Three years ago, he wasn’t even playing quarterback. He was a defensive back for the Georgia Bulldogs, with no time under center in sight. Back in July 2013, he was just moving to Auburn, mere months after quarterbacking at Garden City Community College in Kansas. A month later, he was head coach Gus Malzahn’s first quarterback. Still a little raw, with a habit of overthrowing receivers by ten-plus yards, he caused many to wonder early on if Malzahn had made the right call. Sure, he was a great athlete, ran the ball well, but how would he perform in crunch time? Time after time, he responded with a big play. Time after time, he answered the bell. Time after time, he came up huge. Almost three years after being dismissed from Georgia’s football team, he is walking out of Auburn, Alabama as an SEC champion and one of the Tigers’ all-time greatest quarterbacks. Nick Marshall has left quite a legacy. I remember the first time I ever watched Nick Marshall play. It was against Washington State in his and Auburn’s first game of the 2013 season, and to be completely honest, I wasn’t too impressed. Marshall’s numbers in that game were mediocre at best: 10/19 for 99 yards, nine carries for 27 yards. As if a sign of things to come, he missed his first three passes of the game, all aimed at different receivers. It looked like this guy couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean. He’d somehow overthrow it. I thought Gus Malzahn had made the first coaching mistake of his life. I couldn’t believe that the guy I was watching would be Auburn’s starting quarterback. And I certainly would have never believed that he would be hoisting the SEC championship trophy three months later. At least, I wouldn’t have believed it based on his first outing. But as he did with every Auburn fan, he very rapidly won me over. What sets Nick Marshall apart as a not only a quarterback, but as a football player, isn’t something that can be taught. It really can’t even be quantified. It’s an intangible that precious few athletes possess, and it’s exactly the sought-after quality that separates the good from the great. But in Marshall’s case, it can be summed up in two words: clutch playmaker. Ever since he’s been in an Auburn uniform, Nick Marshall has always been a playmaker. Even when his accuracy and decision-making in the passing game were questionable, he was always a threat to break a big play. He could do anything. The strength of his arm has never been questioned. Many in the Auburn family have gawked in amazement as Nick Marshall would effortlessly sling the ball far downfield with a simple flick of his wrist.
He is hands down the most elusive runner Auburn has ever had at quarterback. With quick feet, and great vision and balance, Marshall can leave any defender spinning in circles.
And once he breaks into the open field, his 4.4 speed does the rest.
He's definitely one of the five best quarterbacks Auburn has ever had, arguably the third best (behind Cam Newton and Pat Sullivan). Because he never won any major awards on the national level, however, he will likely not be remembered by many as such. And that's a sad thought. In his two seasons, Marshall directed offenses that averaged 501.3 yards and 39.5 points per game in 2013, and 485 yards and 35.5 points this past season. Last year, Auburn led the SEC and the nation in rushing offense (328.3 yards per game), while finishing a close second in the conference this year (255.5 yards per game). Marshall's numbers weren't so bad, either. Through 27 games, Marshall amassed 4508 passing yards and 1866 rushing yards. He threw 34 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions, while rushing for 23 more. With the ball in his hands, he was as dangerous a player as anyone. He has had a wonderful (albeit rather short) career, but it's filled with some of the greatest, most memorable Auburn moments I've been privileged to witness. September 2013, Auburn trails by three at home against Mississippi State with less than two minutes to go. So what does Nick Marshall do? He only goes six of eight throwing on a flawless two-minute drill, capped off by an even more perfect touchdown pass to CJ Uzomah in the back corner of the end zone for the win. Oh, and that was his third game. It's also the game in which he actually (and statistically) threw a pass to himself.
