Signature Win

by WarDamnZach on Sep 28, 2009 1:12 PM CDT in Football

Jay’s post today sure got me thinking. He is correct that the "meat" of the SEC schedule is upon is, but I think that the schedule is has already started in earnest. Think about it… Miss State gave LSU fits, hell they should have won. If the Bulldogs would have pulled that game out, would everyone still be saying that Auburn has played cupcakes? What about if West Virginia wins the Big Easy? The Mountaineers are going to beat some teams. They are quite good. La Tech is… well La Tech and Ball State is terrible, but the wins over West Virginia and Miss State look pretty good by my standards (as skewed as they might be).

As I wrote in a post a couple of weeks back, I am not sure that we will get respect at all this season. Tennessee on the road will be a good win (assuming it is a win it at all), but they are on 2-2 at this point in the season. They are looked at as a rebuilding program, much like Auburn is. Arkansas is no different. If we beat the Piggies in Fayetteville, that is a huge win for Auburn, but will anyone outside the SEC West really notice? We can thank Alabama for that one. They made Arkansas look much worse than they really are.

Let’s just say that we make it to LSU unblemished. I know that is a huge IF, but work with me here. The traditional Tigers beat the Purple Tigers and the pundits can say the same thing. "LSU is not the powerhouse team that we thought at the beginning of the season." They will be considered another overrated SEC school (see Ole Miss). In no way should LSU be ranked in the top 5. They have looked quite bad, although they have found a way to win. Ole Miss is just average. They have a good QB in Jevan Snead and Dexter McCluster is a stud, but they are just a normal SEC team this season. Georgia is a mixed bag… they can look quite good and then just lose it. It is obvious that they cannot stop the pass though.

When does it stop? When can Auburn get that signature win they need this season? Again, I am assuming that they keep winning. It has to be Bama. If Auburn could head into the Bama game undefeated, not only will be the best Iron Bowl ever, with both teams undefeated… it would be the only chance this Auburn squad will have to have a signature win.

Right now Bama looks as good as or better than Florida. While it pains me to say, it is the truth. There is little doubt in my mind that Bama will not have a blemish on their record when they waltz in to Jordan-Hare. The question is what Auburn’s record will look like. If it has no losses on it, an Auburn fan will tell you it has been a magical season. But the media outlets will have the ability to say that Auburn has beaten no one up in to that point.

Let be honest, will the above happen? I highly doubt it. Especially with the defense looking as weak as it does. But Auburn is a good ball team. I am proud of what these young men are doing; I just would like them to get some respect. At this point of the season the Tigers have played just as hard a schedule as most BCS conference teams have. Why are we getting sold short? I know what some of you are thinking and I am not complaining about the Top 25 at all. I don’t see anyone ranked ahead of us that Auburn is clearly better than. So you can forget that argument with me. If Auburn can keep winning the rest will take care of itself.

War Damn Eagle

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Comments

It will happen..

we just need to keep improving and working toward our goals and it will happen. Chizik has had a better start than any coach in the SEC, even Saban. If we just keep doing what we are doing and getting better we will get noticed. The top 25 is a joke anyway, even the experts say it is screwed up.

by rn4au on Sep 28, 2009 1:51 PM CDT reply actions

Auburn fans have a unique perspective/fear of the polls after 2004, which no other team can fully appreciate.

Is it an injustice that after week 4 y’all aren’t ranked? Maybe. But does it really matter? Do you think you are going to beat Florida and Bama and have a claim to the NC game?

This ain’t 2004 guys. If Auburn wins out, you’ll play in the title game.

by LSU Jonno on Sep 28, 2009 3:28 PM CDT reply actions

There are no signature wins.

