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Your 1st Auburn game attended...


Swamp Eagle

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Mine was Homecoming 1976 vs FSU, when I was 12 years old.  Doug Barfield's first year at AU and Bobby Bowden's first year at FSU. Phil Gargis was the leading rusher in the game, and Mike McCloud had a big INT. Tigers won 31-19. 

 

AUBURN 31, FLORIDA STATE 19

10/23/1976, AUBURN, AL

Click here for program cover

From the Tallahassee Democrat, October 24, 1976, page 45, by Bill McGrotha.

Lesson costs FSU - 31-19.
Gargis keys Auburn.

AUBURN, AL - Striking hard in the last half, playing the game much as the book says you should, Auburn's football team gave Florida State a rather harsh 31-19 lesson here Saturday afternoon.

Phil Gargis, a rugged scrambler of a quarterback, scored all four of the Tigers' touchdowns on runs of one, 14, one and 82 yards.

But probably the bigger part of the telling of this tale was Auburn's relatively error-free performance, coupled with a keenly efficient kicking game.

As 58,500 fans - including Jimmy Carter's mother - watched on this sunny homecoming afternoon, Auburn never allowed Florida State a start with the football beyond the Seminoles' own 26.

Auburn lost no fumbles, had only 25 yards in penalties (none until the fourth quarter rolled around), and controlled the football a stunning 85 plays to 58. The Tigers' game on this day, in other words, was of a classic sort.

Ahead 7-0, then 13-7, the Seminoles trailed 14-13 at intermission. And in the last half Auburn simply wouldn't let Florida State have the football.

The Seminoles pulled to within 21-19 late in the third quarter on Jeff Leggett's sudden scoring run of 53 yards. Carrying just nine times Leggett got 108 yards, becoming the first Seminole this season to top 100 in a game. He also scored the first TD on a 21-yard pop.

Meanwhile, Gargis got 129 on 14 runs, Bob Bradley 122 on 21 as the Tigers ran up an even 400 on the ground against a Florida State defense that, among other things, couldn't stop pitchouts.

Gargis also hit on six of 13 passes for 54 yards, and would have had a late one for a touchdown but an uncovered receiver let it slip through his fingers in the end zone.

The quarterback's 82-yard run down the sidelines "broke it open" early in the last quarter, and made the score 28-19. A bit later Neil O'Donoghue booted a 26-yard field goal.

FSU's Jimmy Black wasn't the runner he had been in recent games. Auburn limited his to seven yards net in five carries. But he hit on nine of 14 passes for 149 as the Seminoles managed 382 yards of offense.

The Seminoles started as though it was going to be their day, marching 80 yards from the opening kickoff to a touchdown in eight plays, Leggett scoring on a pitchout from 21 yards out.

Auburn promptly tied it after freshman Joe Cribbs returned the following kickoff 56 yards to FSU's 44. A few plays later Gargis scored his first, from the one.

Early in the second quarter FSU again reeled off an 80-yard scoring drive, Black passing seven yards to Larry Key for the touchdown. But Dave Cappelen missed the extra point, and conceivably that altered the course of things. It certainly seemed to give Auburn incentive.

The Tigers came right back, moving 65 yards in a hurry, Gargis scoring from the 14, and Auburn took a 14-13 lead.

FSU reached Auburn's 37 on its next series, but - excepting Leggett's 53-yard burst - the Seminoles never again threatened.

As the Seminoles got 233 yards running, Key had 74 on 11 carries. FSU never really got the passing game going which Bobby Bowden said it would have to do to upset Auburn, completing just three after intermission.

Once again nose guard Jimmy Heggins was a big one on defense for the Seminoles, a pressbox accounting crediting him with 17 tackles and four assists, as well as Detroit Reynolds with 12 and three.

"Gargis is a good one," commented Bowden. "He whipped us going outside. They just beat us out there on the corner, Gargis helping. The guy that was supposed to get Gargis just didn't.

"I was very disappointed over the loss. It was a game we had to have. But Auburn had to have it, too.

"We tried it all offensively, but Auburn made some good adjustments - I thought we could get outside on them. We just didn't stop them on defense.

"Our kids are pretty beat-up right now. This was our fifth tough game in a row."

Auburn Coach Doug Barfield called it "one of the guttiest" victories in Auburn history. "We won't go into a lot of detail," he said, "but we're kind of held together by baling wire right now. We're pretty patched up. A lot of our kids played hard out there today, and just wouldn't fold."

He called Gargis "in a special class" as a winner. "That long run of his," said Barfield, "came when it was still a game."

The Seminoles three of their final four at home, starting with Clemson next week.