September 2014, Auburn is on the road against ranked Kansas State, in a completely unknown environment. After throwing a beautiful fade route to Duke Williams for the lead earlier that quarter, Nick Marshall does he does. Facing a long third down in its own territory with less than two minutes to go, Auburn has a choice to make. Go for the conversion, or play it safe and give the ball back to Kansas State with a little bit of time to work. Auburn goes for it. And Nick Marshall makes it pay off. He throws a flawless pass over the middle, just out of the reach of a defender, but right into the outstretched arms of Duke Williams for a 39-yard gain into Kansas State territory. From there, Auburn kneels the ball three times. Game over. November 2013, Auburn trails Georgia 38-37 at home with just 36 seconds left on the clock. The Tigers have just blown a 20-point, fourth quarter lead, and after throwing two incompletions and taking a sack on the current drive, Nick Marshall now faces fourth down and 18 at his own 27-yard line. Logic would dictate that the game is over. But Nick Marshall never believes it. After dropping back, then stepping up to avoid the pressure, Marshall effortlessly heaves a literal prayer downfield toward a streaking Ricardo Louis and two Georgia defenders. Inexplicably, the ball bounces off the two defenders right into Louis’s outstretched arms, and he strolls into the end zone for the game winning touchdown.
To this day, it’s the only thing I’ve witnessed with my own two eyes that I would call a miracle. Later that same November (two weeks later, in fact), Auburn is going toe-to-toe with top-ranked Alabama. After trading blows the entire game, Auburn finds itself down 28-21 with 2:41 left. The Tigers stick to what they’re best at, running the ball with Tre Mason six times in a row, all the way down to the Alabama 39-yard line. Everyone thinks Auburn will hand the ball off to Mason again. But this time, Marshall keeps it. After running out to his left and drawing two Alabama defenders toward him, right at the line of scrimmage, he lofts a pass softly over their heads to a wide open Sammie Coates, who waltzes into the end zone untouched.
To this day, I have no idea if Marshall had an intention of throwing the ball when it was snapped, but no matter what, it is the ultimate testament to his improvisational prowess and calm nature. The 2013 Iron Bowl is remembered because of the Kick Six, as it should be. But Marshall’s touchdown to Coates mere minutes before made college football’s most remarkable play possible in the first place. Just as he has his entire Auburn career, Nick Marshall put his team in position to win. Marshall was more than just a spectacular playmaker. He was the catalyst that sparked Auburn's resurgence. Yes, Gus Malzahn has played as big a part in Auburn's return to relevancy as anyone, but a coach's offense is only as good as his quarterback. And led by Nick Marshall, Auburn's offense was spectacular. He was always calm, cool, and collected. He never wavered, never doubted himself. No moment was ever too big for Nick Marshall. Auburn will certainly miss him, probably more than most people realize. Ever since the bitter end to Auburn’s 2014 campaign, all eyes have been on rising junior Jeremy Johnson, who seems primed and ready to take the reins at quarterback next season. And while he certainly a great talent, the Auburn family should not be so quick to forget about Marshall. Remember that he won 20 games in two seasons. Remember that he has faced two Heisman quarterbacks, and outdueled one while coming up 13 seconds short against the other. Remember that when the game was on the line, there was no one better equipped to make the play Auburn needed than Nick Marshall. And he always made the play his team needed. After all, he’ll always be the Auburn quarterback who threw a pass to himself.
After Auburn's disappointing loss to Wisconsin, ending an underwhelming 2014 campaign, all eyes have turned to 2015. With new changes in the defensive coaching staff, an anticipated shift to a more pass-oriented offense behind rising junior Jeremy Johnson, and a slightly less daunting schedule, next season has the potential to be special. There are plenty of questions every Auburn fan is asking. Can Will Muschamp improve the defense? How soon could he accomplish such a feat? Assuming he earns the job, how successful will Jeremy Johnson be in his first year as a starter? Luckily, Matt Donaldson and I decided to answer all of these questions, and many more. So listen up. There's a lot to talk about.
