SEC Review, Week 13: The great ‘Camback’

story by Chris Rushing, College Sports Matchups (CSM is a content partner with The City Wire)
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It was a game for the ages. One that will forever live on through Daniel Moore paintings and first-hand recollections told ‘round the campfires and tailgate coolers.

It was one game that will stand above all others in the Auburn football fans of my generation. It was one game that will most likely go down as the worst display of playing with a lead in the storied Alabama football history.

Friday was one day where the Bowl Championship Series rankings did not matter, for one school or the other in this series. It was one afternoon where two teams seemed destined for greatness in the hearts of fans on both sides of the rivalry.

One game. One day. One point. One great comeback (err, Camback).

It didn’t come down to one play, but there are several that could have defined and altered Auburn’s 28-27 triumph.
• Julio Jones escaped any and all semblance of coverage from Auburn’s beleaguered secondary to race 67 yards untouched to put the Tide up 14-0 in the first quarter.

• Nick Fairley’s celebration penalty on Alabama’s third drive after finally getting through and putting Greg McElroy on the ground while the senior quarterback still had possession of the football. Instead of fourth-and-long from the wrong side of the 50-yard-line, Bama was up 21-0 five plays later.

• Antoine Carter chasing down Mark Ingram, who was racing down the sideline, to punch the ball loose on what could have been a sure touchdown. The ball traveled 18 yards and safely out of the end zone for a touchback instead.

• After driving down the field yet again, McElroy threw a perfect lob to Trent Richardson that would have resulted in an easy touchdown and 28-0 lead. However, Richardson let the ball slip through his hands and the Tide had to settle for a field goal and 24-0.

• Fairley’s sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery inside the Auburn 10 as the Crimson Tide led 24-0 and looking for more.

• Cam Newton finally getting past his receivers dropping passes and hitting Emory Blake with a beautifully-thrown spiral for a 36-yard touchdown pass that brought Auburn back to within 24-7 before halftime.

• Newton and senior Terrell Zachery hooking up for a 71-yard score on the second snap of the third quarter, further closing the gap at 24-14.

• Quindarious Carr underestimating Courtney Upshaw’s hitting abilities on a cleanly-fielded punt near AU’s 20-yard-line in the middle of the third quarter. Bama jumped on the loose ball and managed a pair of first downs before a costly false start led to a field goal and a 27-21 UA lead.

• Newton, once again, making a big play with his right arm on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter to extend the Tigers’ go-ahead (and winning) scoring drive after delivering a perfect strike to Darvin Adams for 9 yards and a new set of downs.

• Newton evading pressure three times prior to hitting sophomore tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen for the game-winning touchdown moments after that fourth-down conversion.

For two programs that pride themselves on powerful running games, neither defense was susceptible to the ground attacks on either side. Newton had just 39 yards and a touchdown, but the Fast and Furious attack featuring Ingram (10 carries, 36 yards, 1 TD) and Richardson (10 carries, 24 yards) couldn’t get going against the Tigers’ defense either.

In a series that has been filled with gestures and nicknames for the memorable games, Auburn fans have just one thing to do: raise one finger to signify its ranking, its margin of victory and its number of obstacles remaining to separate AU and Glendale, Ariz.

Friday will be one day that lives in infamy in the Yellow Hammer State. There is one fact that will remain, however: Even Auburn and Alabama fans can revel in this one fact: Pat Forde’s bus crashed into the wall known as Nevada as Boise State couldn’t handle that difficult Fresno State-Nevada stretch.

One play didn’t completely change the game’s momentum, but, luckily for Auburn, one point was enough.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the league …
• The SEC has 10 bowl eligible teams for the second-straight year thanks to Tennessee and Georgia defeating Kentucky and Georgia Tech, respectively, to earn 6-6 records.

• Arkansas will be rooting vehemently for Auburn this upcoming weekend. A Tigers’ victory is the difference between the Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl for the 10-2 Razorbacks.

• Les Miles couldn’t summon his lucky streak since there wasn’t any natural grass on the playing surface of AT&T Field in Little Rock.

• Kentucky now has lost 26-straight to Tennessee. There were plenty of people in the stands at Neyland Stadium Saturday that have never witnessed a Kentucky victory over Tennessee.

For my bowl projections, read below:
Tostitos BCS National Championship: Auburn vs. BCS
AllState Sugar: Arkansas vs. BCS
Capital One Bowl: South Carolina vs. Big Ten
Outback Bowl: Alabama vs. Big Ten
AT&T Cotton Bowl: LSU vs. Big 12
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Mississippi State vs. ACC
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. ACC
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Georgia vs. C-USA
Toyota Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Big Ten
BBVA Compass Bowl: Kentucky vs. Big East