Turning Points: 2004 & 2010

[BeasFan 3]

Other seasons may have had the same sort of moment as these two seasons, and if so, this thread can accommodate anything of the sort.

For me the writing was on the wall in 2004 in the LSU game with the Courtney Taylor endzone catch.

This year I'm trying to decide if it was clear where we were headed before Cam's "Heisman moment" in the LSU game when he dragged Peterson into the endzone.

Until those moments the seasons didn't seem all that special, but once that moment arrived I became cranked up for the possibilities. The ride in both years was thrilling and I have a hard time deciding which was more that way. The air going out in 2004 because of the BCS management means 2004 wasn't as rewarding as seasons go. But the games in both years were hard to beat for excitement and for that growing feeling that Auburn was (and is) special in the world of college football.

What are those moments for you?

[BigSammyK 171]

I think in '04 it was CT's 4th and 11 catch moreso than the TD.

As for this season - I think it was Etheridge's fumble recovery for a TD against Arkansas. It was the 4th quarter, we were losing, and the Hogs had a 3rd and 1 near midfield. If they go down the field and score on that drive I'm not sure we would have bounced back.

[aucorner 0]

Clemson missed FG in OT for this season

[banditmwp 713]

This year, to me, it was the drive to beat Kentucky in the 4th quarter (mirrored later for the MNC). That just showed that the team would not give up and go away quietly.

I agree with Sammy on the 4th and 11 conversion by Courtney Taylor in the 04 LSU game that set the tone for the rest of the year.

[mcgufcm 4,109]

Are we saying the moment that turned the season or the moment I knew where the season was heading?

If it's the former, CT's catch against LSU and the Clemson missed field goal this year get my vote. If it's the latter, kickoff at UT (or there about) was the last time I worried about the 2004 team. I literally never had a doubt about winning or losing after that. The most stress-free season I've ever been a part of. This year, it wasn't until the third quarter of the Bama game that I had a similar confidence. If I'm picking a play, I'll say the 70 yarder to Zachery. I thought we'd win after we hit that play.

[BeasFan 3]

Are we saying the moment that turned the season or the moment I knew where the season was heading?

I see your distinction and I was thinking more of the latter when I started the thread. However, I won't be disappointed with replies that stress the former interpretation.

Let me try one other version of what I had hoped to convey in the OP.

Until a season's first loss I'm usually ready for anything and may hold out hopes for a strong season even after a loss or two. But in 2004 in the LSU game (and I can accept either of Courtney's (and Jason's) stellar pass plays as the specific moment) I suddenly had the strong feeling that the team had the magic not to get beat. From then on, in spite of some tense and troubling moments, I was on board with the idea we were going all the way.

In this year's Iron Bowl, it took "the strip" and "the sack" for me to see that the Bama effort had begun to fade and that we weren't going to lose that game. But the season had "turned" much earlier.

I usually don't really feel we could be out of the woods before LSU, and I always have worries with Georgia and Bama, but this year I just had that gut feeling we couldn't be stopped after Cam made that mad dash against LSU.

Mostly I was wondering if these feelings are shared with others and, if so, where those moments have come. As I said before, if other seasons provided similar moments after which we were on a downslope to a special season, they're okay to discuss, too. In fact, if other moments like this come to mind, please share.

[mcgufcm 4,109]

Yeah, I get it. I didn't have that confidence until Zachery's catch against Bama. This team just looked amazingly beatable for a large chunk of the season. The 2004 season turned on Campbell to CT on 4th down, and they put to bed any question about the team in Knoxville. After Knoxville, I never had a single doubt about us winning every week. Even during the Bama game. I was at the game, and the Bama fan next to me even said they were going to lose at half. There was just no way that team was losing. This team never gave me the same feeling until the Game Twelve.

[Auburnfan91 1,408]

As for this season - I think it was Etheridge's fumble recovery for a TD against Arkansas. It was the 4th quarter, we were losing, and the Hogs had a 3rd and 1 near midfield. If they go down the field and score on that drive I'm not sure we would have bounced back.

Ditto. The Arkansas game was the "Turning Point". I really thought that the season was all on that game. If we lost to Arkansas then it might be 2009 all over again. After we beat Arkansas I knew the season was going to be special, especically after the way the game went, 65-43. I was at the Arkansas game and I'll never forget it.

[Strychnine 1,808]

In 2004, I go with the consensus. Campbell to Taylor on 4th and 11. The season was literally all downhill after that game.

This season, I knew this team had the fight to make it all the way when I watched Cam make a leaping, long throw that Burns caught in the Kentucky game. Sure, it's probably intercepted 9 out of 10 times that throw is made, but only that one mattered. That told me this team just had "it", the thing that can't be quantified or measured. I spent the rest of this season thinking "Wow, this Auburn team just seems to be able to pull big plays out of a hat, almost at will." That said, I wasn't sold that it was going to all go their way until the same point as mcgufcm. After the Bama game, I was confident that the whole team simply wasn't going to let anyone beat them. If I bet on sports, I would've bet good money on the SEC Championship and BCS NC. I knew Oregon would be a great opponent, and against anyone else I'd have cheered Oregon on, but the thought of Oregon beating us never seriously occurred to me. No disrespect to Oregon at all, but I watched this team come back from entirely too much all season long to be able to fear them letting it all go in the last game.

That particular throw against Kentucky ties Cam's Heisman run against LSU as the play I'd pick to summarize this season as a whole. You see them, you're amazed by it, then surprised that they worked at all considering they're normally the unlikely outcome. No one expected this season, no one expected those two plays when they began.