It's never too early to start looking ahead. After all, if you never look ahead, you might find yourself running face first into a stop sign. Or you might open a carton of milk, only to find chunks of sour disgusting dairy gunk floating around in it. Or you might go buy a new Xbox, only to remember two weeks later that you still have to pay this thing called rent. The same goes for football. It's easy to get swept up in the sorrow of a bad season, wallowing in self-pity on account of the woes of your favorite team. Conversely, it's just as easy to focus too much on the current success of your team and ignore the fact that they lose 25 seniors and an All-American quarterback after January (looking at you, 2011 Auburn). No matter how good your team is or isn't this year, it can always be better next year. That's why it's important to look ahead, so you can know what to expect beyond this season. If you're not good at looking ahead, I'm here to help. I've compiled a nifty little list of current freshmen around the SEC who have A) made a big splash in the conference and will do so again in 2015, or B) weren't the number one guy this year, but are worth paying attention to next year. These are the young men of whom I speak:
Nick Chubb, Running back, Georgia Meet Todd Gurley 2.0. This freshman phenom was thrust into service when Gurley, a Heisman candidate, was sidelined by a suspension. And due to injuries in the Bulldogs' backfield, Chubb was the only option left. Turns out it wasn't a bad option, making Chubb the most obvious choice for this list. This freshman phenom took the SEC by storm, running for 1547 yards and 14 touchdowns, most of which came over the course of eight games, including his 266-yard, two touchdown explosion against Louisville in the Belk Bowl. Despite being the starter for a little over half the season, Chubb finished second in the SEC in rushing, only behind Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne. Displaying an angry, downhill running style combined with good breakaway speed, look for this tough, young tailback to carry the load for the Georgia offense in the coming season.
Leonard Fournette, Running back, LSU Say hello to the second most obvious choice for this list. If not for Nick Chubb’s midseason explosion, Fournette would likely have finished as the SEC’s Freshman of the Year. Like Chubb, the conference’s other freshman phenom didn’t quite hit his stride until midseason. However, unlike his Georgia counterpart, Fournette was not thrust into action due to a lack of depth at his position. He played early on because he was that good. And as the season wore on, he got better, so much so that by the end of the season, he was the primary ball carrier for LSU. Eclipsing the 1000-yard mark, along with ten touchdowns, this bruising back saved his best for last, running for 289 yards and three touchdowns on just 30 carries over his final two games. He’s probably the most naturally athletic player on this list, and combined with great balance, tailback vision, and homerun speed, he’s the ideal running back. Don’t be shocked by an even bigger sophomore season out of him.
Myles Garrett, Defensive end, Texas A&M This absolute stud of a defensive end was the only bright spot on an otherwise abysmal Texas A&M defense in 2014. The naturally gifted 6’5”, 250-pound lineman broke the SEC freshman sack record, tallying 11.5 sacks to go along with 70 total tackles (14 for loss). Garrett’s speed around the edge is the immediate focal point of his uncanny pass rush ability, but he also displays considerable strength in fighting through blocks. He provided the Aggies’ secondary with a bit of a safety net; it wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t stick with the opponent’s receivers, because Garrett would already have the quarterback on the ground.
JK Scott, Punter, Alabama If you're scoffing at me for getting excited about a punter, you clearly haven't seen this kid punt. This skeletal 6’4”, 185-pound freshman booted his way into the SEC’s top spot, averaging 48 yards a punt through the 12 games in which he recorded a punt. In all but one of those games, he averaged at least 42.8 yards per punt. He sailed no less than six punts of at least 60 yards, as well as blasting two punts 70 and 73 yards (the latter of which occurred in the Sugar Bowl). Those numbers probably sound really boring, but consider this: Alabama goes three-and-out at its own 25-yard line and is forced to punt. With normal punters, you would expect their opponent to take over outside of at least its own 30-yard line. But instead, after a 70-yard punt, the other team is starting with the ball inside their own 15-yard line. He’s the ultimate field position flipper.
