(All times Eastern)
Pregame
12:06pm: Leaving my home in Atlanta now, should be in Clemson around 1:45.
2:35: Ok, not as short of a drive as I thought, Hurricane Irma traffic driving people further and further north, definitely clogging I-85 up this afternoon. But on the plus side, I can officially check South Carolina off of my “states I’ve been to” list. The Palmetto State!
4:17pm: Wow. Finally in my seat in the press box. Beautiful stadium, saw a surprising amount of Auburn fans on my way in, it’ll be interesting to see what the split is once we get people in the stadium.
4:48pm: Auburn is here, as is the band, situated to my left in the non-Howard’s Rock side of Memorial Stadium. The scoreboard to my right is pretty small, and really maximizes my appreciation for Auburn’s behemoth.
5:16pm: IMPORTANT FOOD UPDATE- We had some pasta, salad, various types of meats, and a sizable desert selection. My media pass says it was good for one meal….WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT CLEMSON.
6:08pm: Just got back from being down on the field, this place really is cool. Also, I don’t know how more people don’t rip their knees up running down that hill more often. It. Is. STEEP.
6:31pm: Loudest cheer during starting lineups for Clemson was WR Hunter Renfrow, if you don’t count Dabo Swinney…
6:49pm: The Clemson Band is on the field, and the crowd is ALL about it. As the young kids say-It’s lit.
6:52pm: Clemson comes in during their pregame with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. That’s different.
7:01pm: The run down the hill is absolutely a must see for all college football fans. Indescribably cool. Clemson wins the toss and defers to the second half. Auburn gets the ball first.
First Quarter
15:00: Auburn will start the game on the 25 after a touchback.
14:53: Stidham dropped for a two yard loss on the first play, I can hear the sports radio callers already…
13:38: Nate Craig-Myers is alive! And for a big gain!
12:44: Well, Stidham hasn’t thrown behind anyone yet… so that’s good, right?
12:39: Pass Interference on Clemson, shockingly the crowd disagrees. Auburn moving the ball, now on the Clemson 37.
12:39: Now an illegal substitution on Clemson, the crowd is getting rowdy.
12:03: Auburn takes a timeout. We’re just on the first drive, but boy, is this place LOUD. We’re in for a fun one tonight.
11:58: Kamryn Pettway rips off a nice little run down to the 14, as I type that, Stidham almost throws a pick off a tip that Kyle Davis couldn’t handle.
10:46: Stidham takes off, falls just shy of the marker, Daniel Carlson on for a 22 yarder, but a timeout is called, so maybe not.
10:16: Auburn has already burned two timeouts, not ideal. Twitter is licking it’s chops.
10:11: Auburn goes for it, Pettway gets it on the second effort, first and goal from the 4.
8:20: Chandler Cox loses a half yard on third down, Tigers will go for it.
7:41: Auburn doesn’t get the play off, and can’t call a timeout. Because they only had one left.
TWITTER POUNCES. EVERYBODY DUCK AND COVER.
7:13: Daniel Carlson boots a short field goal through, 3-0 Auburn. Tigers are the only team (other than Pitt) to score on Clemson in their opening drive in their last 18 games. Pitt won that game.
Hope springs eternal!
7:13: Auburn defense takes the field for the first time; Kelly Bryant zips one to Renfrow for 9.
5:48: Coe and Holland with the sack of Bryant, this Auburn defense is for real, folks. Punt goes down to the 17 yard line.
4:41: Kyle Davis is interfered with, penalties are killing Clemson defensively.
4:28: Those ballet lessons of Jarrett Stidham’s youth really paid off there.
2:37: Pettway takes care of a third and short, 1st & 10 at the Clemson 46.
1:38: Trickery! Too bad everybody was covered on that flea-flicker-esque play, followed up by a TERRIBLE intentional grounding tall.
1:32: Auburn punt coming, I’m listening live to the Auburn Sports Network broadcast, and Stan White is about to go explain what intentional grounding means to the referees.
1:13: First play for Clemson….IT’S A FUMBLLLLEEEEEE. Maybe not though, review coming, Clemson crowd thinks they have it, I’m fairly certain Auburn fans think they have it. First quarter DRAMAAAA. Ruling stands and the crowd is furious. Auburn takes over at the ten.
1:13: Clemson’s defense is clearly winded.
0:17: Stidham takes it down to the six, 3rd and 6 coming from the Clemson 6…..RIGHT AFTER THIS.
Auburn 3, Clemson 0
Second Quarter
15:00: Classes have been cancelled on Monday! Victory for the student body!
But seriously, everyone stay safe, and make sure you take proper precautions. Back to action.
15:00: Stidham is sacked, another field goal coming.
14:17: Carlson knocks another one though, huge missed opportunity for the AU offense after the fumble. Sports radio callers are already preparing their poorly written scripts for the Monday round of shows around Alabama. Auburn 6, Clemson 0.
13:30: Just realized that the way this press box is set up, the only thing separating the press corps from the fans is a small metal table…my terror level just quintupled. Intimidation factor not just for the guys on the field.
12:12: Three and out for Clemson, the defense is doing it all. Quick! Someone write up an extension for Kevin Steele! It’s all we have! (Well, that and Daniel Carlson). Auburn starts from their own 17.
