I just want to show Corso and all the other naysayers that Auburn is not a team deplete of talent.  If Auburn showed anything Saturday, they showed that they have talented players on both sides of the ball.  They also showed they have tremendous speed (some in the know say the most speed in years).  Above all, Auburn showed they have a bright future.

How can one glean such enthusiasm after one game against a little foe like Ball State?  Here are a few reasons to be excited:
 

• 16 freshman played in the game (six true freshman and ten redshirt freshmen) including two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman who started
• Auburn's defense held Ball State to just 92 yards total offense (32 yards passing and 60 yards rushing)
• Auburn did not allow Ball State to cross the 50 yard line
• In his first game, redshirt freshman QB Jason Campbell completed 16 of 28 passes for 214 yards with no interceptions
• Ronnie Brown rushed for 67 yards on only five carries - he didn't even play in the second half
• Joe Walkins had six punt returns for 109 yards
• Auburn piled up 30 points while showing almost nothing offensively to next week's opponent

Auburn took care of business Saturday and did what it had to to prepare for SEC play.  Above all, I believe they squelched the notion that this team is headed nowhere with little talent.

Coach Tommy Tuberville seemed to know all along that this team had talent.  He put the game in its proper perspective, however, on Saturday night: ''This was just a controlled scrimmage,'' he said. ''You won't get that style again in the SEC. Now, the season is starting. Ball State is over.''

Well put.  Bring on Ole Miss.
 

Here are the categories you were asked to pick for the Ball State game:
 
(1 pt.)  1.  Winner and point spread

(1 pt.)  2.  Auburn (Team) passing yards

(1 pt.)  3.  Auburn (Team) rushing yards

Here were the actual results:

(1 pt.)  1.  Winner and point spread:  Auburn by 30

(1 pt.)  2.  Auburn (Team) passing yards:  243

(1 pt.)  3.  Auburn (Team) rushing yards:  142

And here are this week's winners:

(1 pt.)  1.  Winner and point spread:  Two players picked closest to the mark this week: Ryan Adair picked Auburn by 31, and Stuart Whiting picked Auburn by 29.

(1 pt.)  2.  Auburn (Team) passing yards:  Ryan Adair picks up his second point of the week and claims sole possession of first place the season standing with his on-the-nose pick of 243 yards passing!

(1 pt.)  3.  Auburn (Team) rushing yards:  Several players were close in this category, but Ed Brown comes closest to the mark with his pick of 135 yards rushing.

Here's how all our players fared for Game #1:
 
 
 

 Game #1 Predictions

Player	Winner by	Pass	Rush	Pts.
Ryan Adair	AU by 31	243	160	2
William Arthur	AU by 17	245	165	0
Peggy Barr	AU by 21	105	210	0
Ron Barr	AU by 17	290	113	0
Ed Brown	AU by 28	265	135	1
Chastains	AU by 13	145	168	0
Herb Dowdy	AU by 17	201	169	0
Shannon Duer	AU by 9	298	320	0
Steve Duer	AU by 21	376	125	0
Bryan Hufalar	AU by 17	189	167	0
Jill Jacobs	AU by 10	175	125	0
Robert Knowles	AU by 21	240	120	0
Alan Mann	AU by 26	232	185	0
Greg Shubert	AU by 21	178	200	0
Matt Steen	AU by 33	340	88	0
David Wade	AU by 20	185	133	0
Stuart Whiting	AU by 29	245	185	1
J.D. Zeiler	AU by 16	175	166	0
Jennifer Zeiler	AU by 10	150	150	0
Todd Zeiler	AU by 21	182	286	0
Mitchell Brown	AU by 16	189	202	NA

 

Make Your Picks Now for the Ole Miss Game!