Roc Thomas, Running back, Auburn One could argue that this highly touted freshman would have started for Auburn had he not been behind the SEC’s leading rusher, Cameron Artis-Payne, on the depth chart. Despite only tallying 214 yards and two touchdowns, this freshman showed us exactly why the hype surrounding him was so big on those few carries. He displayed a rare explosive ability through the tackles, locating the holes and quickly accelerating through them. He’s also as shifty as they get. In the latter half of the season, he was used as a change of pace back when Artis-Payne needed a breather, and returned kickoffs alongside speedster Corey Grant. Despite being part of a loaded backfield for 2015, Thomas appears first on the pecking order to be Auburn’s third straight 1000-yard rusher. Derek Barnett, Defensive end, Tennessee Second only to the freakish Myles Garrett, this extremely talented freshman made a lot of noise for a young, resurgent Tennessee squad. Although the Vols only finished 7-6, they turned a lot of heads with their energy and physical play, and Barnett was right in the middle of it. The 6’3”, 267-pound wrecking ball finished second in the SEC in tackles for loss with 20.5, and tied for fourth in sacks with ten. It should be a treat watching this young star grow with an Butch Jones’ ever-improving squad. Treon Harris, Quarterback, Florida 2014 started with Jeff Driskel as Florida’s quarterback. Under new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, Driskel was supposed to finally be transformed into the standout quarterback many thought he could be. Instead, he got benched in the middle of the season, during a bizarre 42-13 blowout loss at home to Missouri. Enter freshman Treon Harris. Though Harris couldn’t quite salvage the day against Missouri, he did make his first collegiate start the next week; and led the Gators to a 38-20 blowout win over Georgia, despite throwing only six passes. He’s been Florida’s go-to quarterback ever since. Now with Driskel transferring away, Harris will be the undisputed starter, and it’s probably a good thing, too. During a year in which Florida suffered from severe offensive ineptitude, Harris was one of the few players who could actually give the Gators a spark. His ability to extend plays with his legs was especially invaluable, as well as his ability to run the read option with Florida’s talented tailbacks. His accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, but give him a break, people. He’s just a freshman. A natural playmaker, look for Harris to put up significant numbers with Jim McElwain at the helm in 2015. Stanley “Boom” Williams, Running back, Kentucky “Boom’s” numbers won’t blow you away at first: 486 rushing yards with five touchdowns, 162 receiving yards and one touchdown, and 511 kick return yards. But put that all together, and what do you have (this is the part where you pull out your calculators)? For you lazy ones out there, it comes out to 1159 total yards. Still not impressed? He only played in ten of Kentucky’s 12 games. And once we do math one more time, we see that he averaged 115.9 total yards per game. That’s good for 14th in the SEC, while playing for a team that prefers to throw the ball more often than not. That’s a pretty successful freshman campaign, in my book. And with the constant improvement the Wildcats are under with Mark Stoops at the reigns, it’s hard not to see this kid’s numbers vastly increasing in the future. Speedy Noil, Wide receiver, Texas A&M This youngster wins the “best name” award for this list, hands down. And what a fitting name it is. The fastest player checking in here, this speedy receiver provided explosive plays all over the field, especially as a punt and kick returner. Although he didn’t put up incredibly stout numbers in his freshman campaign, he displayed enough of his game breaking speed to leave Aggies fans licking their chops. He averaged 12 yards a punt return, 23.9 yards per kick return, and put up a solid 583 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver. He ranked seventh in the SEC in all-purpose yards per game with 118.2 per outing. What he lacks in size (5’11”, 190), he certainly makes up for with a 4.4 40-yard dash time and blazing quickness. Ralph Webb, Running back, Vanderbilt Absolutely the only thing Vanderbilt had going for it on offense this season. That’s why Mr. Webb is on this list, in fact. At the surface, his numbers aren’t that fantastic. You have to consider, however, who he’s playing for. In a year of being on the 3-9 team that gets absolutely (and consistently) demolished by nearly every opponent, rushing for 907 yards and four touchdowns is quite an accomplishment. And the best part? He’s just a freshman. With even some adequate coaching and talent around him, Webb could develop into a true star in the SEC. Goodness knows Vanderbilt needs him.
Auburn's bowl loss to Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl was at the very least, disappointing. We all know the Tigers are better than what their 8-5 record will look like, but eventually, your mistakes catch up with you. From the penalties to blown coverages, missed tackles to missed field goals, Auburn could never seem to get out of its own way. Matt Donaldson accompanies me for a little therapeutic discussion about why Auburn lost, what they could have done to win, and what kind of fallout to expect. Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. You're about to hear some Auburn football talk.