I don’t personally believe in signature victories. If you win your games, it ends up being a big deal. I don’t consider one game to ever be a signature win. You can have signature seasons, but a single victory is only one game. It takes many wins for people to really notice you. One win only lasts a week. It takes a whole lot of wins before people turn their heads.

by Sparkey on Sep 28, 2009 3:34 PM CDT reply actions

Zach does bring up an interesting point,

…..I think. Poll voting is all about perception. Suppose it DOES play out like Zach postulated, and the SEC teams on Auburn’s schedule all implode. Say Auburn comes into the Iron Bowl undefeated, and Bama’s Greg McElroy blows out a knee the week before. Auburn beats Bama (I know that’s a BIG supposition), and the national media says that Auburn hasn’t played anybody. Suppose Florida slips up and loses three games without Tebow, but ends the year clobbering folks. And say, South Carolina keeps eeking out wins, and takes the division. I could see a 12-0 Auburn team getting shafted. You could get a big national anti-BCS conference grassroots movement going, and end up with Boise and Texas in the title game.

…..It doesn’t help that we’re on pace to give up the most points in a season since the Earl Brown era. 24.25 per game is worse than 1995, worse than 1998, and worse than 2001…

by Acid Reign on Sep 28, 2009 4:32 PM CDT reply actions

I don’t think we need to be worrying about any kind of title game just yet. Let’s just focus on beating tennessee. That’s what’s important right now. That’s what matters.

"We're at AUBURN. I think that says it all. We're going after the best in the country -- no matter when, what, where, how. That's how we're going to do it. We're going to work really hard to try to get that done every year -- including this one." -- Auburn University Head Football Coach Gene Chizik

by AUshorecm on Sep 28, 2009 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions

We are all wanting

the same thing. I am not looking ahead at all. I just was looking at the schedule and how the media reacts. UT is a tall order, in fact I think that Auburn will have to light up the scoreboard against Monte to win.

If you are a War Damn Eagle, you can War Damn anything.

by WarDamnZach on Sep 28, 2009 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions

See this is what I'm talking about...

I could see a 12-0 Auburn team getting shafted.

Most fans of schools in AU’s position would be dreaming up crazy scenarios that they could be in the NC game.

AU fans are dreaming up cracy scenarios that they could be shafted.

by LSU Jonno on Sep 29, 2009 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions

Jonno...

this is one time where I think you missed the boat……it would indeed be a “crazy scenario” had we not just witnessed it a few years back. It’s still very fresh in everyones mind and you can’t blame anyone for having the fear that it could happen again.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Sep 29, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions

I didn't miss the boat.

I’m pointing out facts. That’s why I said:

Auburn fans have a unique perspective/fear of the polls after 2004, which no other team can fully appreciate.

I think my last post is accurate, maybe just delete the word “crazy”.

by LSU Jonno on Sep 30, 2009 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions

Sorry dude....

I guess I just misinterpreted the tone of the post.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Sep 30, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Defense wins championships…. so looking to the future without fixing the defense is kinda pointless.

If our defense doesn’t step up and play like they can, we won’t be unscathed going into the end of the season. Look at any explosive offense with a weak defense the past 10 years. They all get shut down atleast 1 or 2 games a season. Texas Tech and West Virginia are great examples the past few years.

by WrDmnEgle on Sep 28, 2009 7:00 PM CDT reply actions

Perhaps you need to check the 2005 Texas Longhorn.....

defensive stats for a great example of why its not always the case.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Sep 28, 2009 7:04 PM CDT up reply actions

sounds like fun

hopefully LSU and Ole Miss will play like this the rest of the season and we can maybe get an undefeated Iron Bowl

personally I doubt that either of those teams will continue playing like this, they’re both too talented

Terrence Cody drinks your milkshake!

by Wallacewade04 on Sep 28, 2009 8:06 PM CDT reply actions

I'm tired of Auburn being "judged"

I want recognition as much as anyone… I love reading positive things about my Tigers on ESPN.

I just don’t have unrealistic expectations for the season and am very much enjoying the ride.

Forget about the polls and the talking heads… Let’s enjoy this and hope the magic continues this weekend.

by jb-SS on Sep 28, 2009 10:51 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

One more time...

There are no such things as signature wins. That’s simply a myth. One game doesn’t get recruits to finalize their decision, at least it doesn’t very often. I hate the term signature win. No matter who you beat, you still have beat more than one to be considered worth a damn.

by Sparkey on Sep 29, 2009 9:49 AM CDT reply actions