 

 

  1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
FLORIDA STATE
7
6
6
0
19
AUBURN
7
7
7
10
31

 

1st   7- 0  Jeff Leggett, 21, run (Dave Cappelen, kick), 11:00
      7- 7  Opp, 1, run (kick), 5:17 
2nd  13- 7  Larry Key, 7, pass from Jimmy Black (Dave Cappelen, kick failed), 10:38
     13-14  Opp, 14, run (kick), 5:38 
3rd  13-21  Opp, 1, run (kick), 2:05 
     19-21  Jeff Leggett, 53, run (Jimmy Black, pass failed), 0:49 
4th  19-28  Opp, 82, run (kick), 10:27
     19-31  Opp, 25, field goal, 5:05 



TEAM STATISTICS


                       FSU     OPP
First downs             17      25
Rushes-yards        37-233  66-400
Passing                149      54
Att-Comp-Int        15-9-1  14-6-1
Total Yards         52-382  80-454
Punt Returns           3-8     2-4
Kickoff Returns       1-22    3-97
Interception Ret.      1-0     1-0
Fumble Returns         0-0     1-0
Punts               6-40.7  5-42.6
Fumbles-Lost           2-1     1-0
Penalties-Yds         3-33    3-25
Attendance                  58,500
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1988 Auburn vs. Tennessee.  I had just turned 8. AU won 38-6.  Carlos Cheatham knocked out Reggie Cobb and Ace Wright had a huge day.  Needless to say, I was hooked!!

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2 hours ago, Swamp Eagle said:

Phil Gargis, a rugged scrambler of a quarterback, scored all four of the Tigers' touchdowns on runs of one, 14, one and 82 yards.

Loved Gargis.

My first game was Georgia Tech in 1976. We lost but it was still a thrill. 

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I believe my first AU game may have been AU vs UGA at AU when Tucker Frederickson was a Sophomore or Junior.  I think he may have been one of the last 2-way players at AU (running back and safety).  Does anyone recall a more recent 2-way player at AU?

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I don't really know the first as Mom & Dad took me to games when I was very young, but the first game I remember was, I believe, the '76 UT game in B'ham.  I was 4 and remember discovering the magic of binoculars. 😁

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11 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

I don't really know the first as Mom & Dad took me to games when I was very young, but the first game I remember was, I believe, the '76 UT game in B'ham.  I was 4 and remember discovering the magic of binoculars😁

I misread your age at first and figured you must have missed most of the game...

Then I realized you were 4. 

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4 hours ago, Swamp Eagle said:

Go!

Mine was Homecoming 1976 vs FSU, when I was 12 years old.  Doug Barfield's first year at AU and Bobby Bowden's first year at FSU. Phil Gargis was the leading rusher in the game, and Mike McCloud had a big INT. Tigers won 31-19. 

 

AUBURN 31, FLORIDA STATE 19

10/23/1976, AUBURN, AL

Click here for program cover

From the Tallahassee Democrat, October 24, 1976, page 45, by Bill McGrotha.

Lesson costs FSU - 31-19.
Gargis keys Auburn.

AUBURN, AL - Striking hard in the last half, playing the game much as the book says you should, Auburn's football team gave Florida State a rather harsh 31-19 lesson here Saturday afternoon.

Phil Gargis, a rugged scrambler of a quarterback, scored all four of the Tigers' touchdowns on runs of one, 14, one and 82 yards.

But probably the bigger part of the telling of this tale was Auburn's relatively error-free performance, coupled with a keenly efficient kicking game.

As 58,500 fans - including Jimmy Carter's mother - watched on this sunny homecoming afternoon, Auburn never allowed Florida State a start with the football beyond the Seminoles' own 26.

Auburn lost no fumbles, had only 25 yards in penalties (none until the fourth quarter rolled around), and controlled the football a stunning 85 plays to 58. The Tigers' game on this day, in other words, was of a classic sort.

Ahead 7-0, then 13-7, the Seminoles trailed 14-13 at intermission. And in the last half Auburn simply wouldn't let Florida State have the football.

The Seminoles pulled to within 21-19 late in the third quarter on Jeff Leggett's sudden scoring run of 53 yards. Carrying just nine times Leggett got 108 yards, becoming the first Seminole this season to top 100 in a game. He also scored the first TD on a 21-yard pop.

Meanwhile, Gargis got 129 on 14 runs, Bob Bradley 122 on 21 as the Tigers ran up an even 400 on the ground against a Florida State defense that, among other things, couldn't stop pitchouts.

Gargis also hit on six of 13 passes for 54 yards, and would have had a late one for a touchdown but an uncovered receiver let it slip through his fingers in the end zone.

The quarterback's 82-yard run down the sidelines "broke it open" early in the last quarter, and made the score 28-19. A bit later Neil O'Donoghue booted a 26-yard field goal.

FSU's Jimmy Black wasn't the runner he had been in recent games. Auburn limited his to seven yards net in five carries. But he hit on nine of 14 passes for 149 as the Seminoles managed 382 yards of offense.

The Seminoles started as though it was going to be their day, marching 80 yards from the opening kickoff to a touchdown in eight plays, Leggett scoring on a pitchout from 21 yards out.

