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How Lucky Is Auburn?

AUbritt

By AUbritt
in AU Football Forum

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AUbritt Founding Father

AUbritt 611

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Scarbo:

How lucky is Auburn? This lucky.

Lucky enough that the other team can't make field goals in a close game. Like Alabama in the Iron Bowl last year, Kansas State missed three Thursday night in Auburn's 20-14 escape. Kinda like what happened for Alabama against Tennessee in 2009. Or for LSU against Auburn in 2005, when the visiting Tigers missed five in Baton Rouge.

How lucky is Auburn? This lucky.

Lucky enough that a sure-handed Kansas State receiver bobbled a certain touchdown pass into an interception early in the game Thursday night. Kinda like what happened to Auburn last night when its juco sensation at wideout dropped a certain touchdown pass behind the defense. Or in 2003 when a sure-handed Auburn receiver dropped what should've been the game-winning touchdown pass all by his lonesome in the end zone against Ole Miss.

How lucky is Auburn? This lucky.

Lucky enough that a veteran safety got himself suspended indefinitely this week on the eve of a road game in a hostile and unfamiliar environment against a ranked team with a quality quarterback and dangerous receivers. Lucky enough that a sure tackler in kick coverage pulled a hamstring on a game-changing Florida State kick return for a touchdown in the national title game.

How lucky is Auburn? This lucky.

Lucky enough that Ohio State lost the Big Ten Championship Game last year, allowing the Tigers to earn a berth in the BCS Championship Game. Kinda like what happened for Alabama in 2011 when Oklahoma State missed a field goal and lost at Iowa State, allowing the Tide to earn a rematch in the BCS Championship Game.

How lucky is Auburn? This lucky. For two years now, with two memorable exceptions in Baton Rouge and Pasadena, every time the Tigers have been presented with good fortune, they've been good enough to take advantage of it, and every time they've been faced with bad fortune, they've been good enough to overcome it.

That won't continue to be the case if the offensive line doesn't get its act together and the running game struggles against good competition as it did against Kansas State, but Gus Malzahn's brief history as a college head coach suggests there will be work and there will be progress from here.

Good and bad, for you and against you, luck runs both ways. You can say Auburn under Malzahn has been good and lucky, and you're right - as long as you say it in that order.

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AUbritt Founding Father

AUbritt 611

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good post Britt

Scarbo has had a couple of columns praising our win at K-State. It's more interesting than it might otherwise be, since he;s on that Shadow Selection Committee.

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ReidMcLain Proficient

ReidMcLain 75

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Name a team that went undefeated in the BCS era that didn't get lucky, or had a close game that was determined by a few significant plays. That's football, that's how it is and that's how it always will be. Where there are close games there are plays that specifically affect the outcome more than others. It's part of the game. I stand in awe at how Auburn can take so much crap for a win against a top 20 opponent on the road like this. According to the rankings only 14 teams separated us... THAT's IT. Is a close win against a quality opponent is not enough anymore? Are we not allowed to make mistakes ever? Why does Kansas State get the pass for messing up but Auburn doesn't? Florida state beats an at the time unranked oklahoma state team by 6 on a neutral field, and they're still clearly the number 1 team in the country, but Auburn does the same thing and doesn't belong in the top 10? What did I miss? When did logic fly out the window and when was it replaced by all this anti-Auburn, anti-SEC, Auburn-is-ALWAYS-lucky bull? Please someone tell me

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Stripe Founding Father

Stripe 5

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Last time I checked luck is a figment of your imagination. It doesn't exist. Your either good enough to take advantage of others mistakes and overcome your own, or your not. It's that simple.

Still good article, first time i have seen someone take a realistic approach to Auburn's so called "luck" outside of Auburn fans.

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AU64 Founding Father

AU64 10,122

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Last time I checked luck is a figment of your imagination. It doesn't exist. Your either good enough to take advantage of others mistakes and overcome your own, or your not. It's that simple.

Still good article, first time i have seen someone take a realistic approach to Auburn's so called "luck" outside of Auburn fans.

Kinda agree here...every team makes mistakes....just part of the game all the way up to the NFL. Any Sunday, you will see players drop passes, QBs overthrow wide open receivers, guys miss tackles or drop punts, miss a block, or fumble at a crucial moment. Many people commenting on this board seem to only see the AU mistakes and act as if it's possible to play a perfect game....which it definitely is not. And some "mistakes" are caused by good play from the opposition which we rarely give credit for either. But, in general, well coached teams and experienced players make fewer mistakes....but they still make mistakes.

It's all about taking advantage when that happens....and keeping the other guy from taking advantage of your own mistakes. Outsiders (or the opposition) might call it "luck" but IMO, it's just a matter of who rises to the occasion at a big moment. AU has been pretty good at doing that for the past several seasons and in a tongue in cheek manner, Scarb is noting that point.

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AU64 Founding Father

AU64 10,122

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missed the point didn't you a4....but that's ok, with any luck it will eventually come to you.

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augolf1716 Founding Father

augolf1716 21,095

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Auburn was very luck to come away with a win over Kansas State. KSU was fired up and it showed. Auburn wasn't and it showed even more.

luck had zero to do with it old wise one

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ToraGirl Founding Father

ToraGirl 5,498

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Neah...He doesn't...but I think my favorite team has the Lord...at least at the top. Prayerful that it will trickle down! :jossun::wareagle:

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RyanAUfan Apprentice

RyanAUfan 0

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missed the point didn't you a4....but that's ok, with any luck it will eventually come to you.

haha "any luck" thats a good one. Auburn will learn from this and make adjustments, and I'm good with the luck train, it happens in every game.

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AU64 Founding Father

AU64 10,122

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Neah...He doesn't...but I think my favorite team has the Lord...at least at the top. Prayerful that it will trickle down! :jossun::wareagle:

Reminds me of the story of the kid who was at a baseball game with his priest. The batter stepped up and "crossed himself". The kid turned to the priest and asked...."will that help him get a hit"....the priest replied...."only if he can hit a curve ball".

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Weegle777 Founding Father

Weegle777 78

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Last time I checked luck is a figment of your imagination. It doesn't exist. Your either good enough to take advantage of others mistakes and overcome your own, or your not. It's that simple.

Still good article, first time i have seen someone take a realistic approach to Auburn's so called "luck" outside of Auburn fans.

Definitely agree my brotha.
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WarTiger Founding Father

WarTiger 3,896

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Auburn was very luck to come away with a win over Kansas State. KSU was fired up and it showed. Auburn wasn't and it showed even more.

not true but thanks for trying.

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JFDTiger80 Founding Father

JFDTiger80 790

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At the end of the game, we had a 1st and 10 at about the 22 of K State. Chances are we would have scored again. No luck was needed though, we were already winning.

AU left at least 14 to 21 other points on the field with dropped passes.

That being said, we were not in sync running the ball and it was not a stellar win, but it was a win on the road against a top 20 team.

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danno Collaborator

danno 2

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Dead on JFDTiger80. I have heard many times how lucky we were and I agree with you. I was on my way home from the game in the airport and heard a UA fan say to a Virginia fan how lucky we were. I wanted to say something but I didn't.

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Rednilla Founding Father

Rednilla 5,383

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Last time I checked luck is a figment of your imagination. It doesn't exist. Your either good enough to take advantage of others mistakes and overcome your own, or your not. It's that simple.

Still good article, first time i have seen someone take a realistic approach to Auburn's so called "luck" outside of Auburn fans.

"Every event is inevitable. If it wasn't, it wouldn't happen."

--Bob Gale

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