Blowing Leads To Auburn: A Problem We Must Fix Long-Term

BamaJama17 · Jun 27, 2014

B1GTide said:
Actually, it was your biggest game of the year 5 times under Saban - 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 - all years in which you were still in the BCS title hunt when you played them. You won 4 of those 5 games and went on to win national championships in 3 of those years.

It was not your biggest game of the year in 2010 as you were out of the title hunt while they were still in it. You had a chance to destroy their title shot, but that is their standard, not yours.

No I meant when they were Alabama's
toughest opponent.

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Chukker Veteran · Jun 27, 2014

Watching Auburn over the past thirty or forty years, in my opinion there have been more than just a few years where I think it was an established fact that the barners were paying their players under the table.

It would be interesting to compare the years the barner pay-to-play was most rampant with the years they won...

Alasippi · Jun 27, 2014

B1GTide said:
You can't change how they feel, but I wonder if changing how Alabama approaches the season, and this game, would hurt more than it helps. JMO, but it is rarely helpful to let someone else live in your head.

I'd agree with that. And I'd agree that it should be one game at a time. But to Auburn this isn't "the next game", it's THE game, so we better start taking them a little more seriously. We've lost to them three times in Saban's tenure and in my opinion they've not been the better team in any of those three games except his first year.

Wanderer · Jun 27, 2014

I think folks may be overstating the Auburn emphasis on the Iron Bowl as the reason for AU winning some of these games. The better team almost always wins the Iron Bowl. And if it's not the better team that wins, they're at least close in strength. Plus, a lot of these players and coaches aren't nearly as deep-rooted in the rivalry as the fans. Many players have had to make hard choices between AU and UA (wasn't Yeldon an AU commit at one point?) and would have been happy at either school. Many coaches have coached at both places. Ellis Johnson coached for many years at UA. Cam Newton saved the day for AU in 2010 and do you think he cared one iota about Auburn or the Iron Bowl until he signed to play for them?

We're not talking about players and coaches who grew up entrenched in school dogma and couldn't imagine being on any other team - which is the mentality of many fans. It's just not that way between the folks who actually decide the game.

CrimsonEyeshade · Jun 27, 2014

Alasippi said:
I'd agree with that. And I'd agree that it should be one game at a time. But to Auburn this isn't "the next game", it's THE game, so we better start taking them a little more seriously. We've lost to them three times in Saban's tenure and in my opinion they've not been the better team in any of those three games except his first year.

Sip, though it's hard to admit, they were the better team in 2010, particularly after we started losing Barron, Julio et al to injury. 24-0, as impressive as it was, was never going to last. And they were seriously underrated a year ago.

I do believe we take them seriously. In fact, you can easily make the argument that we were too ready -- and too tight -- in both 2009 and 2013.

In the end, we just lost. In this rivalry, that happens almost half the time.

81usaf92 · Jun 27, 2014

Alasippi said:
If your biggest rival is your final regular season game, then, yes, it's the biggest game of the year.
Win it, go forward and chase the prize. Lose it...it can ruin everything the team has worked for all season. Last year would be an excellent example. We've already proven that we can lose to LSU and still win the BCS title game., but in the history of our entire program we have never won a national title when we've lost to Auburn in the final game of the regular season. It's our biggest game every single year, whether we realize it or not.
How much does the game mean to their fan base? In the words of my high school sweetheart who was a big AU fan, "I don't care if we lose every game we play as long as we beat Alabama".
The game means everything to them, and they've proven it.
sip

To be honest the rivalry has turned into alabama can't afford to lose because of sheer embarrassment but auburn has to win where they seem to be a relevant team. Brando did have a point today that the alabama vs lsu game carries more weight nationally than the iron bowl but in the end it doesn't really matter that much in the state as a whole.
I guess to be honest the rival I hate losing to the most is Tennessee and it's closely followed by auburn. It's because tennesee games in 2003,1999,and 2006 caused a lot more heartache than 2010 and 2013 iron bowl. It's more because those iron bowls you kinda got a since of bad things to come but those tennesee games just left you dead the whole season.

