Each Week Is a New Look for Auburn

Homecoming on the plains had a bit of a different look last Saturday as the Auburn Tigers defeated Tennessee-Martin 37-20.  No, a guy was not crowned homecoming queen.  Auburn (5-5, 2-4) sported their white jerseys as opposed to their traditional home navy jersey on their way to breaking a four-game losing streak.

Yes, Auburn won! Something else that was new.

UT-Martin (7-3) requested the opportunity to wear their orange jerseys in the friendlier confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium.  To the dismay of many Tiger fans, Auburn University obliged.  Crazy, I know, but this season has not been anything close to normal for Auburn.

Maybe head coach Tommy Tuberville should continue a white jersey trend against visiting Georgia (8-2, 5-2) this weekend when the two teams continue the Deep South’s oldest rivalry.  Can you say “White Out?” Or blown out in blue?

No matter the color, it may take a blinding snowstorm to chill the Dawgs. They seem to be turning up the heat in practice after defeating Kentucky in their unexpected slobber-knocker. 

On the flipside, the Siberian Tigers offense finally defrosted a bit last Saturday against the Skyhawks, thanks mostly to the legs of Kodi Burns and the foot of Wes Byrum, who was three for four with successful field goals of 48, 44, and 24 yards, breaking out of his own slump. 

Burns unleashed himself and ran for 158 yards on 13 carries and two TDs.  That’s more yards than all five running backs that saw action—they amassed 140 yards on 35 attempts.  Kodi Burns finished with 130 yards passing and ended up only two yards shy of Auburn’s 32-year single game rushing record for a QB. 

“A quarterback running the ball, that’s a good thing,” Burns said. “That’s why you see a lot of Wildcat formations and different things. If you have a quarterback that can run that gives you an extra blocker.”

How does Tuberville feel about his QB running that much against two of the best teams in the conference and nation, Georgia and Alabama respectively?  “Burns is like another running back carrying the ball. He’s going to take some licks,” Tuberville said. “We tell him to protect himself as much as he can.”

That said, Kodi Burns understands he will need to run with a bit more caution in Saturday's contest.  “I ran the ball a lot,” Burns said. “I’m definitely not going to run that much against Georgia or anything like that, because they’re a great defense.”

The bowl hopes of true Auburn fans lie on the shoulders of each player and a coaching staff that has been in disarray almost from the beginning of the season.  None of the reasons why or how matter now.  What does matter is amen corner is dead ahead.

Thirteenth-ranked Georgia and No. 1 Alabama are like two giants standing in the way of a battered Auburn team—a team trying to become bowl eligible with at least one more win.  Will Auburn pull off a miracle of which has not been accomplished since Jesus ascended to the heavens?

There’s no doubt the Auburn nation will be praying for the sea of defeat to part as it did in 2003.  It may take two Hail Marys and 12 apostles, not to mention the white jerseys (wings sold separately), to lift this team from its apocalyptic doom.   

TV time

Saturday’s Auburn-Georgia game will be televised on Raycom and is set to kick off at 11:30 a.m.