I normally don't do this sort of thing- highlighting two bad plays in one week- but this mistake was just too good to pass up. And with bowl season winding down with a massive flurry of games all in one weekend, it was bound to happen. Part two of this week's edition comes to us from the Taxslayer Bowl between Tennessee and Iowa, a game in which Tennessee throttled poor Iowa. The Hawkeyes' poor performance was best encapsulated by possibly the most puzzling mental error I've seen in a long time. That's Iowa tailback Jonathan Parker. As I understand it, he's a rather dynamic playmaker; hence the reason he's returning kicks. But on this play, he's an idiot. I probably don't need to tell you all of the things that were wrong with this play, but for comedic purposes, I'm going to anyway. 1) He shouldn't have caught the ball in the first place; he was at the one-yard line when the ball fell into his arms. If he let it go, it almost certainly would've either bounced into the end zone (touchback) or bounced out of bounds (penalty, you start at your own 40-yard line). 2) YOU CAN'T THROW A FORWARD PASS ON A KICKOFF. EVER. Don't they teach these things to young football players now? 3) Even if he was allowed to throw the ball forward, it was a terrible throw. What started out as a weak shot put turned into one of those "ball is still live when it hits the ground" plays in Jackpot. 4) And even if it wasn't a horrendous throw, none of his teammates were looking at it. 5) It's actually a good thing there's a rule against throwing the ball forward whenever you want, because it saved Iowa from handing Tennessee another touchdown on a silver platter. But hey, he made a name for himself, right?
It finally happened. Not only did Florida State completely fall apart and finally lose a game, but Jameis Winston committed easily the worst (but also best) turnover of his career. Down 19 points to Oregon late in the third quarter, the Seminoles needed a spark. The game was getting away from them, so they rolled the dice on fourth down and five. This particular gamble, however, ended up being the nail in Florida State's coffin. This laughably amazing play (that I could watch over and over, and not get tired of) totally encompasses how bad the second half of the Rose Bowl was for Florida State. Seriously, I can't stop laughing. Even if my violent laughter wasn't coming at the expense of a player I vehemently dislike, the play itself is utterly hilarious. It looks like Super Mario dropped a banana on the ground as he raced by Winston, and after the former Heisman winner slipped on it, the ref took a tumble too (for reasons I still can't figure out). To make matters worse for Florida State, they wouldn't see another point on the board that night, as Oregon ran away with the playoff victory, 59-20. Remember, the score was 18-13 at halftime. Not exactly the way you want your first playoff game to be remembered. But since it happened to "Famous Jameis," I'm okay with it.
Almost, but not quite. It's been the story of Auburn football this season. A year with high hopes and championship expectations, right on the heels of the greatest comeback in college football history, arguably in sports history, has ended in disappointment. Disappointment that mirrors the dissatisfaction of the season as a whole. Even with the desire to finish strong in the Outback Bowl, to prove that they were better than their 8-4 record, the Tigers simply couldn't overcome their own mistakes. Even the added motivation of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp watching couldn't cancel out the devastating consequences of poor tackling, and boneheaded penalties on both sides of the ball. Despite plenty of opportunities, Auburn couldn't take care of business, a strange phenomenon that has been occurring since mid-October. It's been a disturbing trend, a mind-boggling inability to finish football games, compounded by the memories of so many thrilling finishes from the year before. The 2014 Auburn Tigers were supposed to be an improved, modified version of their 2013 counterparts who fell 13 seconds short of winning a national championship. The return of Nick Marshall and several key defensive contributors, arrival of Duke Williams, with momentum and looming unfinished business carried over from last season gave every indication of a second straight special season. But as Auburn has learned the hard way that you're only as good as you'll allow yourself to be. And this year, Auburn's greatest enemy has been Auburn. Playing what most consider to be the nation's most difficult schedule, the Tigers' final 8-5 mark isn't terrible. There are plenty teams who would love to finish a Power Five conference schedule with an 8-5 record. But when you were playing in the national championship the year before, you're not supposed to go 8-5 the next year. When you return your starting senior quarterback and give him another dynamic receiver, you're supposed to be better. This was not how the 2014 season was supposed to go. This year, Auburn was supposed to finish what it had started a year ago, complete the journey to a national title. The Tigers were hungry, motivated, even angry. They believed themselves to be capable of making it to and winning the national championship. The last season Auburn played after playing in the national title game prior to this season was 2011, months after reaping the benefits of Cam Newton’s freak-of-natureness. Their record that season? 