Men's hoops: Auburn wins, 68-67

Hey everyone. We are awaiting tip-off to the massive Auburn/Virginia game.

It is being televised on Comcast Sports. Check your local listings.

**I left my camera upstairs. I'll post a real pic at halftime.**

• FINAL
  Auburn wins, 68-67.
  Knox tips in an errant shot from Reed with :01 second remaining. It was nice.
  
  
• FOURTH TO @ 2:59
  Auburn leads, 66-62. Auburn moved ahead by eight points with 4:20 remaining and, well, I thought that was enough. Then Virginia got a tip-in (laxy box-out by Auburn) and a steal-and-bucket. Now it's a four-point game and the Cavaliers have the ball. This is when I'd expect a young team like Auburn to make mental errors. They can't afford any more.
  
  
• THIRD TO @ 7:45, 2nd
  Auburn leads, 58-55. Both teams appear to have gone on their second-half runs, but Auburn's is better. Consecutive tip slams -- one from Earnest Ross and one from Kenny Gabriel -- energized the situation. Virginia's offense is two-dimensional right now. One option is point guard Jontel Evans beating Reed off the dribble. The second is firing away from three-point range. That combination probably won't win this game.
  
  
• SECOND TO @ 11:50, 2nd half
  Tied at 46. I like the way Brendon Knox is playing. He's trying to be assertive. Auburn's defense has been better this half. Landesburg had 17 in the first half. He has one point in the second half so far. Auburn is so small -- they have to remind themselves to rebound all the time. Nothing comes easily.
  
  
• FIRST TO @ 15:51, 2nd half
  Auburn leads, 42-40. Auburn came out with more enthusiasm, spurred on by Reed. He was really pushing the tempo. Hargrove finished a few breaks nicely. Virginia still is settling for the three-point shots. Not sure why they don't drive more -- this Landesburg kid, a small forward, is really good.
  
  
• HALFTIME
  Virginia leads, 34-32. Auburn made a really nice push there. Defensive effort was up. The Tigers missed a ton of free throws, but they hit a pair of threes. The last one came from Sullivan's hands as the buzzer sounded.
  
  
• FOURTH TO @ 3:04
  Virginia leads, 31-23. Auburn is taking a little more care on the offensive end, but it's not yielding many points. Virginia seems content to fire away from the perimeter. They're hitting a few more form out there. That's the difference right now.
  
  
• THIRD TO @ 7:43
  Virginia leads, 25-16. The Cavaliers are on a bit of a run now. Auburn is not taking good shots. Virginia's looks are better. They also got a nice bucket in transition after a weak turnover involving Sullivan. Auburn doesn't have much want-to as Lee Ziemba would say.
  
  
• SECOND TO @ 11:42
  Virginia leads, 15-13. I know this will surprise you, but Auburn seems impatient on the offensive end. Not getting good shots. Virginia is in the same boat, mostly because Auburn's defense is pretty good, but they've hit a couple more buckets. They're also rebounding more aggressively.
  
  
• FIRST TO @ 15:25
  Virginia leads, 12-11. Teams still messy in terms of strategy. No rhythm yet.
  
  
• AUBURN'S LINEUP
  PG -- "Speed" Reed of Houston
  SG -- Frankie Sullivan of Uniontown, Ala.
  "SF" -- Tay Waller of rural Georgia
  "PF" -- Lucas Hargrove of South Carolina
  C -- Johnnie Lett of Mobile, Ala.
  
  
• PREGAME
  Thrilling atmosphere. There's at least 750 people here.
  
  

My Heisman ballot

Hey everyone. After conferring with Wifey, whose opinion I at least considered, I have made my final decisions.

1st -- Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

2nd -- Mark Ingram, TB, Alabama

3rd -- Toby Gerhart, TB, Stanford

LOOKING AT THE CANDIDATES
Suh's numbers: 82 tackles (47 solo, 35 assists), 12 sacks, 1 interception.

Why I like him: Suh is a dominating defensive player whom I consider the best DL of my professional career. He does everything. He played a huge role in Nebraska's midseason renaissance and you saw him play against Texas. He is, in my opinion, the most outstanding player in college football.

**********

Ingram's numbers: 249 carries for 1,542 yards, 15 TDs. He also caught 30 passes for 322 yards and another three TDs.

