Mississippi State
1-1 , 0-1
Auburn
2-0 , 1-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Auburn | 14 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
Auburn Pulls Away From Mississippi State In Second Half, 49-24
September 12, 2009 | Football
• Official Statistics (PDF)
• Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)
AUBURN, Ala. - After a momentum-swinging first half that saw both teams lead, Auburn played solid defense in the second stanza and pulled away from visiting Mississippi State for a 49-24 win Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium in the Southeastern Conference opener for both schools.
State dropped to 1-1 on the young 2009 campaign while Auburn improved to 2-0.
Auburn looked as if it was going to run away with the game early on, jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter of the contest. After the teams traded punts on their opening drives of the game, Auburn mounted a 73-yard drive, capped with three straight runs by Kodi Burns, who crossed the goal line from a yard out for the first score of the night.
The teams traded punts again before the Tigers would take a 14-0 lead when the first miscue of the evening was committed by State. Chris Relf's pass attempt was picked off by AU's linebacker Antonio Coleman who then rumbled 20 yards into the end zone.
But the Bulldogs rebounded early in the second quarter with 17 unanswered points of their own.
MSU manufactured an impressive 12-play, 83-yard march - which started late in the first period - and concluded it when Anthony Dixon rushed five consecutive times for 15 yards, the last a 1-yard plunge on fourth down. Auburn led 14-7 with 12:05 to go before the half.
State then stopped Auburn's ensuing drive on three downs and a muffed Tiger punt left the Bulldogs with great field position at the 50. After a 26-yard run by Relf, the Bulldog drive from there stalled at the AU 12 and Sean Brauchle nailed a 29-yard field goal to trim the Tiger lead to 14-10.
The Bulldogs then got a huge play after holding Auburn on three downs once again on the next series. On the punt attempt from Auburn's Clinton Durst, MSU's Patrick Hanrahan broke through the line and blocked the AU kick. Bulldog Robert Elliott scooped up the loose ball and returned it 10 yards for the score and a 17-14 MSU lead at the 4:44 mark of the second quarter.
But Auburn would roar back to end the half with two touchdowns for a 28-17 halftime advantage. The first scoring drive came on a quick five-play, 80-yard drive featuring five rushes, the last a 48-yard explosion down the left sideline by Tiger Onterio McCalebb. After holding Mississippi State to a short 20-yard drive, Auburn went to work again, creating an eight-play, 78-yard drive in just 1:13. Three passes of 20+ yards from Chris Todd to Darvin Adams, the third going out of bounds at the MSU 1, set up a 1-yard run by Burns just before the intermission.
The Tigers pulled away in the third period, outscoring State 14-0 for a 42-17 lead. An 81-yard Auburn drive ended at the 3:52 mark of the period when Burns hit tight end Philip Lutzenhirchen on a 13-yard touchdown pass. Running back Ben Tate accounted for 42 yards rushing on the drive. After MSU's next drive stalled quickly, Auburn racked up 72 yards on just four plays, Tate breaking free down the right sideline for a 35-yard score to complete the march.
Mississippi State opened the fourth quarter well, completing a 10-play, 57-yard drive. Tyson Lee hit Christian Ducre on a 1-yard pass for the score. The big play on the drive came when Relf connected with Leon Berry for a 32-yard strike to the AU 3-yard line.
Auburn would get one more score when Burns scored from a yard out, solidfying a lengthy 13-play, 75-yard drive for the Tigers midway through the fourth quarter. Burns accounted for four Auburn touchdowns on the evening - three rushing and one passing.
Auburn's running game provided much of the Tiger offense on the evening, with both Tate (157) and McCalebb (114) cracking the 100-yard mark. Dixon was State's leader with 92 yards on the ground.
Adams had 116 yards receiving for AU as well. State's Berry hauled in four receptions for 60 yards.
Mississippi State now turns its attention to another SEC road matchup next weekend at Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs and Commodores will face off at 6 p.m. CT in Nashville in a contest that will be televised by Fox Sports. Information on that contest will be available at www.mstateathletics.com/gameday later this week.
Team Stats
MS 0, AU 7
AU - Kodi Burns 1 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 8 plays, 73 yards, TOP 3:11
MS 0, AU 14
AU - Antonio Coleman 20 yd interception (Wes Byrum kick)
MS 7, AU 14
MS - Anthony Dixon 1 yd run (Sean Brauchle kick), 12 plays, 83 yards, TOP 5:16
MS 10, AU 14
MS - Sean Brauchle 29 yd field goal 7 plays, 38 yards, TOP 3:05
MS 17, AU 14
MS - Robert Elliott 10 yd blocked punt return (Sean Brauchle kick)
MS 17, AU 21
AU - O. McCalebb 48 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:36
MS 17, AU 28
AU - Kodi Burns 1 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 1:13
MS 17, AU 35
AU - Lutzenkirchen 13 yd pass from Kodi Burns (Wes Byrum kick) 7 plays, 81 yards, TOP 2:51
MS 17, AU 42
AU - Ben Tate 35 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 4 plays, 72 yards, TOP 1:22
MS 24, AU 42
MS - Christian Ducre 1 yd pass from Tyson Lee (Sean Brauchle kick) 10 plays, 57 yards, TOP 5:04
MS 24, AU 49
AU - Kodi Burns 1 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:19
