Touchdowns make us love-six fools.
There’s a moment during every Auburn game the past few seasons, a brief moment of anticipation tinged with dread, where the Auburn quarterback walks to the field for the first time and takes his place in the offensive formation, and I begin to have the thought “will this be any fun?” I have often thought there is no offense more terrifying to watch than a Gus Malzahn offense at the height of its powers. When Auburn went on its run at the end of 2013, the Auburn offense was a chainsaw of yards and first downs. When Auburn won six straight games last season, playing Auburn was like trying to tackle a wood-chipper. Churning and spinning motions in the backfield, thudding and smashing power dive plays up the middle—The Malzahn offense runs through defenses like a F5 tornado through a trailer park. However, no offense looks more anemic, listless, and pitiful than a Gus Malzahn offense when it isn’t working. The Georgia games the past few years and the Clemson games the past two seasons both showed an offense that is moving more yards pre-snap than post-snap. One of the reasons Auburn fans get so annoyed with Gus is when it goes bad it looks so annoyingly simple. Why not mix it up, Gus? Why are you trying to be so cute, Gus? Why is the Wildcat formation still a thing?
But when it works...
Auburn’s offense against Mizzou was more than “firing on all cylinders” or “finally coming together” or any other cliché sportswriters will use. Gus and Chip dumped gasoline on Mizzou and then tossed a victory cigar in their direction.
Moving forward, I will still most likely find myself asking “will this be any fun?” as Stidham and his league-leading completion percentage takes the field. I’ve been burned too many times by this team. I’ve expected offensive success and gotten the Georgia game last season. The only way to know if this game is going to be fun or sad would require a sort of mathematical black magic.
What crafty calculus could be used to concoct such complete and absolute algebraic alchemy? Am I up to the challenge? Are you?
To The Numbers Cave!
What can we make of all these numbers? Not much, let’s keep crunching them.
Holy Jet Sweep, Aubie!
Auburn, when ranked, has faced off against another ranked team 17 times since Gus Malzahn has been the head coach, and is 8-9 in those contests. While that record isn’t very impressive, at home Gus’ Tigers are 4-0. Gus Malzahn has never lost at home to an AP-ranked opponent while coaching a ranked team. Auburn is favored to win this game by more than a touchdown, and if so, might be in for a magical season.
Good Auburn teams win their SEC home openers. Great Auburn teams win their SEC home openers after winning their SEC road openers. I think this Auburn team stumbled out of the blocks, but is hitting its stride. I think the offense will do enough to score more than the defense allows MSU to score. Three of the last seven Auburn-MSU games have come down to the final drive of the game, but I think this one will be decided earlier than that. I think Auburn beats the spread. I think Gus extends his streak to 5-0 against ranked teams at home when his team is also ranked. I think Auburn wins big.
Auburn 31
MSU 17
We win, we dance.
from College and Magnolia http://bit.ly/2k8NLET
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