the 75th game in this series was slow and methodical. It was the comeback of a champion, against a champion. A comeback mounted by one of the greatest college football players in the history of the game.

Newton had his hand on the ball in every play that resulted in a touchdown for Auburn. He is the best player in college football. But he did not win this game by himself. It was a team victory.

This article is a tribute. Every player on the Auburn team had a hand in this victory, offensively and defensively. AU took everything Alabama could throw at them and survived. Both teams were battle-weary at the end.

The baton was passed in this game from the proud team in Tuscaloosa to the worthy Plainsmen of Auburn. Carry that baton to the finish, from Alabama through Atlanta to Glendale.

As legend would have it, the War Eagle died on the field, after a great Auburn victory. He died so that the Auburn Tigers could continue on their championship run. Now do that dead bird a favor and finish well, Auburn, bring home the Crystal Trophy. Not since 1936 has a single state housed back-to-back national champions.

For the great state of Alabama, there is much to look forward to for years to come with regard to play on the gridiron. For now, Auburn has a chance to make history for the state of Alabama. Don't miss this opportunity. From the Alabama fanbase to the Auburn Family, Roll Tide Roll and War Damn Eagle.