Why I like him: Ingram is a stud. He's the best tailback around. He gave his team a bankable, trustworthy, game-breaking element every single week. Well, except for Auburn week. Ingram still had a whale of a season. Outstanding player. Not quite as dominating as Suh, but still a top-shelf star.

**********

Gerhart's numbers: 311 carries for 1,736 yards, 26 TDs. He also caught 10 passes for 149 yards.

Why I like him: Gerhart is a workhorse back. He averaged 26 carries per game, which is incredible. You know how often Ben Tate ran the ball. He only averages 20 carries per game. He made Stanford relevant on the national scene for the first time in a while.

*********

*Wifey said I should vote for Ingram.

*A guy I know through correspondence, Kari Chisholm from Oregon, is busting his hump to determine the winner. He's gathering votes in an unofficial capacity. He's been 100% accurate since starting this endeavor in 2002.

Comments from People

Hey everyone. We have just concluded the Outback Bowl teleconference with a few people whose opinions matter.

Let's do this.

JIM McVAY, Outback Bowl czar


• On why he picked Auburn, a West team, after taking East teams for 13 consecutive years: ``There were a number of really good teams with 7-5 records. We watched Auburn all year. A lot of really, really good things kept coming up about Auburn. We typically take teams from the East -- but we've talked about having a better way of getting better circulation in the West. It was the perfect opportunity and the perfect time to bring Auburn back."
  
  
• On why he picked Northwestern over Wisconsin: ``Wisconsin and Northwestern played a couple weeks ago and Northwestern beat them. It just seemed like they would be a team ... the head-to-head was really the final decision. We're going to bring a team to our game that hasn't been to the Outback Bowl. They're a fun and wide-open offense. It really came down to how Northwestern won that game (against Wisconsin) and they deserved it."
  
  
• On the significance of Auburn's win against Tennessee on how this all played out: ``It absolutely added to the argument. Auburn beat Tennessee. Auburn beat Ole Miss. And then the way they played against Alabama. I think Auburn can play with anybody in the country."

JAY JACOBS, Auburn athletic director


• On how aggressive he was in pursuing this deal: ``I'm not sure we took a more active role than some of my peers in the league. We began to contact bowls to find out what they needed from us to make a good business decision. We were very proactive what we were doing all day Sunday and all day Monday."
  
  
• On what he's expecting in terms of ticket sales: ``We went ahead and put options up there on the tickets. There were good reasons for it not being official (until today). Based on the chatter and the emails and everything during the past week, it's been going very, very well. We expect it to be very, very successful."

GENE CHIZIK, Auburn football coach


• On what this bowl means to Le Programme: ``What we wanted to do this year was start building a foundation for a great, great future. You sit there and you look at being able to end the season with an Outback bowl invitation with a good team from team from the Big 10. What does everybody want? A New Year's Day bowl game."
  
  
• More along those same lines: ``Ending the year like this gets our fans … in a frenzy. It's important in terms of people seeing where this program is headed."

BEN TATE, tailback


• On his reaction to finding out Auburn was selected for the Outback
  Bowl: ``I was excited when I heard we were going to the Outback Bowl. It’s a great reward for us. To get a bid to a New Year’s Day bowl shows how much respect people have for Auburn, since they picked us over so many other teams they could have taken. I’m just really looking forward to playing Northwestern, having fun, and doing our best to win the game."
  

Official word: Auburn vs. Northwestern

Hey everyone. It's officially a go.

Auburn will play Northwestern in the 24th annual Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.

AUBURN (7-5)
Key wins: vs. Ole Miss (33-20 on Oct. 31)
at Tennessee (26-22 on Oct. 3)

Stinkers: at LSU (31-10 on Oct. 24)
vs. Kentucky (21-14 on Oct. 17)



NORTHWESTERN (8-4)
Key wins: at Iowa (17-10 on Nov. 7)
vs. Wisconsin (33-31 on Nov. 21)

Stinkers: at Syracuse (37-34 on Sept. 19)
at Michigan State (24-14 on Oct. 17)

My All-SEC team

This is negotiable until midnight. That's when it's due to the Associated Press.

Thanks to RK and D.Miller for their help.