8-5. The 2012 season was next up, and we all know how that went down. But just as no two football games are exactly alike, no two seasons are totally the same. In 2011, it felt as though Auburn somehow snuck its way into eight wins. Close shaves with Utah State, Mississippi State, and South Carolina were the difference between finishing 7-5 or 4-8 in the regular season. In a sense, the Tigers overachieved that season, especially considering the loss of Newton, Nick Fairley, and twenty-something seniors from the year before. But 2014 was different. This year, close calls against Texas A&M, Alabama, and Wisconsin were the difference between a strong 11-2 finish and its very modest, real-life 8-5 mark. Take away two early turnovers against Mississippi State, and you might even be looking at 12-1, not counting the probable SEC championship berth in that scenario. Time after time, Auburn just came up short. This year felt like a massive underachievement in comparison to last season. Still feeling the pain of the worst season in school history, the 2013 Auburn Tigers banded together under a dynamic new head coach, united by a common theme: “it’s a new day.” Eager to bounce back in a huge way, these Tigers spent all of last season proving literally everyone wrong. This year, there was no one to prove wrong, only expectations to live up to. 2013 was a special season no matter which way you spin it, but it becomes more glorified when set next to its pedestrian expectations beforehand. No one expected Auburn to become that good again, that fast. 2013 was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Wouldn’t it make more sense for the 8-5 season to come after 2012, then the spectacular 12-2, SEC championship-winning season next? But that’s not how the cards fell. Auburn did (very improbably) make it to the national championship game last year, and levied championship expectations on themselves this season. And it turns out they might not have been ready for them. The glaring problems didn’t seem nearly as prevalent in the early going, when Auburn started the season 5-0, a run capped by a surprising and satisfying blowout win over LSU. But from the Mississippi State game on, the Tigers suddenly lost their ability to finish games; in fact, they seemed determined to undermine themselves. Penalties, missed tackles, blown coverages, foolish turnovers, and missed field goals became the subject of discussion after all of Auburn’s last eight games. Even the victories left some sort of bad taste in the mouths of the Auburn family, as the head-scratching, self-inflicted errors were just as present. But it wasn’t just the mistakes that made this season frustrating; it was the fact that a very good football team was sinking themselves with those mistakes. Simply put, Auburn has always been better than their mistakes. Their wins over Ole Miss, LSU, and Kansas State were not accidents. The fact that they played Alabama so close, controlling the game for at least two quarters, proves that Auburn can, in fact, compete with anyone on the football field. But the difference between this season and last season was the motivation. Last year, Auburn was fighting to prove itself after being the laughingstock of the SEC. This year, Auburn was expected to maintain the level of success that took them to the championship game, but without quite as strong a sense of inspiration as in 2013. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Auburn was slacking off all year. I’m not saying they weren’t motivated. I have complete confidence that it hurt them more than it hurt any Auburn fan to see a notch in the loss column. But for whatever reason, the Tigers weren’t as laser focused; the penalties and unforced errors prove that. And this year, they didn’t get better as the season wore on. Part of that can be attributed to the worst schedule I’ve ever seen a college football team play through. But no matter the reason, Auburn just couldn’t get over their own mistakes, and it was never more evident than down the stretch. There are no excuses anymore for Auburn; there have been none this season. From here on out, the Tigers will be expected to compete in an increasingly brutal SEC West, no matter what schedule they’re playing. In a way, that’s encouraging. Despite the ultimate disappointment of this season’s finish, Auburn fans should take pride in the fact that the Tigers have now earned the respect of the rest of the conference and the nation. However, Auburn can’t keep shooting itself in the foot. They will have to become more disciplined and repossess their killer instinct if they hope to repeat their success in 2013, and build on the success they had at many times this season. We all know they’re capable of more. They’re capable of winning championships.
