POST GAME THOUGHTS: AGS BEAT AUBURN 20-3

What a remarkably ridiculous game. I legitimately dont even know where to start. I cant sit here and say we played a great game (on the offensive side—the defense is a totally different story). We easily left 13 points on the field. We struggled all game long AND at one point in time it looked like we were going to have to play our third string freshman walk on QB in a tie game against a top 12 opponent.

And yet despite all o that silliness we got a double digit win over a top 15 conference opponent. Yall...this team is good. Like really good. Good enough to even overcome our own mistakes and still win big. Let’s break it down so we can go celebrate.

ZACH MFING CALZADA

I have been critical of Zach Calzada...but this dude might be the toughest mfer I’ve seen ever play in the maroon and white. To take the hits he takes, and take them willingly (because lol he could have slid on that one but he decided to take on an SEC safety head on) and to bounce back...on the heels of that hit he took against Alabama?

Dude is a badass. My goodness. He personifies the personality of this 2021 team. Toughness, Effort, Discipline, Pride and Grit. That’s Zach. He’s a 55% passer, and that’s what he was today (15/29 for 192, no turnovers) and just moved th ball down the field. I love Zach. He’s a hard worker and just a tremendous kid. So happy for him.

SKILL POSITION PLAYERS

Man, I’m just overwhelmed right now so I’m gonna toss out a few things that jumped out to me:

• Caleb Chapman—3 catches for 77 yards including the one BIG play we needed
• Ainias Smith grabbing that 2 point conversion
• Wydermyer struggling with drops—but still grabbing 5 for 53
• Isaiah Spiller—the heart and soul of this team—21 carries for 112.
• Achane—we’re gonna get that one back next week man

MISTAKES

There were a lot of them. I about collapsed on the floor when we had 1st and goal from the 4 and got two straight false starts. We did not play a clean game at all. This could have/should have been a 31-3 win. But oh well.

DEFENSE

I mean every single week it seems like a different person on this front 4 steps up in a big way. We knew how good Demarvin is but the past two weeks Tyree Johnson (2 sacks) has been on a tear. Michael Clemons comes through with the fumble recovery for a TD. Edgerrin Cooper in that LB corps is playing elite ball. The secondary...Bo Nix is going ot have nightmares about Demani Richardson. Antonio Johnson did Antonio Johnson things. Jaylon Mfing Jones muscles a guy up and then follows it up with an INT.

Auburn finished the game with 226 total yards. 73 rush and 153 passing. Auburn had 31 THIRTY ONE rushing yards in the second half of the game.

I dont quite have the words to describe how elite this defense is. We have playmakers at every single position. Every single one. It feels like every week I dont give them enough credit but man...how can you just keep saying the same things over and over again? They are just so damn elite.

OVERALL

7-2. Likely ranked top 15 maybe 10 when the rankings come out. A WIN OVER AUBURN AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JOINING THE SEC. My expectation for this year was 10-2 and that was before we lost our starting QB...and all of that is still on the dadgum table.

This team...is just so damn good. So so good. So fun to watch.

Let’s do it again next weekend.

BTHO ole miss