OFFENSE
WR Shay Hodge, Ole Miss
WR AJ Green, Georgia
L John Jerry, Ole Miss
L Ciron Black, LSU
L Mike Pouncey, Florida
L Mike Johnson, Alabama
C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida
TE Colin Peek, Alabama
QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
RB Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State
PK Leigh Tiffin, Alabama
All-Purpose Randall Cobb, Kentucky

DEFENSE
E Antonio Coleman, Auburn
E Carlos Dunlap, Florida
T Terrence Cody, Alabama
T Dan Williams, Tennessee
LB Rolando McClain, Alabama
LB Eric Norwood, South Carolina
LB Rennie Curran, Georgia
CB Javier Arenas, Alabama
CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
S Mark Barron, Alabama
S Eric Berry, Tennessee
P Drew Butler, Georgia

Offensive Player of the Year: Mark Ingram, Alabama
Defensive Player of the Year: Rolando McClain, Alabama
Coach of the Year: Nick Saban, Alabama
Freshman of the Year: Warren Norman, Vanderbilt

THOUGHTS
*The SEC has a lot of really good LBs and DEs. It's shameful that guys like Eric Norwood, Chris Marve and Brandon Spikes aren't listed here, but you gotta make tough decisions.

*Anthony Dixon meant so much to his team. He's underrated.

*Shay Hodge didn't blow me away at any point, but his numbers are outstanding.

*Injured or not, AJ Green is a stud that worries the heck out of defensive coordinators.

My final regular-season AP poll

Hey everyone. Top of the mornin' to you.

During a long, dark drive home from Atlanta, I pondered my poll. I now have produced my opinions into written form. It goes like this:

1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. TCU
4. Cincinnati
5. Boise State
6. Florida
7. Ohio State
8. Oregon
9. Georgia Tech
10. Virginia Tech
11. Iowa
12. Penn State
13. BYU
14. Nebraska
15. LSU
16. Oregon State
17. Miami Florida
18. Oklahoma State
19. Utah
20. West Virginia
21. Pittsburgh
22. Arizona
23. Stanford
24. Texas Tech
25. Houston

*I thought about putting TCU at No. 2, but it's hard to demote Texas after running the table in a more difficult conference. I'd rather see Alabama-TCU in Pasadena. Honestly, I don't think it's going to matter. Alabama, who I've had at No. 1 for seven weeks, is the best team and it's not close.

*I moved Iowa up again. You know it was tough for me. They're 10-2 and their body of work is more impressive than Penn State's.

*I refuse to drop Nebraska after their game against Texas. They won. I saw it.

SEC championship game was in progress

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Georgia Dome, site of the SEC Championship game between Alabama and Florida.

I am not an officially licensed blogger, so I'll just have to talk with you in the comments section.

Alabama won, 32-13.

Radio Appearance Forthcoming

Hey everyone. I will be doing my weekly segment on SuperSport 930 out of Jackson, Miss., in a bit. That extravaganza will begin around 9:05 a.m. CST.

We'll be talkin' Auburn, the movie "Doubt" and other stuff. You know how it goes.

Be there or be rectangular.

Big Cat Weekend: Maybe Not The Best Idea Ever

Hey everyone. So Auburn today released requested information about Big Cat Weekend and the punishments levied by the Southeastern Conference for secondary violations associated with that event.

The documents are numerous. As we like to do on the HABOTN, let's just do a tidy summary.

• Big Cat Weekend occurred on Saturday, May 30, 2009.
  
  
• It occurred during a weekend when 23 PSAs (that's how the NCAA refers to prospective student athletes) gathered at Auburn and learned about the program.
  
  
• After those officially sanctioned activities ended, Auburn officials reported that eight of those PSAs attended an "impromptu" event at Toomer's Corner. Fans gathered, recruits were announced to the crowd, Aubie was there, trees were rolled. A good time was had by all.
  
  
• PSAs are not permitted to attend an event like that. It's considered a "simulated game-day activity". It's also wrong to announce the names of PSAs . It's also wrong to for PSAs to be in the presence of boosters.
  
  
• Those are secondary violations.
  
  
• Auburn reported those violations to the SEC on June 30, 2009.
  
  
• Here's what Auburn self imposed:
  
  • Auburn agreed to conduct "multiple education sessions" for athletic employees regarding NCAA rules.
    