10:40: Now a three and out for Auburn.
8:41: Kelly Bryant is sacked.
8:29: Kelly Bryant is hurt. Doesn’t look good. Came down hard on his left shoulder, we’ll see if he comes back.
8:29: Zerrick Cooper in now for Bryant, a freshman out of Jonesboro, Georgia.
6:57: 47 yarder is hooked from Huegel, no good. Still a 6-0 lead for the visiting Tigers, and they will take over at their own 29.
5:59: A Will Hastings sighting! Third and one coming….
5:21: Pettway up the gut, first down for Auburn.
4:59: PERFECT pass from Stidham, but great defense from Clemson knocks it away. Next pass is overthrown and probably should have been intercepted.
4:01: Auburn punt on the way, Shannon puts Clemson back on their own 12.
4:01: Kelly Bryant is back on. First play is knocked away by Carlton Davis for an incomplete pass.
2:05: Clemson starting to move the ball, still with all of their timeouts, Hunter Renfrow is having his way out there now.
1:20: Great catch by McCloud, first and goal for Clemson from the 9. Clemson calls timeout. I don’t think Kelly Bryant is that hurt.
0:52: Bryant runs it in from three yards out. Extra point is good, and Clemson takes a 7-6 lead late in the first half. Clemson does get the ball to start the second half, so those two field goals really haunting the Auburn Tigers right now. Auburn is getting absolutely killed by Clemson in total yards in this second quarter.
0:48: Auburn will start things out at their own 21, with one timeout.
0:35: Stidham picks up 8 on a run, follows it up by losing 4 running out of bounds.
0:16: Pettway falls forward, clock runs out.
It’s Halftime
Clemson7, Auburn 6
We pause here for an important halftime update, more food was indeed had by me, and I am officially a satisfied customer on my first trip to the state of South Carolina.
Also, just saw the rescheduling of those University of Miami games, that could have a huge impact on the Playoff, especially considering they were supposed to play Florida State next week. Bummer, I was really looking forward to that one.
Third Quarter
14:55: Clemson will start the second half at their own 21.
13:26: Another great catch and run by McCloud, Clemson now at the Auburn 34.
12:33: Excellent catch by Renfrow, Auburn has no answer for him right now.
11:47: Kelly Bryant pinballs off of a bunch of Auburn defenders and scampers into the endzone for a 27 yard touchdown run. Clemson 14, Auburn 6. It’s been the Kelly Bryant/Hunter Renfrow Show so far tonight.
11:42: Auburn will start from its own 20, offense needs to do, well, anything.
9:30: Stidham sacked on back to back plays, receivers just can’t get open, and frankly, he still seems to take off too quickly when he senses trouble. As I’ve said many times, there’s a huge difference between how Aaron Rodgers and Johnny Manziel use their feet. Trust your offensive line. Rant over.
7:52: IT’S A FUMBLLLLLEEEEEEE. Marlon Davidson strips Choice, and Tray Matthews recovers at the
Auburn 44. Now, the offense MUST take advantage. Also, it’s pretty loud again.
6:59: Clemson penalty creates a 3rd and short, Pettway rumbles up the middle for the first down. Now on the Clemson 44.
5:45: Huge fourth down play for Auburn, Stidham is sacked, and Clemson takes over at midfield. Yikes.
3:01: Auburn defense once again forces a punt, Tigers will take over at their own 20.
Every Auburn superfan is probably hitting the message boards hard right now….
“Hey, so….what’s the deal with this great new offense, bruh”?
Or….
“Gus Malzahn better not be on that bus back to Auburn, bruh”.
I’m not on Twitter this game as much as usual, but I can only assume everyone is losing their minds.
2:10: Surprise, surprise, surprise, the Auburn offense goes 3 and out. In addition to that, a terrible punt means punter smack is about to be all over your twitter feed.
0:15: Guess what? The Auburn defense does its job, and the offense will set up at its own 12, a Pettway run up the middle brings the third quarter to an end, as the phone lights flicker on at Memorial Stadium.
Clemson 14, Auburn 6.
Fourth Quarter
15:00: Ok, that light thing is pretty cool.
13:50: Well, another three-and-out, so much for that.
11:55: Kelly Bryant simply can’t be stopped right now, essentially gets to do whatever he wants.
10:07: The Auburn offense takes over at their own 14 after a Clemson punt.
7:42: No one can get open for Jarrett Stidham, this Clemson secondary has done a mastergul job this entire game.
6:16: Auburn defense forces yet another punt, Roberts nearly breaks one, and the offense starts up at their own 45.
6:05: About to head down to the field, brief break coming. Side note first, this poor referee having to battle with his microphone has possibly been the most entertaining matchup the entire evening. None of the experts had that one!
Rest of the game, more of the same, Auburn falls to Clemson on the road by a final score of 14-6. Brutal
night for the Auburn offense.
Postgame
Postgame thoughts from Head Coach Gus Malzahn:
“Obviously a very disappointing loss. Their defense is one of the best in the country, our offense just couldn’t get it done. Very proud of our defense”.
“Tonight we had too many negative plays”.
“Clemson is very good up front. I know it sounds simple, but you’ve got to effectively run the football”.