Oh and I forgot.... I hate auburn because of their fans and their stupid shirts they wear commemorating every iron bowl victory they were alive for even if it's 8 years ago

Wanderer · Jun 27, 2014

Brando did have a point today that the alabama vs lsu game carries more weight nationally than the iron bowl but in the end it doesn't really matter that much in the state as a whole.

Not traditionally, though. Only in the last 5-6 years and not all of those years, including this year. And going forward, I think Auburn will be right up there in the SEC West. I foresee several big Iron Bowls in the coming years.

81usaf92 · Jun 27, 2014

Wanderer said:
Not traditionally, though. Only in the last 5-6 years and not all of those years, including this year. And going forward, I think Auburn will be right up there in the SEC West. I foresee several big Iron Bowls in the coming years.

Yea traditionally lsu vs bama is not a big rivalry but it's the most consistent a meaningful since 05. I consider it our ravens-steelers game it's a backyard brawl but neither is each other's greatest rival.
As far as auburn as a long term threat to our current run the debate is still out. Before everyone goes crazy hear me out...

A. Auburn has won more than ten games back to back seasons in like forever
B. Gus is going to eventually have to either change his style of offense or develop an elite defense
C. The NCAA has auburn under the microscope because of the Cam thing so anything that sticks could end any chance for them
D. Does nick saban try to finally run them in the ground once and for all

B1GTide · Jun 28, 2014

Alasippi said:
I'd agree with that. And I'd agree that it should be one game at a time. But to Auburn this isn't "the next game", it's THE game, so we better start taking them a little more seriously. We've lost to them three times in Saban's tenure and in my opinion they've not been the better team in any of those three games except his first year.

I think that this series, like most, is one in which the better team wins most games. Under Nick Saban, Alabama clearly had the better team in 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2012 - Auburn clearly had the better team in 2007. Each team won those games, respectively.

2010 was a toss-up year in which either team was capable of winning. Alabama loses because of the Ingram fumble and the Barron injury. 2013 was another toss-up year (though I didn't recognize it until after the game). Auburn won because of a complete failure of your special teams. Giving them credit for stopping Alabama on those 3rd and short plays, Alabama still wins if you hit any of those FGs - any of them.

I think that you just have to give the devil his due sometimes. Luck plays a factor in every sport. Auburn has simply been more lucky in those two match-ups. But without a little luck, Alabama doesn't win the BCS championship in 2009, 2011 or 2012 - so Alabama has also has its fair share of good luck recently.

CrimsonProf · Jun 28, 2014

B1GTide said:
I think that this series, like most, is one in which the better team wins most games. Under Nick Saban, Alabama clearly had the better team in 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2012 - Auburn clearly had the better team in 2007. Each team won those games, respectively.

2010 was a toss-up year in which either team was capable of winning. Alabama loses because of the Ingram fumble and the Barron injury. 2013 was another toss-up year (though I didn't recognize it until after the game). Auburn won because of a complete failure of your special teams. Giving them credit for stopping Alabama on those 3rd and short plays, Alabama still wins if you hit any of those FGs - any of them.

I think that you just have to give the devil his due sometimes. Luck plays a factor in every sport. Auburn has simply been more lucky in those two match-ups. But without a little luck, Alabama doesn't win the BCS championship in 2009, 2011 or 2012 - so Alabama has also has its fair share of good luck recently.

I would be comfortable with this take if we didn't look so anemic in some of these games.

92tide · Jun 28, 2014

BamaJama17 said:
Only in 2010 and 2013 and Alabama lost both times.

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i think only in 2013 was it really that important. in recent years, lsu has been the more important regular season game with the seccg and/or bcsncg being more important.

all just mho of course

92tide · Jun 28, 2014

Alasippi said:
If your biggest rival is your final regular season game, then, yes, it's the biggest game of the year.
Win it, go forward and chase the prize. Lose it...it can ruin everything the team has worked for all season. Last year would be an excellent example. We've already proven that we can lose to LSU and still win the BCS title game., but in the history of our entire program we have never won a national title when we've lost to Auburn in the final game of the regular season. It's our biggest game every single year, whether we realize it or not.
How much does the game mean to their fan base? In the words of my high school sweetheart who was a big AU fan, "I don't care if we lose every game we play as long as we beat Alabama".
The game means everything to them, and they've proven it.
sip

we have had a few threads on that, i think it is more the biggest game of the year for the barn, for us, it is just another step towards the champ game

bamamoss2 · Jun 28, 2014

Enjoyed all of the posts above, mostly. It is a good thread for June.

