My thoughts-Auburn survives Alabama, 28-27

A pumped up Gene Chizik is riding high into the SEC Championship game, Glendale is a calling!

• Cam Newton is phenomenal. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe what he has done this season.
• Is there any question that Auburn is the No. 1 team in the nation?
• He had a tough time sledding against the ‘Bama defense. Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and Nick Saban must have looked at what LSU did wrong on defense to slow down Newton; he only had 22 carries for 39 yards, a career low that will last for a long time.
• Alabama is still a good team, even though they only mustered a pathetic three points from their last scoring drive in the second quarter; they finished the second half with only 55 yards of production.
• Greg McElroy could do no wrong in the first half of the game, especially the first quarter. He ended the day 27-37, 377, 2TDs, a 199 yards of that total was thrown to wideout Julio Jones.
• Jones is really spectacular, but I still give the edge to South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey.
• Alabama needs to be more balanced on offense. If one thing is working, they stick with it. And in this game it was the passing game, where was Ingram and Richardson? They both combined for only 20 touches, not enough since the running game is your bread and butter. No one wants to admit it, but the offensive line has been widely inconsistent this season.
• Shame on Ingram for erasing either a touchdown or three points by allowing the ball to be punched out of his arms for a touchback. Also the butterfingers award should be given to Richardson who dropped an easy touchdown catch. More mental errors from this Nick Saban-coached team.
• Do you think McElroy being knocked out in the fourth quarter cost them the game? I don’t think so. Even if he was in and took the lead; it would have been another thrilling comeback victory by Newton and Co.
• For all the flak that Auburn’s defense gets, they continue to make plays when needed in the second half of games. In no shape or form are they as dominant in the second half like Oregon’s defense but they get it done. And against stiffer competition than the Ducks.
• Is there an award for the most comebacks in a season?
• Gene Chizik should be the Coach of the Year and Gus Malzahn has to be the best offensive coordinator in the nation.
• Cam Newton can be a pro quarterback, but he will need to work on his footwork, first and foremost.
• Would you believe that Alabama would have lost three games this season? Not me, I thought after their uplifting win at Arkansas that they would go unscathed in the brutal Southeastern conference. Boy was I wrong on that one.
• The Heisman is Newton’s to lose.
• Steve Spurrier is lurking around the corner in the SEC title game, a familiar foe that the Tigers met in Week 4: A different South Carolina team that is playing with a hunger and also a stronger Auburn team too.