5 Days to Gameday - Remembering AU Season Openers - 5 Years Ago (Wash St @ AU)

Sorry, a little late here. Long work day.

After the program's worst season in 60 years, the Auburn Tigers turned to a new Head Coach but a familiar face in Gus Malzahn. Expectations were low and nearly everyone assumed it would take some time to shift gears towards becoming a top-15 program again. Little did anyone know what was brewing on the Plains. Auburn signed a JUCO Quarterback, Nick Marshall, who offered Gus what he was looking for to run his offense. The players began to buy in and the team became confident this would be the change the program needed to ascend back towards the top. Fans and most everyone else, however, expected much of anything from Auburn. What followed was entirely improbable, one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in college football history. After a loss to LSU, the Tigers ran the table including delivering two crushing losses to both rivals in dramatic fashion, and appeared in the what would be the last BCS title game against Florida State where they just barely came up short. Hope was at an all time high that the program was on the right track. This series presents stats and recap from Auburn’s last 12 season opening games on the road to 2018’s match up versus the Washington Huskies. Post your stories and experiences to help pass the time. Also included is the recruiting class signed that year to help reflect back on how little-known signees would become influential, or highly regarded ones not live up to the hype, in the years to come.

#5 - Aug 31, 2013: Washington State @ Auburn - AU Won 31-24

Game Leaders:
Passing Yards
WSU - C. Halliday - 35-65, 344 YDS, 1 TD, 3 INT
AUB - N. Marshall - 10-19, 99 YDS

Rushing Yards
WSU - T. Caldwell - 7 CAR, 53 YDS
AUB – C. Grant - 9 CAR, 146 YDS, 1 TD

Receiving Yards
WSU - G. Marks - 9 REC, 81 YDS
AUB – S. Coates Jr. - 3 REC, 44 YDS

Box Score (ESPN)

Recap:

quote:

---

Auburn holds off Washington State in Gus Malzahn's debut

Associated Press

AUBURN, Ala. -- Tre Mason returned a kick 100 yards and Corey Grant scored on a 75-yard run to lead Auburn to a 31-24 victory over Washington State on Saturday night in Gus Malzahn's debut as the Tigers' coach.

Robenson Therezie also picked off two passes, including one in the end zone with less than five minutes remaining, for the Tigers (1-0). They had managed just two interceptions during last season's 3-9 debacle.

The Malzahn-versus-Mike Leach matchup of offensive innovators produced plenty of big plays and drama.

The Cougars (0-1) had two chances to tie it in the final five minutes, but Therezie's interception and an incompletion on fourth down ended the threats.

Grant gained 146 yards on nine carries. Junior college transfer Nick Marshall was 10-of-19 passing for 99 yards in his starting debut.

Connor Halliday was 35 of 65 for 344 yards and a touchdown but was also intercepted three times.

---

Youtube, AU-WSU Full Game (ESPN SEC 2hr 45min) LINK
Youtube, AU-WSU Highlights (1min 20sec) LINK
Youtube, AU-WSU Auburn Highlights (4min 30 sec) LINK
Youtube, AU-UGA Hail Mary (AU Announcers) LINK
Youtube, #1 Bama v #4 AU Full Game (3hr) LINK
KICK SIX (6min 30sec) LINK

Rest of the Season - Final Record 12–2 (7-1 SEC) (Ranking from AP Poll prior to game)

Ark State @ AU - W, 38-9
Miss State @ AU - W, 24-20
AU @ #6 LSU - L, 21-35
#24 Ole Miss @ AU - W, 30-22
Western Carolina @ AU - W, 62-3
#7 Texas A&M @ #24 AU - W, 45-41
FAU @ #11 AU - W, 45-10
#11 AU @ Arkansas - W, 35-17
#9 AU @ Tenner - W, 55-23
#25 UGA @ #7 AU - WIN, 43-38
#1 Bama @ #4 AU - WIN, 34-28
SEC Championship: #5 Mizzou vs #3 AU - SEC CHAMPS, 59-42
BCS National Championship Game: #1 FSU vs #2 AU - L, 31-24

2013 Recruiting Class Signees (24) - #10 Ranked Class (247 Composite) - Ranked From Highest to Lowest Rated

5*
DT Montravius Adams
DE Carl Lawson

4*
DE Elijah Daniel
WR Tony Stevens
QB Jeremy Johnson
ATH Jason Smith
WR Earnest Robinson
DT Ben Bradley
RB Rudy Ford

3*
QB Nick Marshall
LB Cameron Toney
OL Deon Mix
RB Petyon Barber
WR Dominic Walker
DB Kamryn Melton
DB Mackenro Alexander
RB Cameron Artis-Payne
DB Khari Harding
LB Kenny Flowers
ATH Marcus Davis
OL Devonte Danzey
K Daniel Carlson
K Jimmy Hutchinson
DB Brandon King

2014 NFL Draft
1st Round, 2nd Overall - OT Greg Robinson (St. Louis Rams)
1st Round, 23rd Overall - DE Dee Ford (KC Chiefs)
3rd Round, 11th Pick - RB Tre Mason (St. Louis Rams)
6th Round, 35th Pick - FB Jay Prosch (Houston Texans)

Will start new thread each day after my work day is over with here in Africa.