RickKarle's Blog

     I am now convinced that the world as we know it is changing. I'm not sure if it's global warming or some wierd alien deal, but when I'm sitting here writing about Auburn losing to Vanderbilt, maybe the apocalypse really is upon us.  Afterall, Auburn hasn't lost to Vandy in 55 years!   And just as I was preparing to offer up my less-than-enthusiastic opinion of  Alabama's 17-14 win over Kentucky (a season high ten penalties, three turnovers, senseless fumbles and a mediocre passing attack), here come the Tigers!  For the life of me, I have never witnessed a team exhibiting smash mouth football in the first quarter only to turn into a wet noodle as plainly as I did tonight.

     In case you missed it: Auburn chalked up 128 yards of offense against 19th-ranked Vanderbilt in the first quarter of Saturday night's game. Ben Tate ran for 108 yards Saturday, while the rest of the AU offense could only muster 100 yards).  Then, whether it was OC Tony Franklin's play-calling, head coach Tommy Tuberville's tinkering, or an amazing Vandy defense (which I doubt), the Auburn offense proceeded to gain 24 yards in the 2nd quarter, 17 yards in the third quarter, and 35 yards in the fourth quarter. Did I see some 12 penalties called, mainly on the offense? Did I see the AU O-line look totally out of synch? Did I see QB Kodi Burns struggle just as much as Chris Todd?  This performance was one of the worst I've seen by a Tommy Tuberville-coached team, and it doesn't look as if it's going to get any better.

     At 6:15 pm tonight, the big story was Alabama's struggles with Kentucky. The Tide had catapulted back to earth, and Nick Saban was ready to go off about an unsteady performance. But thanks to Bama fans, it was "Auburn to the rescue!".  The Crimson Tide nation can now bask in a 6-0 record and off week on the horizon. A fractured Auburn nation is scratching it's massive head, wondering if OC Tony Franklin has called Realty South.  While the Tigers are playing their hearts out, the Auburn coaching trust  is puking it's guts out, and I have a feeling there's no cure in sight.

     Two questions as we head into Sunday: Will Alabama's unsteady performance cost them a #2 national ranking (ESPN's Mark May has slid the Tide down to 5th). And how far will 13th-ranked Auburn fall? My co-hort Paul Finebaum said on Fox6 Saturday night that poll voters should throw the Tigers as far as they can. While I'm not ready to take such a drastic action, I am willing to say that Saturday night, the Tigers looked nothing like a top-25 football team.  Auburn? We have a problem- and after watching the "Music City Meltdown", I need only borrow that famous line from the late-great Jack Buck:  "I can't believe what I just saw."