"Style Points"

[Ranger12 46]

We gave up 17 points. We also had an LB make a great interception in the endzone against the best WR in the SEC and we also defended him successfully in the endzone with the game on the line. Kenny went over 100 yds, Brandon had a decent game and we held the ball for an entire quarter. I've never seen that before. USC was sky high and played well.

You said it. USC played almost a perfect game. That happens, even to the worst teams and SC is not one of the worst teams in the SEC.

Like G2 said, we were not prepared for their offensive game plan. I think it is obvious we underestimated Newton and could not adust. I think that is the strangest thing of all. Mucshcamp is one of the best at making adjustments during the game. They simply had us confused tonight. The good thing is that our coaches are the best and smartes there is in college football. They will look at the tape and make the changes, especially on defense. Now, if the defensive play does stay the same and the next few games are like tonight, then you may hear me doing some yelling at Mushcamp myself. But, one bad game is not enough to even get worried about. Sorry, but I don't count the Buffalo game last week because I don't think the players or coaches were even up for that game. That game was just to recover from the LSU game. In retrospect, it sure looks like it was a good thing we had that game scheduled before a short week against SC.

[Raven_tiger 5]

We do not look like a good D team now. We cetainly do not look like a #2 team with 5 games under its belt. Auburn has one big problem. We fail over and over to live up to high expectations. We have to learn how to win a game and get some respect from the polls.

We do seem to fall on our face when we have an opportunity to showcase the program...

[AuNuma1 1]

No, Auburn isn't a media darling. But even if Auburn were to run up the score on teams, they STILL wouldn't be media darlings. I'm over worrying about impressing voters. It's not going to happen and all you and I and every other Auburn fan can do is just be happy about an Auburn win. That's it.

The bottom line is that it's still too early to be worrying about BCS polls anyway...too much football left.

[GalensGhost 0]

Here's something I think everyone -- from the fans to the coaches to the players -- has forgotten.

Auburn is now in the position where every team we play is going to pull out everything they have to beat us. We are going to get everyone's best game.

AU won without playing very well. SC lost while playing its best game in the last two years.

We do need to figure out that when we play Arkansas next week they are going to pour heart and soul into beating us. What did beating Bama get them? Nutt on the bandstand acting a fool. Nothing else. What does beating AU get them? National recognition. Fawining media. Contract extensions. A chance to beat AU is now a big deal. We wear the target. Better learn to live with it.

[edgecy 3]

You hit the nail on the head with that statement. We have had too many talking about the MNC only four games into the season. I have tried to counter that whenever I could. I made the comment a couple of days ago about us making sure we don't eat crow when demanding respect. We found out tonight we are not where we thought we were. We have some issues to work out, but because of all the hype, there are way too many thinking we are done because of one bad game, even though we won.

Look, I watched the same game everybody else did. I yelled at the TV several times. Just ask Blonde Wasabi. However, I am more relieved that we got a road win with our weaknesses being exposed. My point is that isn't it better to have those weaknesses exposed and come out with a win rather then a defeat? I guess it depends on how you look at the old "is the glass half full or empty" cliche. To me, I say the glass is half full. If we were not a top 5 team, we would have gotten beaten tonight with our defense getting exposed like that. However, our offense made the plays when necessary, our head coach made the calls when necessary, and the defense made the holds when necessary, to win the game.

Be happy that the coaches now saw the holes in the defense, but we still came away with the win. Now the coaches can fix those holes so that better teams can't beat us with those same weaknesses.

Ranger, no one has said "WE ARE DONE!" We won a very bad game against a team that Georgis shut oput three weeks ago. A team that barely beat Wofford. A team that did not score a Normal TD against MSU. We had to get a last second drop to beat a team with 2 Fr on the OL and a WR at QB.

We won, but we may have lost a shot at the BCSCG even if we win out. We looked horrible on D. We did not stop them but one time since the 1st Quarter. It was an awfully called d game. We saw the same problems we saw against Buffalo. We just could not stop anything. We had the ball ALL of the 3rd and then only 6 plays of the 4th.

We do not look like a good D team now. We cetainly do not look like a #2 team with 5 games under its belt. Auburn has one big problem. We fail over and over to live up to high expectations. We have to learn how to win a game and get some respect from the polls.