Interesting data going back to the 70s.

I love the success under Saban and truly believe in his approach.

I would love to see a little more emphasis placed on the Auburn game, however.

Let's hope that we see it this year.

Roll Tide Roll!!!

Wanderer · Jun 28, 2014

92tide said:
we have had a few threads on that, i think it is more the biggest game of the year for the barn, for us, it is just another step towards the champ game

Again, I don't get this line of thinking. Honestly, I think it's just bitterness. In the last ten years, Auburn has beaten Alabama en route to either a national championship win, appearance or undefeated season - all under three different head coaches. They have won three SEC titles in that span. That is more than Bama in the same time frame. Their peaks in recent years (going back to Tub's prime) have been very high. They just need to eliminate the valleys and (in my opinion) Malzahn will do that. I think the Iron Bowl will have more national significance going forward than it has in a long time.

Give Auburn its due. They have a helluva program. Too good and successful for anyone to honestly think that their existence is centered around being Iron Bowl spoiler and not a championship-contending program.

BamaMoon · Jun 28, 2014

Wanderer said:
Again, I don't get this line of thinking. Honestly, I think it's just bitterness. In the last ten years, Auburn has beaten Alabama en route to either a national championship win, appearance or undefeated season - all under three different head coaches. They have won three SEC titles in that span. That is more than Bama in the same time frame. Their peaks in recent years (going back to Tub's prime) have been very high. They just need to eliminate the valleys and (in my opinion) Malzahn will do that. I think the Iron Bowl will have more national significance going forward than it has in a long time.

Give Auburn its due. They have a helluva program. Too good and successful for anyone to honestly think that their existence is centered around being Iron Bowl spoiler and not a championship-contending program.

Me thinks you might be alot more favorable to the barn than most of us. Where did you "wander" over from???

CrimsonForce · Jun 28, 2014

BamaMoon said:
Me thinks you might be alot more favorable to the barn than most of us. Where did you "wander" over from???

He's a Georgia tech fan. They have no football program to speak of so he comes to an Alabama board to talk football. That's where he wandered over from. He does seem trollish though.

92tide · Jun 28, 2014

Wanderer said:
Again, I don't get this line of thinking. Honestly, I think it's just bitterness. In the last ten years, Auburn has beaten Alabama en route to either a national championship win, appearance or undefeated season - all under three different head coaches. They have won three SEC titles in that span. That is more than Bama in the same time frame. Their peaks in recent years (going back to Tub's prime) have been very high. They just need to eliminate the valleys and (in my opinion) Malzahn will do that. I think the Iron Bowl will have more national significance going forward than it has in a long time.

Give Auburn its due. They have a helluva program. Too good and successful for anyone to honestly think that their existence is centered around being Iron Bowl spoiler and not a championship-contending program.

moo

Wanderer · Jun 28, 2014

CrimsonForce said:
He's a Georgia tech fan. They have no football program to speak of so he comes to an Alabama board to talk football. That's where he wandered over from. He does seem trollish though.

I like GT because I like watching option football. And is there anyone out there who doesn't think Auburn has a championship-caliber program that goes beyond its rivalry with Bama?

CrimsonForce · Jun 28, 2014

Wanderer said:
I like GT because I like watching option football. And is there anyone out there who doesn't think Auburn has a championship-caliber program that goes beyond its rivalry with Bama?

So 2 championships in 100 years of football makes your team AU a championship caliber program? Y'all have a very good program, probably in the 10-15 range historically and second or third in the SEC historically. Not on the level of bama or other great programs. AU is second tier. Nothing wrong with that. Someone has to carry that flag.

B1GTide · Jun 28, 2014

CrimsonForce said:
So 2 championships in 100 years of football makes your team AU a championship caliber program?

I don't care a whit for Auburn, but they are clearly a championship caliber program right now.

Blowing Leads To Auburn: A Problem We Must Fix Long-Term

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