From: swanger@ducvax.auburn.edu
Subject: Auburn defeats Southern Mississippi
Organization: Auburn University, AL
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 03:37:00 GMT

Southern Mississippi came to Auburn looking for their 3rd win in a row over
the Tigers (they won by one point over Auburn the past two years).

No way.

Auburn  16
S. Miss  8


Swanger's Grades:

Defense:   A-  (maybe a B+ considering the level of the S. Miss offense)
Offense:   D+

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The game started slow.  0-0 after one quarter.  10-0 Auburn at the half.
10-0 Auburn after 3 quarters.  13-0 then 16-0 Auburn.  With 2:40 on the
clock in the 4th quarter, S. Miss had the ball on the Auburn 22, 4th and 19. 
They then scored a TD on a pass play that looked similar to a TD scoring
play LSU ran on us last week (like last week, the guy was wide open).  SM
made the 2 point conversion.  These were the defense's main letdowns.
Auburn recovered the on-side kick, couldn't get a first down, punted, holed
up SM deep in their territory.  With seconds left in the game, SM gave up 
on 4th and long and punted back to Auburn.

Defense:  S. Miss had 165 yds total offense.  S. Miss fumbled 3 times, lost
          1, Auburn intercepted 2 passes, 6 sacks

Offense:  251 yds total offense, Stan White was 6 for 21 passing for 79
          yards, 2 intereceptions, sacked twice.  Scott Etheridge hit 3
          of 4 field goals.  Reid McMilion scored on a 28 yard td run.

The offense still doesn't seem to have a killer instinct.  They were in
scoring position 5 times (at least) and scored 3 field goals and a td.  That
will probably not be good enough to win against teams like Florida and
Georgia (and maybe Alabama).  When McMilion broke through the line for his
28 yd td run, I felt like he had better score or it would be another field
goal attempt a few plays later.  Auburn couldn't score a td with 1st and 6
from the SM 6 yd line.  Oh well, at least place kicker Scott Etheridge is
getting plenty of practice!  I'm not sure of the reasons for Auburn's
offensive woes.  It could be lack of talent.  That is hard for me to
believe.  It could be coaching.  I heard a lot of anti-Tommy Bowden
grumbling in the stands Saturday.  I'm not ready to blame things on him --
yet.  The season is still young and Auburn is 3-1.  There is plenty of time
for things to come together.

Epilogue:

Ok, I'll admit it.  I didn't get to Jordan-Hare Stadium until 6 minutes into
the 1st quarter Saturday!  You see, my wife ("My Wife...", Christ, I'm
starting to sound like Rodney Dangerfield), my wife forced me, er, I mean
politely asked me to accompany her to something called "The Highland Games"
in Montgomery Al.  This was an outdoor event with a Scottish Motif. 
Bag-pipes, kilts, Bonnie Lasses, sheep dogs, sheep, guys throwing huge
hammers, rocks and logs (major phallic action), inedible food (well not
all), scotch whiskey (unofficial) and LOTS of plaid.

Sample scene at the Highland Games:

Me:  Honey, HONEY, its almost noon, we've been here for over 3 hours, kickoff 
     is just over an hour away.  If we leave now we can just make it.  
     Honey??!?!!......

Her:  Oooh, now THATS a nice shade of plaid....  Hey look, ANOTHER gift
      shop!  They've got Celtic earrings!!!!  I guess I need to closely
      examine everything here!!

Me:  Aaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhh!!!!!

Ok, ok, it was kind of fun.  Still, can't they schedule these things during
the Spring?  Don't they know the world revolves around SEC football???

--------------

Next Week - Auburn versus Vanderbilt
-- 
David Swanger,   Auburn University, Alabama,   swanger@ducvax.auburn.edu 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college