GAME 4 REVIEW: INT + TD x 3 = LOSS

South Carolina 30  Auburn 22.  I am not sure if I have ever seen a game quite like this one.  I know I have but nothing comparable comes right to mind.  Auburn comes out looking great and has great field position while nothing is going right for South Carolina.  Bo Nix then throws one of the worst interceptions I have ever seen, South Carolina scores and the game starts to turn around.  Nix does it again, South Carolina scores again and the momentum clearly shifts.  Nix then does it one more time and it is the difference in the game.  It is not all Nix's fault on the last two but whatever, Auburn threw three interceptions which South Carolina turned into three touchdowns and like the title of this posts says, that equaled one horrendous game and possible program changing loss.

Auburn is not a very good football team but could have very easily still won this game and made the best out of this season.  The Tigers did not and there is now a pretty high probability this season could really take a turn for the worse.  The only thing standing between Auburn and an abysmal season are the Mississippi schools.  It really comes down to that.  The Tigers pull it together and beat Ole Miss and Mississippi State and then pull out one or two out of three against LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M and they pretty much make the best of this terrible season in this terrible year.  They lose one or both to the Magnolia State schools and I think the bottom falls out.

THE GOOD

There is just not a lot to put in this section for this game but there are a couple of things.  First Auburn actually came out looking great on offense.  For the first time maybe ever at Auburn under any coach the ball was thrown to six different receivers in the first quarter.  It is even more incredible under Malzahn.  Auburn actually spread the ball around!  I was completely awestruck.  It, of course, did not last long but regardless of the bad things that happened in this game, Auburn needs to go back to that and stick with it.  You cannot keep trying to force the ball to Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz.  You have to spread the ball around to have an effective pass offense.  Of course you cannot throw back-breaking interceptions either...

The other good thing that everyone agrees on is Tank Bigsby.  He was great again this week with over 100 yards on just 16 carries.  The guy has vision, toughness and his legs never stop churning.  I think Auburn should have thrown to him out of the backfield a few more times in this game as well.  Whether Auburn is ahead or behind you have to keep this guy involved in the game.  He is a playmaker.  I also have to mention the offensive line.  They got beat bad at times but they also pass blocked well at times.  Bo Nix had time on many passes but unfortunately most of those times especially in the second half he could not find an open receiver or made a bad decision.  Auburn had nearly 500 yards of offense against a decent South Carolina defense and you have to give the line some credit there.

THE BAD

Auburn's biggest long term problem is the defensive line.  Again I know these are probably good men who have worked their butts off for Auburn and are trying hard but they are just not SEC quality.  They are absolutely getting killed every week.  South Carolina only had 300 yards of offense but it was effective and they won the time of possession.  They made the runs and the throws every time they needed too although again even with Auburn's defensive problems they should have won this game.  Auburn lost because of turnovers, period.  However Auburn is going to have a hard time winning many games this year and next and so on until they are able to bring in good SEC quality defensive linemen.  It is scary watching Auburn play now, how bad will it be next year?

Auburn senior defensive tackles, Tyrone Truesdell and Daquan Newkirk, were like I said last week good subs last year and at least look like defensive tackles.  Redshirt freshman Colby Wooden looks barely big enough to be a linebacker as do anyone else I have seen out there for Auburn.  Right now Auburn barely looks like it can fill out the position next season.  Barring a recruiting miracle, Auburn's defensive line could be worse next season.  Again Auburn simply will not win another big game till they fix this problem and how long will that take?  The Auburn coaches have FAILED on the recruiting trail.  It sure seems like recruiting legend Rodney Garner has finally lost his touch and nobody else is getting it done either.  Name me a great Auburn team or great Auburn win and I guarantee you there were great defensive linemen involved.

THE UGLY

I wrote last week how much I liked Bo Nix and how I did not think he was the problem with Auburn's offense.  I still believe that over the long term but there is no doubt about it, he was the problem in this game and was the biggest factor in losing this game.  He started well but his first interception was simply inexcusable.  It was as bad a throw as I have ever seen.  You cannot throw that pass and he should have gotten lit up by the coaches after that unbelievably stupid throw.  It turned a game that looked like it would be an Auburn blowout into a game that Auburn would eventually lose.  The other two interceptions might not have been all Nix's fault but he still had a hand in them and plain and simple all of them added up to Auburn losing the game.  You simply cannot do that and win games.

It was not just the interceptions either.  Nix looked out-of-sorts all day.  I am not sure what happened after that great start but Nix made some bad throws and too many times could find no one open.  Nix's weakness I commented on last season popped up again as well and that is his inaccuracy.  He had some open receivers but he either missed them a little or a lot.  It also appeared him and Seth Williams got into it.  They both appeared to act like immature prima donna babies on the sidelines.  Where is Chad Morris or Malzahn?  Forget play calling for a minute, it is time to bring some discipline back to this team.  That also extends to all the trash talking on both sides of the ball.  I know it is part of the game but it appeared to get out of control today and hurt the team.  I did not see any positive leadership out of players today and that is always an ugly sight.

THE LAST WORD

I guess that last point might be the worst of all when it comes to this season.  This is certainly not a great team but they are good enough to pull together and with some half decent coaching at least finish 5-5 or maybe even 6-4 with a few lucky breaks.  However it could go the other way as well and right now the odds look better on that happening.  The lack of discipline and immature act on the sidelines makes me think this team is about to fall apart and might not win another game this season.  Your record shows how good your team is but the way you play and handle adversity shows your team's character.  The 2020 Auburn Tiger football teams now stands at a crossroad.  Which way will they go?