Sports writers pick the game

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Auburn to run away with it

Friday, November 19, 2004

Staff report

The last time the Iron Bowl was played in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a prohibitive favorite. In fact, practically every sportswriter in the state predicted a Tide victory. Every one, that is, except one.

In 2002, the Mobile Register's Cassandra M. Taylor went against conventional wisdom and picked Auburn to beat Alabama by 10 points. Auburn beat Alabama by 10 points.

After correctly picking Auburn to win last year's game, Taylor is predicting another upset, this time by a score of 17-14. She is the only one of 16 Mobile Register sports staff members to predict the Tide to spoil Auburn's perfect season Saturday. In fact, the average predicted score for this year's game is Auburn 29, Alabama 11. Here are this year's predictions. ҏ.T. Beverly: Nothing stops a winning team's momentum like a rivalry game. This contest reeks of the 1989 Iron Bowl in which an undefeated, second-ranked Alabama team vying for a national championship entered Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time before limping away with a loss and a lame duck head coach. The Tide might have the perfect opportunity for payback if it weren't for injuries. Those injuries will be the difference and Auburn will pull away late.

Auburn 30, Alabama 20.

҇areth Clary: Alabama has shown that when it plays real teams, it gets manhandled in the fourth quarter. Auburn is for real and this one could be over in the first quarter since the Crimson Tide can't pass.

Auburn 31, Alabama 13.

҂ruce Gentry: Let's see. Do we like that Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville is on a two-game win streak against Alabama or do we hate that he is 3-6 overall against the Tide? Do we consider that he is 11-12 away from Jordan-Hare or that he is 2-0 at Bryant-Denny? Does it matter that he is 25-13 in day games, but his Tigers are 3-7 on CBS? If we focus on players and talent, Auburn should win handily. But if Tubs flubs one as he is prone to do, Alabama has a chance. Not this week, but watch out down the road.

Auburn 27, Alabama 16.

Mark Heim: ғpencer Pennington couldn't throw the ball in the ocean if he were standing on the beach. Auburn's offensive playbook expands faster than Phil Fulmer's nose at a deposition. No need to gas up the Colonial Bank jet this week.

Auburn 31, Alabama 13.

ҍike Herndon: Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity for Alabama to pay Auburn back for 1989, when the Tide went rolling onto the Plains undefeated and limped back home with a big fat L? It would, except for one problem: Alabama doesn't have the horses. With the Tide getting little to no production from its quarterback, the only chance Alabama has of pulling the upset is to get a monster day from a banged-up Ken Darby and to hope Auburn makes some mistakes. This, after the Tigers played a nearly flawless game against Georgia last week.

Auburn 24, Alabama 10.

Ҕommy Hicks: While picking the winner of this game would seem an easy chore, based on the records, talent, confidence level and other factors that go into making such a choice, one can't help but look back at recent seasons. In 2002, Alabama was ranked No. 9 and was the overwhelming choice to beat an unranked Auburn team; Auburn won 17-7. The previous year, Auburn was No. 17 and Alabama unranked, the Tigers the clear choice; Alabama won 31-7. That's the kind of game this is. Auburn is the clear choice this year and I'm sticking with the clear choice.

Auburn 31, Alabama 10.

ҍark Inabinett: Alabama needs its special teams and its defensive unit to score to win this game, and they better do it early. Otherwise, Auburn will put Alabama in a first-half hole, rendering useless the one dimension of the Tide's one-dimensional offense. Considering that the Tigers haven't given up a defensive or kick-return TD this season, are outscoring their opponents 109-9 in the first quarter and have so much to play for, that's too much to ask.

Auburn 27, Alabama 17.

Ғandy Kennedy: The best team Alabama has beaten in two seasons under Mike Shula is Southern Miss. Auburn hasn't lost to anybody in more than a year. Neither of those facts will change this week. Alabama's strengths -- an aggressive defense and a strong straight-ahead running game -- match up perfectly against Auburn, but unless Alabama suddenly discovers a passing game threat Auburn is simply too strong and playing far too well.

Auburn 24, Alabama 10.

Ҏeal McCready: Danny Sheridan once said that Alabama's walk-ons are better than most teams' starters. We just might see a test of that theory Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa. The Tide is beat up and thin. Auburn is deep, healthy and oh-so-talented. The game should be a mismatch unless the walk-on theory proves accurate. Anybody have any idea where I can get some of that Crimson Kool-Aid?

