In Auburn's Case, "A Win Is a Win" Cliché Works

It wasn’t quite the game we were expecting, was it? It certainly wasn’t the one I thought I would see.

When the fifth-ranked Auburn Tigers left home to take on the 20^th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats, I was expecting a shootout. Both offenses were prolific, both defenses were suspect, and each team had a dual-threat quarterback eager to prove himself.

The script was set for a thriller in Manhattan, Kansas. And we got quite an exciting game, just not the one we were expecting.

The biggest game in years at Bill Snyder Family Stadium was ruled by defenses. For the first time in almost exactly a year, Auburn’s offense was held to less than 200 rushing yards. The Tigers prized rushing attack mustered just 2.9 yards per carry, and failed to register a touchdown on the ground.

Kansas State made Auburn look vulnerable, forcing them to put the ball in the air much more than they’re used to doing. They made Nick Marshall and the oft-maligned Auburn defense win the game.

They were able to step up and make a difference when called upon, but it certainly wasn’t pretty. Honestly, it was kind of ugly.

Auburn receivers were dropping passes, and when they were ready to pull the ball in, Marshall would misfire. The Tigers defense held the Wildcats ground game in check, but couldn’t stop Jake Waters from scrambling out of the pocket and finding receivers along the sideline for first downs.

But despite all of the offensive hiccups and close calls, Auburn ground out the 20-14 win. And after all, a win is a win, right?

“A win is a win” is probably one of the oldest sports clichés in the book. We all say it after our favorite team doesn’t play as well as we know they should. Sometimes, we don’t even think they deserved to win.

It’s widely regarded as an excuse, a coping mechanism, and in the end, doesn’t justify a sloppy performance.

But for these Auburn Tigers, it does work.

I know what you’re all thinking right now: “But Bobby, Auburn won’t go anywhere if they keep playing like that!”

Well of course they won’t. If Auburn only rushes for 128 yards against Alabama, they’re in trouble. But here’s my question to you: will this really happen again?

I don’t think so. I truly believe that, offensively at least, this game was an anomaly for the Auburn Tigers.

Let’s look at this logically. We’re talking about a Thursday night game against a nationally-ranked non-conference opponent in Manhattan, Kansas. The drive from Auburn to Manhattan is 14 hours. It’s a six-hour flight (and remember, these young college students are making this trip in the middle of the week, instead of Friday).

How many of Auburn’s players do you think have ever been to Kansas? My guess is little to none of them.

And let’s not forget that this was Auburn’s first road game of the year, historically a difficult task for the Tigers. Anyone remember the first road game last year?

The offense wasn’t running the offense at as quick a tempo as it would at home, or even in a more familiar road game setting. A shaky start was almost inevitable.

But on top of that, Auburn did everything you're supposed to do to win against a ranked team in your first road game. They out gained the Wildcats in total yards, 359 to 285. They won the turnover battle, forcing three while giving the ball away only once. They won time of possession, (albeit slightly) 31:00 to 29:00.

And as they’ve made a habit of doing, Auburn overcame their own mistakes, took advantage of Kansas State’s, and found new ways to win.

While pessimists are pointing to this game as a sign of Auburn’s vulnerability, I see it as a sign of progression. If Auburn can win on the road against a nationally ranked team without flexing its strongest muscle, what game can’t they win?

And I promise you, Auburn’s running game won’t be shut down by every team it plays. Even if it does, Nick Marshall may have just proven that he’s perfectly content to beat you with his arm.

It was far from a pretty win.

The defense allowed way too many trips into its own territory, but they got away with it by forcing an interception in the end zone and sneaking Cade Foster into the Kansas State kicker’s uniform to miss three field goals.

The offense never did get the running game going, but when it mattered, Nick Marshall got the ball where it needed to go downfield.

We still don't know exactly what we're going to see down the stretch from the 2014 Auburn Tigers, but here's what I do know: despite what some might say, Nick Marshall has improved as a passer; Duke Williams is a beast; the defense is substantially better; and this team knows how to win.

Auburn is proving time and time again that it will find a way to beat you, and that it doesn’t matter how. After all, a win is a win.