Dispatch
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AUBURN 7 LSU 3
Safety?s hit saves day in defensive struggle
Sunday, September 17, 2006
John Zenor
ASSOCIATED PRESS
</IMG> ROB CARR ASSOCIATED PRESS Auburn?s Courtney Taylor hauls in a pass over Louisiana State?s John Vaughn and Danny Perry (31) in the fourth quarter.
AUBURN, Ala. ? Eric Brock?s instructions were simple and altogether appropriate for the final play of Auburn?s latest slugfest with Louisiana State.
"The coaches told us that anything we see in front of us, you hit it," the Auburn safety said.
Brock?s game-saving tackle just a few yards from the goal line on the final play preserved No. 3 Auburn?s 7-3 win over sixth-ranked LSU yesterday. He also tipped away a fourth-down pass to end another late LSU threat as Auburn turned away the visiting Tigers again and again.
What has become the Southeastern Conference?s most rugged rivalry had all the usual elements: two punishing defenses, a pivotal call by the officials that left both sides perplexed and some follies in the kicking game.
The call went Auburn?s way.
With LSU facing fourth-and-8 from the Auburn 31-yard line and 2:43 left, JaMarcus Russell fired the ball to Early Doucet near the goal line. A diving Brock deflected the pass, but Zach Gilbert was called for pass interference, which would have kept the drive alive. Officials, however, overturned the call, although replays showed the contact came before the ball was tipped by Brock.
"I got sick to my stomach," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said about seeing the flag. "I still don?t understand it. It?s just a judgment call, and thank goodness it went our way."
LSU coach Les Miles wasn?t happy.
"If the ball is tipped at the line of scrimmage, there is no pass interference," he said. "The ball was tipped downfield. The proper explanation will be forthcoming."
Auburn (3-0, 2-0) got the ball back, but LSU stopped Kenny Irons on three straight runs. LSU (2-1, 0-1) drove to the Auburn 24 with 2.5 seconds left as Russell hooked up with Craig Davis for gains of 20 and 21 yards and Dwayne Bowe for 21. On the final play, Russell went to Davis again. The receiver caught the pass inside the 10, but Brock stopped him cold at the 6.
Auburn?s win, coupled with secondranked Notre Dame?s 47-21 loss to Michigan, could push the Tigers up to No. 2.
"This was a statement game right here," Auburn cornerback David Irons said. "It let everyone know we?re for real."
LSU had five drives inside Auburn territory end with no points in the lowest scoring game at Auburn since 1973. LSU hadn?t allowed a touchdown since last year?s SEC championship game, a string of 16-plus quarters.
"It was a very violent game," Tuberville said. "There was more speed than I?ve seen on the field in a long time.When you look at the score and the stats, everybody would think it was a boring game, but there was a lot of excitement."
Five times in the past six years, the winner of this game has won the SEC Western Division title. The past three meetings have been decided by a combined eight points.
LSU?s 3-0 halftime lead was based on two field goal attempts: John Vaughn?s 26-yard miss for Auburn and Colt David?s 42-yarder to end the half. Vaughn missed five field goals in last year?s overtime loss to LSU.
Auburn finally scored on David Cox?s 1-yard sneak with 4:53 left in the third quarter. He was surprised by the call. "I don?t think we?ve ever run that quarterback sneak on the goal line," said Cox, held to just 110 yards passing with an interception. "Usually it?s Kenny (Irons) right and Kenny left."