Auburn promptly tied it after freshman Joe Cribbs returned the following kickoff 56 yards to FSU's 44. A few plays later Gargis scored his first, from the one.

Early in the second quarter FSU again reeled off an 80-yard scoring drive, Black passing seven yards to Larry Key for the touchdown. But Dave Cappelen missed the extra point, and conceivably that altered the course of things. It certainly seemed to give Auburn incentive.

The Tigers came right back, moving 65 yards in a hurry, Gargis scoring from the 14, and Auburn took a 14-13 lead.

FSU reached Auburn's 37 on its next series, but - excepting Leggett's 53-yard burst - the Seminoles never again threatened.

As the Seminoles got 233 yards running, Key had 74 on 11 carries. FSU never really got the passing game going which Bobby Bowden said it would have to do to upset Auburn, completing just three after intermission.

Once again nose guard Jimmy Heggins was a big one on defense for the Seminoles, a pressbox accounting crediting him with 17 tackles and four assists, as well as Detroit Reynolds with 12 and three.

"Gargis is a good one," commented Bowden. "He whipped us going outside. They just beat us out there on the corner, Gargis helping. The guy that was supposed to get Gargis just didn't.

"I was very disappointed over the loss. It was a game we had to have. But Auburn had to have it, too.

"We tried it all offensively, but Auburn made some good adjustments - I thought we could get outside on them. We just didn't stop them on defense.

"Our kids are pretty beat-up right now. This was our fifth tough game in a row."

Auburn Coach Doug Barfield called it "one of the guttiest" victories in Auburn history. "We won't go into a lot of detail," he said, "but we're kind of held together by baling wire right now. We're pretty patched up. A lot of our kids played hard out there today, and just wouldn't fold."

He called Gargis "in a special class" as a winner. "That long run of his," said Barfield, "came when it was still a game."

The Seminoles three of their final four at home, starting with Clemson next week.

 

 

  1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
FLORIDA STATE
7
6
6
0
19
AUBURN
7
7
7
10
31

 


1st   7- 0  Jeff Leggett, 21, run (Dave Cappelen, kick), 11:00
      7- 7  Opp, 1, run (kick), 5:17 
2nd  13- 7  Larry Key, 7, pass from Jimmy Black (Dave Cappelen, kick failed), 10:38
     13-14  Opp, 14, run (kick), 5:38 
3rd  13-21  Opp, 1, run (kick), 2:05 
     19-21  Jeff Leggett, 53, run (Jimmy Black, pass failed), 0:49 
4th  19-28  Opp, 82, run (kick), 10:27
     19-31  Opp, 25, field goal, 5:05 



TEAM STATISTICS


                       FSU     OPP
First downs             17      25
Rushes-yards        37-233  66-400
Passing                149      54
Att-Comp-Int        15-9-1  14-6-1
Total Yards         52-382  80-454
Punt Returns           3-8     2-4
Kickoff Returns       1-22    3-97
Interception Ret.      1-0     1-0
Fumble Returns         0-0     1-0
Punts               6-40.7  5-42.6
Fumbles-Lost           2-1     1-0
Penalties-Yds         3-33    3-25
Attendance                  58,500

Gargis was tough as a dollar steak (credit David Housel), but I didn’t remember him ever having an 82 yard run. Thanks!

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1 hour ago, TuscaloosaTiger said:

I believe my first AU game may have been AU vs UGA at AU when Tucker Frederickson was a Sophomore or Junior.  I think he may have been one of the last 2-way players at AU (running back and safety).  Does anyone recall a more recent 2-way player at AU?

Fast Freddie Smith in the late 70s played LB and RB for a spell..

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2 hours ago, WarEagle1982 said:

1988 Auburn vs. Tennessee.  I had just turned 8. AU won 38-6.  Carlos Cheatham knocked out Reggie Cobb and Ace Wright had a huge day.  Needless to say, I was hooked!!

I was at that game too. I remember praying that our VCR has recorded the game(set it up before we left home) because I wanted to watch that hit over and over.

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2 hours ago, TigerTale said:

1990 Peach Bowl

Auburn beats Indiana

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on a dreary December afternoon.

Man I remember watching that game. Stan White game winning touchdown on a bootleg.

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1981. Wake Forest.........we lost

1982 Nebraska...........we got hammered.  Dave Remington looked like he was offsides on every snap. They also had Mike Rosier, Turner Gill and Roger Craig.  Pretty stacked line up. 
I did make it to Birmingham a couple months later which made it all worth while 😁

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43 minutes ago, Eisenhower_1952 said:

1986 UGA.  We lost 16-20, Georgia fans rushed the field and Auburn turned the sprinkler system on to get them off the field.

I had a sweatshirt that said “If you can’t beat um, Hose um”.😁. I think my wife did away with it when she cleaned out the closets.😢

 

 

 

um”.

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