We dont know how the rest of the NCAA will do this weekend, but I am going to be sick watching this D the rest of the season unless they improve dramatically.

WELL SAID! Nobody is chanting sky is falling, we saw problems and we pointed them out. Sure, it's a long season, but we are now 5 games into it and we did not look like our D was in full gear!

[Ranger12 46]

Ranger, no one has said "WE ARE DONE!" We won a very bad game against a team that Georgis shut oput three weeks ago. A team that barely beat Wofford. A team that did not score a Normal TD against MSU. We had to get a last second drop to beat a team with 2 Fr on the OL and a WR at QB.

We won, but we may have lost a shot at the BCSCG even if we win out. We looked horrible on D. We did not stop them but one time since the 1st Quarter. It was an awfully called d game. We saw the same problems we saw against Buffalo. We just could not stop anything. We had the ball ALL of the 3rd and then only 6 plays of the 4th.

We do not look like a good D team now. We cetainly do not look like a #2 team with 5 games under its belt. Auburn has one big problem. We fail over and over to live up to high expectations. We have to learn how to win a game and get some respect from the polls.

We dont know how the rest of the NCAA will do this weekend, but I am going to be sick watching this D the rest of the season unless they improve dramatically.

You are a good friend David, which is why I don't mind disagreeing with you. But I have to stand by what I said. If you read that game thread, there were too many dumping on the defense and making it sound like we had the worst defense in the country and Mushcamp was a horrible choice as DC. Heck, you were even hollering for Gibbs to come back. I know you were not being serious, but some of the other's posts I read seemed to echo that feeling for real.

My point is that if you were to count the negative posts over the positive posts tonight, after a win, you would think the sky was falling.

[duckhuntersc 0]

Here's something I think everyone -- from the fans to the coaches to the players -- has forgotten.

Auburn is now in the position where every team we play is going to pull out everything they have to beat us. We are going to get everyone's best game.

AU won without playing very well. SC lost while playing its best game in the last two years.

We do need to figure out that when we play Arkansas next week they are going to pour heart and soul into beating us. What did beating Bama get them? Nutt on the bandstand acting a fool. Nothing else. What does beating AU get them? National recognition. Fawining media. Contract extensions. A chance to beat AU is now a big deal. We wear the target. Better learn to live with it.

I know the is an Auburn thread and I dont mean to interfere but, I don't agree with you but it was our best game in 2 years. We played a great game when we beat Florida last year, we also played great beating Tennessee on the road.

[autiger162005 0]

No, Auburn isn't a media darling. But even if Auburn were to run up the score on teams, they STILL wouldn't be media darlings. I'm over worrying about impressing voters. It's not going to happen and all you and I and every other Auburn fan can do is just be happy about an Auburn win. That's it.

The bottom line is that it's still too early to be worrying about BCS polls anyway...too much football left.

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection. And I would expect everyone else to be the same. I won't settle for mediocrity. And before you even say it.. I know we are undefeated, 5-0, yadayadayada.. but we played very poor tonight.. had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

No, Auburn isn't a media darling. But even if Auburn were to run up the score on teams, they STILL wouldn't be media darlings. I'm over worrying about impressing voters. It's not going to happen and all you and I and every other Auburn fan can do is just be happy about an Auburn win. That's it.

The bottom line is that it's still too early to be worrying about BCS polls anyway...too much football left.

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection. And I would expect everyone else to be the same. I won't settle for mediocrity. And before you even say it.. I know we are undefeated, 5-0, yadayadayada.. but we played very poor tonight.. had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

Perfection is too much to ask for out of them. Why I hate style point games. Players worry too much about being perfect and impressive instead of playing loose and with confidence and doing what they know how to do. They try and force things. Then when a mistake happens they worry about the perception of it instead of shaking it off and focusing on the play at hand. They try to hard to make that perfect play or impressive play instead of doing what they know how to do and it becomes detrimental to their performance.

[Ranger12 46]

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection. And I would expect everyone else to be the same. I won't settle for mediocrity. And before you even say it.. I know we are undefeated, 5-0, yadayadayada.. but we played very poor tonight.. had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

Thus the reason for my "sounding like bammers" comment. Heck, I'm not happy with the way we played either, but to say you are not happy with an Auburn win, that smells exactly like a bammer comment.