Auburn 28, Alabama 9.

Ҕhomas Murphy: Remember Tre Smith's entry into Iron Bowl lore in 2002? If Auburn's backfield was beaten up for that game, Alabama's is eviscerated for this one. Though the Crimson Tide will battle gamely, Auburn has far too many offensive weapons to corral and its defense is too fast and physical to give up repeated Alabama scores. Short of a half-dozen major mistakes by the Tigers with ball security and special teams, it is nigh impossible to concoct a scenario where the Crimson Tide takes out a Tiger team stalking a spot in the BCS national championship game.

Auburn 27, Alabama 10.

҄avid Rainer: Sitting in a tree stand, I've had plenty of time to ponder this game. Nahhhh. It only took about five seconds. Auburn is arguably the best team in the nation, and this won't be fun to watch for Tide fans. The old adage that you can "throw out the records" because of the rivalry won't apply Saturday.

Auburn 38, Alabama 6.

ҋim Shugart: When was the last time Alabama was a 10-point dog at Bryant-Denny Stadium? No one is giving the Crimson Tide much chance of knocking off second-ranked Auburn and spoiling the Tigers' perfect season and that makes sense. This Iron Bowl is a definite mismatch, an average team playing against the best team in the nation. The final score will reflect so.

Auburn 31, Alabama 6.

҃assandra M. Taylor: This will be the best defensive unit the Tigers have faced all season and defense normally wins big games. With nothing to lose, the Crimson Tide will lay it all on the line. Offensively, Alabama might struggle, but the defense will carry the team.

Alabama 17, Auburn 14.

Ҋimmy Wigfield: Auburn would have to suffer six turnovers, five major-distance penalties, four season-ending injuries (to Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown and Al Borges, who would have to be rolled over on the sidelines and knocked unconscious), three Alabama kickoff returns for touchdowns (possible, since the Tide should be returning a lot of kickoffs Saturday), two safeties and one instance of Tommy Tuberville going for it on fourth-and 25 from his own 1-yard line for the Crimson Tide to spring the upset. On a positive note for Bama fans, Daniel Moore will release in time for Christmas a new painting entitled "Payback," with Tommy Gallion (with help from the Bear) shown throwing lightning bolts down from the sky to strike NCAA headquarters and Phil Fulmer in the parking lot of a Knoxville-area Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Auburn 31, Alabama 10.

҅van Woodbery: With two great defenses, look to the other side of the ball for the difference. Auburn's offense has moved the ball effectively since the first game. Alabama has struggled on offense since Brodie Croyle's injury. With so much on the line for the Tigers, it's hard to imagine a breakdown on Saturday.

Auburn 27, Alabama 10.

Ґete Zurales: The last time Auburn was undefeated and won a national championship was back in 1957. Auburn beat Alabama 40-0 that year. Sounds good to me.

Auburn 40, Alabama 0.

[aumoore 0]

I hear that Cassandra M. Taylor predicted that Iraq would beat the infidels.

[AirForceforAU 0]

Ҋimmy Wigfield: Auburn would have to suffer six turnovers, five major-distance penalties, four season-ending injuries (to Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown and Al Borges, who would have to be rolled over on the sidelines and knocked unconscious), three Alabama kickoff returns for touchdowns (possible, since the Tide should be returning a lot of kickoffs Saturday), two safeties and one instance of Tommy Tuberville going for it on fourth-and 25 from his own 1-yard line for the Crimson Tide to spring the upset. On a positive note for Bama fans, Daniel Moore will release in time for Christmas a new painting entitled "Payback," with Tommy Gallion (with help from the Bear) shown throwing lightning bolts down from the sky to strike NCAA headquarters and Phil Fulmer in the parking lot of a Knoxville-area Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Auburn 31, Alabama 10.

Thats the funniest thing i've read all day hah

[AlohaTiger 0]

40 - 0 Sounds good to me too!!!

Let history repeat herself!!!!

[Tigermike 3,007]

I hear that Cassandra M. Taylor predicted that Iraq would beat the infidels.

124050[/snapback]

She also picked the Taliban in Afghanistan.

[Raven_tiger 5]

40-0 would be an early Christmas present via Santa Tubby!!!

[Rockthecasbah6 0]

Not to point out the obvious, but 40-0 was the score in 1957.