They say football is a game of inches. Most associate that saying with yardage, the ground that the offense gains or the defense defends. But there are countless other aspects of a football game that are decided by mere inches. The difference between a Hail Mary being knocked to the ground or slipping into the waiting arms of a receiver is a few inches. The difference between a defensive end knocking the ball out of a quarterback's hand or not is less than half a foot. An inch or two decides whether Daniel Carlson's game-tying kick floats harmlessly through the uprights or cruelly bounces off of them with a resounding clang. Three inches. These are what ultimately ended Auburn's 2014 campaign in disappointment. They separated a strong finish from a numbing loss. With a chance to send the Outback Bowl into a second overtime, Auburn's freshman kicker pulled the kick just too far to the right. Auburn 31, Wisconsin 34. For the fourth time in five games, the Tigers suffered a defeat they could just as easily have spared themselves of. The last month and a half, Auburn hasn't been able to topple anyone not named Samford, the reasons for which were never more evident than in the game against Wisconsin. Against Melvin Gordon, the nation's leading rusher, the Tigers defense once again was about as useful as paperweights on the field. The Badgers rolled up 400 rushing yards, running up, over, around, and through a battered and bruised Auburn defense on their way to a record-setting game. Late in the game, the defense could not get the Wisconsin offense off the field, capping a less than satisfactory day despite a good outing from the offense. The Auburn offense put up 435 yards of total offense, led by 217 yards and two touchdowns by Nick Marshall, and 126 yards and two touchdowns from Cameron Artis-Payne. Both seniors turned in strong performances in their last games wearing orange and blue; sadly, their efforts were in vain. As per usual in the second half of what started as a promising season, Auburn couldn't finish. Even after answering Wisconsin's first touchdown with 14 points of their own to take a 14-7 lead into the half, Auburn couldn't finish. Even after putting up a touchdown to take the lead with three minutes to go, Auburn couldn't finish. Even after forcing three interceptions, all in Tiger territory, Auburn couldn't finish. Even behind yet another balanced offensive performance, Auburn couldn't finish. Even with all of their grit and talent, Auburn just couldn't come up with the plays they needed at the end. It was extremely frustrating for everyone involved. Of course the feelings of the players and coaches can't be spoken for, but through the TV, their frustration seemed evident. It was frustrating that throughout the whole game, the defense couldn't tackle anyone. It was frustrating that the offense fell completely flat in overtime. It was frustrating that Carlson missed two field goals. And just like every other game Auburn has played this season, they had ample opportunity to come away with a win. Just like all of Auburn's losses this season, this one stings. It's one thing to never feel like you belong in a game. It's one thing to be blown out in big games, maybe even the ones you were supposed to win. It's something else entirely to lose a game you should have won at the last second by self-inflicted sounds. To sink your own ship by blowing holes in it rather than your opponent's. Penalties, horrendous tackling, and poor pass blocking were the cannon balls that sunk Auburn's ship. And even an offense as prolific as Gus Malzahn's couldn't keep them afloat. Auburn stayed above water until the last second, a moment they used to thrive in, when one final mistake finally did them in. The Outback Bowl loss was the culmination of all of the self-inflicted adversity the Tigers had experienced this season, so it was only natural that they would lose in the most painful way possible. Daniel Carlson, a fairly reliable kicker (for a freshman), was lined up and ready to extend the game and give Auburn a chance to win a game it had every right winning. But as Auburn learned the hard way, your mistakes always catch up with you. Don't be deceived, Auburn was more than capable of winning. I might even argue that Auburn is the better team. But just as they've done all season, they've killed themselves late with foolish, mind-numbing mistakes. Mistakes that could be so easily avoided. In many ways, Auburn played like they deserved to win the game. But in just as many ways, particularly on defense and special teams, they played like they didn't. Those moments they didn't deserve to win were the ones that shone out in the game's critical moments. Inches. Inches are all that separated Auburn from victory and defeat. And it's sad to see the Tigers in those positions when they could just as easily be miles ahead of the rest. It's as true as it's been all year, Auburn was as good as they would allow themselves to be. Against Wisconsin, Auburn allowed themselves to be the lesser team in the end. But they should have been better.