[GalensGhost 0]

Here's something I think everyone -- from the fans to the coaches to the players -- has forgotten.

Auburn is now in the position where every team we play is going to pull out everything they have to beat us. We are going to get everyone's best game.

AU won without playing very well. SC lost while playing its best game in the last two years.

We do need to figure out that when we play Arkansas next week they are going to pour heart and soul into beating us. What did beating Bama get them? Nutt on the bandstand acting a fool. Nothing else. What does beating AU get them? National recognition. Fawining media. Contract extensions. A chance to beat AU is now a big deal. We wear the target. Better learn to live with it.

I know the is an Auburn thread and I dont mean to interfere but, I don't agree with you but it was our best game in 2 years. We played a great game when we beat Florida last year, we also played great beating Tennessee on the road.

I saw both those games and given the circumstances, I think SC played as well or better tonight than they did in either of the games you mentioned. I certainly didn't mean that as a slam, I thought SC played very well tonight.

For the record? I'm glad SC comes off the schedule next season. It's never any fun playing a Spurrier-coached team when he starts to figure some things out.

[AuNuma1 1]

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection.

If you're not happy with an Auburn win, that's your problem. How an Auburn win is viewed in the eyes of "voters", I couldn't care less. And technically, 5-0 is perfection...sounds like you have issues.

had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

Had your mom been born with balls, she'd be your dad. So what? We won an SEC game on the road under the lights and rain. The coaches get paid a lot of money to keep our team ready for ballgames. I'll leave it up to them to make adjustments for some of the things that went wrong tonight. And I guess we'll all just have to "deal" with Auburn being 5-0.

[autiger162005 0]

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection. And I would expect everyone else to be the same. I won't settle for mediocrity. And before you even say it.. I know we are undefeated, 5-0, yadayadayada.. but we played very poor tonight.. had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

Thus the reason for my "sounding like bammers" comment. Heck, I'm not happy with the way we played either, but to say you are not happy with an Auburn win, that smells exactly like a bammer comment.

Well ranger.. I think being happy with a win sounds like the weakest **** I've ever heard in my life.. I was raised to strive for perfection and never settle for anything else... or you know what.. somebody else will whip your ass.

[TigerGlide 1]

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection. And I would expect everyone else to be the same. I won't settle for mediocrity. And before you even say it.. I know we are undefeated, 5-0, yadayadayada.. but we played very poor tonight.. had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

As long as there is a 0 in the L column and they show improvement, all will be well. I haven't been convinced fhat this is a Top 5 team anyway. There is way too much stock put in starting QB's and RB's when voters rank these teams. There are many other factors that come into play. Like, the defensive players getting adjusted to their 3rd defensive scheme in 3 years. Mistakes and missed assignments will happen. They looked a bit confused tonight, but a mobile QB like Newton can do that to a team. I believe Muschamp will get it corrected. Fortunately, unless Florida starts Tebow, they will not see that again for a while.

[AUloggerhead 2,229]

Here's your Style Points if you care to acknowledge it: Show me another team in the country that can go on the road in a conference game and control all 15 minutes of the 3rd quarter and put up the wining points. Even Herbie was saying he'd never seen that before.

AU did not collapse like MSU did. USC did not maek a miracle comeback like ND did. CTT outcoached the Ole Ball Coach in his home stadium. That's got to count for something.

[edgecy 3]

It's amazing how when some fans are asking for perfection they're being called Bammers.

That said, you might think style points are stupid and that teams that win with style points are not worthy etc etc, but come later in the season, when Auburn is still #3 in the poll that counts toward BCS, you will asking questions like why we didn't score more points, why we didn't move up the ranking, why is USC still up there, why being perfect didn't get us to the MNC, etc etc etc. Face it, style point is important, now more than ever when you're looking at possibly 4 teams being undefeated: OSU, Auburn, WV, and USC.

And please don't remind me how it's a long season and we have a long way to go... I know all that, but this is a fan forum, it'd be boring if nobody is allowed to speculate!

[GoAU 1,600]

From what I saw it wasn't so much a poorly coached defensive game - it was a poorly executed defensive game. One member of our secondary got torched repeatedly on one of their TD drives. We missed so many tackles I lost count and we had a few blown coverages.

