Gus wants you to know Saturday isn’t about him, no sirree, ’cause he’s already been there and done that.
… Since losing the 2013 BCS National Championship, the Tigers are 1-7 in their last eight games against top 10 teams.
That record, an 0-6 mark against Georgia and Alabama over the past three years, and losses to Clemson and LSU featuring woeful offensive play this season is why this stretch is critical to Malzahn’s future on the Plains.
He did not want to acknowledge the enormity of this week to his own career.
“We’ve coached in SEC Championships and national championships,” Malzahn said. “This is a big game, but it’s not about me, it’s about our team. It’s a great opportunity in a huge game for our team for this year. I don’t get into for me, personally big games. I’ve been fortunate to coach in quite a few of them.”
Hunh. Losing to all those top-ranked teams must have been somebody else’s fault.
When you say it’s not about you, it usually is about you.
Get The Picture 
Things people say that immediately set off my BS meter: “To be honest with you.” “It’s not about me.” “I have your best interest in mind.” “With all due respect.” “Brick by brick.” “I care more about others success than my own.” (a favorite of sales managers) And, last but not least..”We have bigger fish to fry.”
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“with all due respect”……Translation: I’m about to say something you will find egregiously offensive.
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“I’m a team player.” — Say people who are usually the opposite of “team player.”
“I have no ego.” Always said by complete narcissists. See also: “I just want what’s best for the [team, project, company, etc.]”
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The back against the wall argument is in full effect I suppose. I have no idea if it’ll be enough.
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I’m nervous but confident about this game. Can we lose? Yep, but they have to do something really no one has done all year … run the ball consistently to force our safeties into the box and turn our offense into a pass first team. If they can do that, they deserve to win. I don’t think they can, and as we’ve seen multiple times this year, we wear them down in the 2nd half.
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Auburn has played good enough in a couple of games this year to warrant some respect…err, caution. What makes me a little uncomfortable is the thought of some bad bounces for us or good for them, that would keep them in the game at key moments. Like some luck right before the half or late in the game. I know I don’t want to see any more long drives that end in a turn-over inside the 5.
I keep hearing it suggested that Auburn may have more reason to feel the urgency or need for intensity than us. I hope that’s not true. I know it’s not from the fan’s point of view and I have a hard time believing it would be that way for the players as well.
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It’s a rivalry game and the opposite of the WLOCP. I imagine this senior group wants to leave Athens 4-0 vs. the sociology majors with multiple mascot identification disorder.
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Perfect description of our “friends” on the plain, plane, whatever.
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Ugh. God, I’m nervous.
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Basically your criticism of Gus is the same criticism others leveled at CMR–that he beat a lot of mediocre teams but couldn’t win games against top ranked opponents. That criticism iwould be true of just about every coach in America not named Saban.
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Let me clarify my comment above. Every coach can’t win every game every time. Some coaches are better than others too. When a HC with a winning record loses his job because his team hasn’t beaten the very best teams in the nation that is a sad commentary on the state of the sport. I am reminded of the old saying : “We’re with you win or tie, just don’t tie too many.” Now that there are no more ties, well……
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Yep. Even being one rabbit’s foot away from being 4-0 vs Gus, I will be the first to say they are idiots if they fire him after this season, regardless of what happens against UGA and Alabama.
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Dammit, I’d feel a lot better if this were a home game, as it SHOULD BE in odd years…
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^This. We accommodated the SEC a few years back by moving the venue so we played Auburn in Auburn in odd numbered years. That allowed Auburn to play us at their place two years in a row. It also put Georgia in the position of having to play Tech, UT and Auburn away in the same years which is magnified by the fact that we also have to play FU in JAX. Playing this many big games away from Sanford Stadium at/near the end of the season when the chips are on the line is a disadvantage. We need the SEC to move the Auburn game back to Athens in odd numbered years so UGA (1) gets its home game back that we lost due to the rescheduling; and (2) so we don’t have to play Auburn, Tech and UT away in the same years.
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Everybody I know wants that reverted. Next year’s AU season tix, or that I’ll ever buy them again are borderline worthless w/o one of their rivals at home.
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I think we are playing with some “house” money this week. Since we clinched a spot in the SECCG last week, all of our goals are still in front of us win or lose this week. Yes if we lose, we will drop from the #1 ranking and will have no margin of error moving forward, but most of the pressure is on Auburn.
We should be able to play loose and confident. Auburn knows a loss to UGA ends a reasonable shot at the SECCG and knocks them out of the CFP. Plus it will firmly place Malzahn on the hot seat.
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“Auburn knows a loss to UGA ends a reasonable shot at the SECCG and knocks them out of the CFP. Plus it will firmly place Malzahn on the hot seat.”
Which is exactly why we should be concerned about this game.
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Truthfully, this Auburn story seem similar to Tenn, and Florida this season.
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Really wish the Committee had dropped us to #2 last night so our players would have that disrespect chip in our pocket, but with this team’s attitude/approach, it is less concerning. Feel we will play well in a tough environment, but close games favor the home team so I would love to get off to a quick start and calm their crowd down. We haven’t been faced with a lot of opportunities to play in nail biters with a stoked crowd on their feet.
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I’m not sure what Auburn has done to merit the #10 ranking. It’s great for us but they sure seem like “paper tigers”. I was at the LSU-Auburn game and once they stopped shooting themselves in the foot LSU was able to move the ball against them with ease. My biggest fear is our young guys start believing the “rat poison” that is out there but really this game shouldn’t be close.
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Gus put the clamps on his offense in the 2nd half and tried to ride his D with a 9 point lead. Stupid, stupid, stupid, and it may cost him his job. If AU loses a close one to GA, he may survive, but a Georgia blow out and he is done. I wouldn’t be shocked if he wound up back home with the Razorbacks.
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I think Arky fires Bert after the season and hires Gus. If Auburn doesn’t like Gus any more so what?
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It isn’t what Auburn did to move up, it’s what others have done to fall down
This has been a weird season.
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If I chance to see the three-legged East Alabama jackrabbit hitchhiking on the road to Eufala, I’ll be sure to pick that little sumbitch up. Gus don’t need another of his extremities.
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I swear, I’ll never give him back that rabbit’s foot.
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It’s pretty amazing that UGA seems to have a solid coaching advantage in this game. Smart’s year two success is really turning up the seat heat for coaches in year 4-5.
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