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Halftime Notes:
Auburn leads this game 14-10 after South Carolina scored with under a minute left in the half.
South Carolina twice turned the ball over on drives well within their own red zone.
Auburn has attempted just 20 offensive plays to 33 for South Carolina.
Kenny Irons has rushed for 85 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown (6.5 average)
South Carolina's Kenny McKinley is victimizing Auburn's defensive backs, hauling in six passes for 91 yards (15.2 average) and a touchdown
South Carolina is 4 of 7 on third down conversions
Please click continue below to read the rest of this Third Quarter LIVE Blog Fifth Auburn Possession
The kickoff is mishandled by Auburn's Lester, and there's a flag on the play, holding. Bad field position to start the half.
Irons run for no gain as he slips before reaching the line of scrimmage. Short pass to Tre Smith in the flats goes for about nine yards, but there's another flag here---offsides against South Carolina. Auburn accepts the penalty so it's second down again from the 11 yard line. Irons runs for the first down after swimming through the muck, getting about six yards. Nice run. Herbstreit likes it, too.
Time of possession: South Carolina 19 minutes, Auburn 11 minutes.
Nice play action pass on first down but Auburn's Rod Smith falls down on the route, incomplete pass. Good call, poor execution, Auburn's receivers not named Courtney Taylor just aren't very good. Short run by Irons on second down. Third and eleven here for the Tigers, funky formation, Cox hits Lee Guess right near the first down marker, nice throw in traffic for Cox.
Short run for Irons to his left for about one or two yards. Interesting stat: Fowler says Auburn's yard per carry doubles after halftime this year. Irons up to 91 yards now. Complete pass for about nine yards to tailback Tre Smith who motioned out wide before the snap. The officials make a measurement and again Auburn is just short by about an inch or two. Third down and Cox sneaks forward and he has it.
False start penalty against Auburn on first down. Oh no here comes ESPN's big weekend promotion stuff. Cox hits Rod Smith deep down the field, reaching the South Carolina 40 yard line for a 31-yard completion on first and fifteen. Great call by Auburn for a rare passing opportunity.
Irons runs left side for about four yards before being tripped up. Nice play action rollout pass to tight end Tommy Trott who gains the first down with yards after catch to the 21 yard line.
Carl Stewart short run up the middle, this time much less successful than his earlier run. Play action dump off to third option Tommy Trott, again for a first down. Very nice offensive drive for Auburn, great playcalling on the run and pass. First and goal now at the eight yard line.
Cox changes the first down play at the line and calls the fade, but it's poorly thrown and broken up despite single coverage. Irons rushes left side and is dropped for no gain by Jasper Brinkley. All he does is make plays. Third down for Auburn, four wide, single back, pass deflected incomplete trying to hit a slant. Field goal time for John Vaughn.
Aaaaaand he makes the 25-yard field goal.
Auburn leads South Carolina 17-10 with 6:22 left in the third quarter. These teams are really trying to milk the clock this game.
Fifth South Carolina Possession
Nevermind... Auburn onside kick, and the Tigers recovered it. Fowler brings up Tuberville's nickname, 'The Riverboat Gambler'.
Sixth Auburn Possession
Play action misdirection pass to Taylor who takes the short pass and gets the first down and 18 yards.
Irons runs right and get drilled after about four yards. Commentators smartly note that the South Carolina defense is on the brink now after just getting off the field after an 8:30 Auburn possession. Strange play call, Auburn fakes several reverses before handing the ball to Courtney Taylor who is stopped for no gain. Robert Dunn drops a sure first down, forcing Auburn into a fourth and six from the 31. Auburn is going for it! Tuberville is smiling. Cox connects to Dunn after looking away from his first few options. That's a ballsy throw but first down Auburn.
TOP in the second half: Auburn 10:04, South Carolina 00:00.
First and ten from the South Carolina 22, Auburn tosses a quick screen for maybe three yards but there's a flag... holding against Auburn, let's march this back. South Carolina forces a fumble from Cox but his offensive lineman recovers. Second and 23 now... Cox changes the play again, this time to an Irons run with little going. Third and 21, South Carolina's defense looks jumbled a bit, Cox all day to throw, and he hits Taylor for a first down! Taylor falls down or otherwise that's a touchdown. What a heartbreaking play for the South Carolina defense.
First and goal from the eight, pitch left to Irons who cuts inside to about the three yard line. Nice job of the South Carolina defense of altering that play's direction before Irons just made a nice play to get positive yards. Quick handoff to Stewart on second down, stopped for no gain. Third and goal from the one, Irons is stopped SHORT of the goal line by guess who? Jasper Brinkley. That's the end of the third quarter.
South Carolina did not run a single offensive play this quarter! Auburn ran 29 plays with no stop against the South Carolina defense, but the Gamecocks are holding on... barely. Onto the fourth quarter.
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