Is it the end of the world - nope. We could have really been thrown under the bus by ESPN, but honestly I thought their commentary seemed pretty fair. It's early, we're 5-0 - the future still looks bright to me.

[autiger162005 0]

I totally disagree with "being happy" with an Auburn win. As glad as I am that Auburn pulled that one out by a cock hair, I will "be happy" with nothing less than perfection.

If you're not happy with an Auburn win, that's your problem. How an Auburn win is viewed in the eyes of "voters", I couldn't care less. And technically, 5-0 is perfection...sounds like you have issues.

had we played a better team we wouldn't have been so lucky.. I'M NOT SATISFIED

Had your mom been born with balls, she'd be your dad. So what? We won an SEC game on the road under the lights and rain. The coaches get paid a lot of money to keep our team ready for ballgames. I'll leave it up to them to make adjustments for some of the things that went wrong tonight. And I guess we'll all just have to "deal" with Auburn being 5-0.

I can't believe what I'm seeing... do you not remember just 2 short years ago when Auburn went 13-0 and we had to "deal" with being #2 instead of having a shot at a national championship.. that sucked didn't it.. i'd hate to be held out of another one because we settled for less than impressive wins.

[autigeremt 6,599]

All this talk about a terrible D that held LSU to 3 POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The gameplan was suspect for sure. More blitzes would have been nice. But WE WON the game!!!!! Hell, I will take 5-0 and 3-0 in the SEC after 5 games anyday. I am not happy about the score, either.....but I watched our O show up and play well for the first time all season. We were not ready for Syvelle Newton, and I had my worries if we did not get in his face. And they were warranted. But the Tigers are 5-0, and we have to get ready for Arkansas on the 7th. I doubt we will see another Syvelle the rest of the season, but at least we have been able to experience it. The D will be fine!

[AuNuma1 1]

And please don't remind me how it's a long season and we have a long way to go... I know all that, but this is a fan forum, it'd be boring if nobody is allowed to speculate!

Speculate all you want....it's just irrelevant at this point.

[Ranger12 46]

From what I saw it wasn't so much a poorly coached defensive game - it was a poorly executed defensive game. One member of our secondary got torched repeatedly on one of their TD drives. We missed so many tackles I lost count and we had a few blown coverages.

Is it the end of the world - nope. We could have really been thrown under the bus by ESPN, but honestly I thought their commentary seemed pretty fair. It's early, we're 5-0 - the future still looks bright to me.

Exactly some of the points I made in another post. When the guys are blowing coverage and missing tackles, it does not matter what scheme you are running. That is why I was getting so mad on those quick to dump on Mushcamp. I would have like to seen more blitzing, but if we are not going to cover their WRs, blitizing isn't going to help, especially as quick as Newton is. It worked a couple of times, but we also got burnt on it a couple of times, so to me, it is hard to say if it would have worked if we did it more.

[Ranger12 46]

It's a long season and we have a long way to go.

[AuNuma1 1]

I can't believe what I'm seeing... do you not remember just 2 short years ago when Auburn went 13-0 and we had to "deal" with being #2 instead of having a shot at a national championship.. that sucked didn't it.. i'd hate to be held out of another one because we settled for less than impressive wins.

I "dealt" with Auburn going undefeated...it was tough but I managed.

We play in a broken system. That's fact. So why bitch about your own team not impressing these "voters" in a broken system? No thanks. I'm just tired of hearing all the Auburn fans whining about it. That doesn't do good things for our fanbase and there's nothing you can do about it anyway. You might as well accept it and just be happy with an Auburn win...like I said.

5-0!

[AUloggerhead 2,229]

It's a long season and we have a long way to go.

You're just speculating.

[autiger162005 0]

And please don't remind me how it's a long season and we have a long way to go... I know all that, but this is a fan forum, it'd be boring if nobody is allowed to speculate!

Speculate all you want....it's just irrelevant at this point.

Oh come on.. we all know this just win and everything will take care of itself is a bunch of bs.. see 2004. How many times must it be said.. YOU CAN'T JUST WIN ANYMORE... YOU MUST WIN BIG AND IMPRESS VOTERS OR YOU DON'T PUT TROPHIES IN THE CASE