Bulldog Stadium had quite the range of emotions two Fridays ago when the Tigers took on the Bulldogs in their annual rivalry game. Auburn came into the much-anticipated match up 5-1. On the other end, Opelika was ready to shift to a winning record, coming in 3-3. The Bulldogs have had an intense season thus far, taking losses from the State Champion Thompson Warriors, the region-leading Central Red Devils, and a surprising upset from the Theodore Bobcats. Witnessing noticeable shake-ups in the 7A rankings and Auburn’s loss to the Enterprise Wildcats in week two, the Bulldogs had reasonable hope, in an upset for their team, looking to move forward. Watching the game going into halftime, through the 3rd quarter, and into part of the 4th, Bulldog fans began to believe their prayers had been answered. The Tigers had other plans though, and they seemed to have just enough gas in the tank to pull the game in their direction.
Surprisingly, the Tigers led for just 21 seconds in the second half, and that is all it took to seal the game in Opelika. It was a hard-fought battle on both the defensive and offensive sides of the ball. Auburn had to gradually dig themselves out of their deficit late in the game. The situation did not look promising for Auburn with 7:51 left in the 4th Quarter. With the Tigers down by 13, the Bulldogs looked nothing but dominant in the 2nd half. A switch flipped on the visitor's sideline though. The following drive, the offense made their way down the field and with the help of running back Omar Mabson, scored with a 6-yard run. But the team didn't stop there. The defense made their way on the field putting up a huge stop on star prospect Roman Gagliano's offense. With another opportunity to score, the Tigers made their way to the goal line a second time with a reception and dive to the end zone from Griffin McLean to tie the game. A PAT from Townes McGough put the Tigers in front with seconds left to play. The defense held the Dawgs long enough for the clock to run to zero, securing the hard-fought game for Auburn.
This week, the Tigers have quite the opponent as the Central Red Devils travel to "The Duck" for another 7A region match-up. The Red Devils come into Friday night ranked number one in the state and undefeated. The closest any team has come to defeating the dominant Red Devils is Opelika, who took a respective 10-point loss. Central scores an average of 45 points a game and has allowed just 69 points over seven weeks. They will be taking on an Auburn team that has not faired well against the Devils in the past. This rampant and impressive Central team is showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. There is no doubt, the Red Devils are looking to wreak havoc in Auburn on Friday.
The number three ranked Tigers have a different agenda coming off of a restful Bye week. Auburn has had quite the schedule thus far, including wins over the 5A state champions, the Ramsey Rams, and the previously dominant Hoover Bucs. Through several close calls this season, the Tigers have proven when the score is close, they can be the better team. The Tigers may not have looked particularly controlling against Opelika but proved a valid point about this team. When the chips are down, and they capitalize when imperative, they will come out on top. They didn't need much time or even huge playmakers. Less than eight minutes and slow, steady control of the game pushed Auburn to a Victory in Opelika. If the Tigers, show up during crucial moments and decide to keep steady control of the game, they can and will produce some shock throughout the state. Auburn, ranked 2nd in the region, is the closest any team will come to defeating Central this season. All eyes will be on "The Duck" Friday as many look for the desired upset they have been seeking all season.
Duck Samford Stadium is destined to be electric when the Red Devils come to town Friday. It will be a packed house, so don't forget to purchase your tickets on GoFan before it’s too late. If you can't make it out to the rivalry game, you can stream on AHS Mass Media's YouTube, Listen on Wings 94.3, or watch the AHS Mass Media Broadcast Live on WOTM. The State's biggest game is about to unfold, and the Tigers are looking for an upset.