[aubrandon 5]

2004 - It had to be the Tennessee game where we waxed them all over the field at their house.....We escaped LSU which was huge and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

2010- To me it was the Arkansas game. I was not sure what was going on. We survived the Clemson game, made some terrible coaching play calls and the refs kept UK in the game, but when we played Arky, I could really since that no matter what happened the seniors and excellent leadership would not let us loose.

[cptau 169]

As for this season - I think it was Etheridge's fumble recovery for a TD against Arkansas. It was the 4th quarter, we were losing, and the Hogs had a 3rd and 1 near midfield. If they go down the field and score on that drive I'm not sure we would have bounced back.

Ditto. The Arkansas game was the "Turning Point". I really thought that the season was all on that game. If we lost to Arkansas then it might be 2009 all over again. After we beat Arkansas I knew the season was going to be special, especically after the way the game went, 65-43. I was at the Arkansas game and I'll never forget it.

And Arky and their suitcase carrying coach will never forget it either. BLOWOUT IN THE FOURTH

[Mikey 16,781]

My turning points:

2004, LSU getting called for a penalty on our missed extra point, which we made the next try and won the game.

2010: Coach Chizik getting in the offensive line's face and challenging them after the Clemson game. If those guys hadn't started playing up to what was expected of them this season wouldn't have been undefeated. From the next game, South Carolina and on, there was a different attitude and different result when the offense took the field.

[nanatiger 3]

Other seasons may have had the same sort of moment as these two seasons, and if so, this thread can accommodate anything of the sort.

For me the writing was on the wall in 2004 in the LSU game with the Courtney Taylor endzone catch.This year I'm trying to decide if it was clear where we were headed before Cam's "Heisman moment" in the LSU game when he dragged Peterson into the endzone.

Until those moments the seasons didn't seem all that special, but once that moment arrived I became cranked up for the possibilities. The ride in both years was thrilling and I have a hard time deciding which was more that way. The air going out in 2004 because of the BCS management means 2004 wasn't as rewarding as seasons go. But the games in both years were hard to beat for excitement and for that growing feeling that Auburn was (and is) special in the world of college football.

What are those moments for you?

This one for 2004 and for 2010, it was the whole 4th quarter of the Arkansas game. These were the points at which I truly believed these teams would win out.

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

In `04 it was the 4th and 11 play..but thank the Lord there was NO instant replay because the deflected pass later in the drive that fell to Webster was an INT.

2010 turned when Cam finally settled in and started to go through his reads about 4 games in. Early on he locked in on his primary target every single passing opportunity which lead to mistakes,etc.

[nanatiger 3]

In `04 it was the 4th and 11 play..but thank the Lord there was NO instant replay because the deflected pass later in the drive that fell to Webster was an INT.

2010 turned when Cam finally settled in and started to go through his reads about 4 games in. Early on he locked in on his primary target every single passing opportunity which lead to mistakes,etc.

Good point. And doesn't that say a lot about how great a teacher Malzahn is?

[mcgufcm 4,109]

College football started instant replay in 2004. It was used at select games by the SEC. It was fully installed in 2005. I don't remember if that game had review or not. I also don't remember the play. Are you talking about the play where Cadillac took the ball from Webster on a botched screen pass? Or the first or second down play following the 4th and 11 conversion?

[aKaBeasTTT 0]

Its gotta be the dropped pass by clemson. They had the win and the WR was wide open.

[au2004ece 30]

It was the third game of each season.

AU 10 LSU 9 in 2004

AU 27 Clemson 24 in 2010

[Duder 243]

It was LSU for both for me.

In 04 it was the extra point debacle. I felt we had overcome our biggest challenge at that point and that team was CRAZY talented.

This year it was Omac's run against LSU. Even after Cam's run the game was still in question. OMac's run sealed it and afterwards I knew this team had "it". I felt like we were better than Bama and LSU was the last "big" challenge before Bama. This team had a chemistry like I had never seen before.

[AUsince81 0]

As for this season - I think it was Etheridge's fumble recovery for a TD against Arkansas. It was the 4th quarter, we were losing, and the Hogs had a 3rd and 1 near midfield. If they go down the field and score on that drive I'm not sure we would have bounced back.

Ditto. The Arkansas game was the "Turning Point". I really thought that the season was all on that game. If we lost to Arkansas then it might be 2009 all over again. After we beat Arkansas I knew the season was going to be special, especically after the way the game went, 65-43. I was at the Arkansas game and I'll never forget it.

Yea, it was probably the totally un-Auburnlike score in the Arkansas game. I never expected us to post 50 in a game, (maybe leftovers from Tubbs,) but 65? I had to call my stepdad to scream about that one...

The LSU run really let me know how far above normal Cam was...

[au 15 0]

I think the turning poin for the 2004 season had to be the LSU game. This years turning point had to come against Arkanas. We kept on fighting the whole game and never gave up. The Zac Etheridge fumble recovery was the turining point of the game. Also another great turning point was the Emory Blake TD to end the half against bama.

[cptau 169]

The 2010 turning point was not even in 2010. It was the 2009 West Virginia game and flood.

When the students stayed in the stands during the rain storm and the team came back and won on West Virgina, that set the stage for 2010. Yes the 09 team lost games after WVU, but i believe the team really bonded with the students that night, and 2010 became special.

[AUFAN34 0]

For me, 2004: HUGE home win over LSU. 2010: Clemson game, Cam didnt have a good game, I think that was his coming out party. Team grew a lot of confidence of that game,

[AUFAN34 0]

The 2010 turning point was not even in 2010. It was the 2009 West Virginia game and flood.

When the students stayed in the stands during the rain storm and the team came back and won on West Virgina, that set the stage for 2010. Yes the 09 team lost games after WVU, but i believe the team really bonded with the students that night, and 2010 became special.

Very true. Ithink back to the Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern...hard fought win.. It set the stage for the great run this season.