    
  • Auburn agreed to provide literature for boosters to better understand their prohibition from PSA contact.
    
    
  • Auburn also eliminated one official visit for each of the eight PSAs who attended the Toomer's Corner celebration.
    
    
  • Auburn provided a written letter of reprimand to Trooper Taylor. (I don't understand why Taylor was singled out; six assistant coaches attended the event)
  
  
• The SEC responded on July 31, 2009.
  
  
• The SEC accepted Auburn's self-imposed sanctions, then added a few more:
  
  • The SEC banned Auburn from meeting with six PSAs until Sept. 15, 2009: Jessel Curry, Kahiri Fortt, Eric Mack, Trovon Reed, Marcus Lattimore, Lache Seastrunk.
    
    (*Auburn never identified the other two PSAs who attended the event.)
    
    
  • The SEC limited Auburn to one phone call to each of those six PSAs in September.
    
    
  • The SEC banned Taylor from all off-campus recruiting activities through Nov. 30, 2009.
    
    
  • The SEC asked that each of the six assistant coaches who attended the event (Taylor, Jay Boulware, Jeff Grimes, Curtis Luper, Tommy Thigpen, Gus Malzahn) receive written reprimands.
  
  
• Auburn complied with all that.
  
  
• The NCAA then reviewed all that and decided the punishment fit the trangressions.
  
  
• Now you know.
  

Rollison suspended

Hey everyone. I'm catching up here after being out with the fam for a minute.

I can't believe I'm even writing this, but an Auburn freshman who didn't play this season -- there were seven, I think -- has drawn a suspension from coach Gene Chizik.

The suspendee: Quarterback Tyrik Rollison.

The sentence: Same as always. Who knows?

"We have high standards that we have set and fully expect our team to meet," Chizik said in a release. ``When these expectations are not met, I will make decisions based upon what is best for the entire football team and the Auburn Family.”

For your reading pleasure

Hey everyone. So I took a little time yesterday to pen a piece about how the SEC bowl situation has evolved this week. You may find it interesting because, as you'd expect from an Auburn beat writer, Les Tigres are discussed.

Please enjoy: Some of the best drama comes before bowl games

I'd like to see Auburn play Northwestern. I was really into Northwestern's 1994 renaissance, loved watching Pat Fitzgerald play linebacker, would love to interview head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

On the other hand, Wisconsin was popular in the Tate household Wednesday night.

Auburn to Outback? You'll have to wait

Hey everyone. This is just a short update.

Auburn may or may not be locked into the Outback Bowl, but that announcement will not occur today. Or tomorrow. Or the next day.

Mike Schulze, the bowl's communications director, said his bowl will not publicly reveal its participants until Sunday afternoon. He initially told reporters to expect an announcement tonight.

Like sand through the hourglass ...

Bowling never felt so ... unclear

Hey everyone. I have returned from a post-Iron sabbatical of sorts. Thanks for sticking with the HABOTN for at least a portion of your Auburn jones.

So where will Auburn be playing this holiday season?

I have no idea. We usually have a feel for this sort of thing by now. The Southeastern Conference had six teams finish the regular season at 7-5. That makes things difficult on working stiffs like us. The bowls have their behind-the-scenes deals going, but they don't like discussing that publicly unless a car battery and jumper cables are involved.

So we'll just formulate our own truth.

FIRST VERSION
BCS Title Game: Alabama/Florida
BCS Game: Alabama/Florida
Capital One Bowl: LSU
Cotton Bowl: Tennessee
Outback Bowl: Georgia
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Ole Miss
Music City Bowl: Kentucky
Liberty Bowl: Arkansas
Independence Bowl: Auburn
Papajohns.com Bowl: South Carolina

SECOND VERSION (released @ 12:25 p.m.)
BCS Title Game: Alabama/Florida
BCS Game: Alabama/Florida
Capital One Bowl: LSU
Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss
Outback Bowl: Auburn
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Tennessee
Music City Bowl: Georgia
Liberty Bowl: Arkansas
Independence Bowl: South Carolina
Papajohns.com Bowl: Kentucky

What do you think about that?

OF NOTE: Auburn's offense, its apparent revival and its work against Alabama last week has created a buzz that is difficult to quantify. Some bowls may find that supremely alluring. Others may not care.