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<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font color="#3333FF">Today's Game</FONT> </H1>
<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Auburn vs. Alabama</I></FONT></H3>
<p><center>By Kirk Sampson</center><p>
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<P>Auburn plays its final regular season game of the 1900's and 1999 season as it hosts intrastate rival Alabama. Today's meeting is the 64th in the series, with the Crimson Tide holding a 36-26-1 advantage over the Tigers. It is the fifth Iron Bowl to be played in Jordan-Hare Stadium as Auburn holds a 4-0 lead over Alabama on the Plains.
<P><B>10th Anniversary of First Iron Bowl in Jordan-Hare</B>
<P>Not only is this the last Iron Bowl during the 1900's, it also marks the 10-year anniversary of the first meeting between Auburn and Alabama in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
<P>When the two schools agreed to renew their series in 1948, the decision was made to play at Birmingham's Legion Field. Seating over 40,000 fans, Legion Field was much larger than Auburn and Alabama's stadiums, thus, it logically made sense to play the series in Birmingham.
<P>But as the years went on and stadiums began to expand, so did the idea to move the game to on-campus sites. Auburn coach Shug Jordan first mentioned the idea in the early 1970's. The years continued to pass, and Auburn's other big rivalries with Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Tennessee each gradually moved from neutral sites to on-campus stadiums. The only one left was the Auburn's series with Alabama.
<P>In the winter of 1988 a compromise was finally reached to bring the game to Auburn in 1989. Then Auburn head coach Pat Dye said during the summer of 1989 that the game would be the most emotional day in Auburn history. Dye was correct.
<P>Alabama entered the game with a perfect 10-0 mark, a No. 2 national ranking and a guaranteed share of the SEC title. Auburn, meanwhile, was 8-2 and, with a victory over the Crimson Tide, would claim a share of its third conference crown in as many years - a feat never achieved by an Auburn team.
<P>Outside the stadium at 8 a.m., it seemed as if it was an hour before kickoff. Even programs sold out at
9:30 a.m. for the afternoon game.
<P>Kickoff finally arrived and Auburn, who scored on its' first possession, trailed only once, 10-7, before advancing their lead to 27-10 midway through the fourth quarter.
<P>Behind Tiger quarterback Reggie Slack's 274 passing yards and running back Stacy Danley's season-high 130 yards, Auburn prevailed 30-20 to claim its unprecedented third-consecutive SEC title.
<P>It is a day that will live forever in the minds and hearts of Auburn people. Stories will be retold and relived, but there will never be another day like it. It was a day for the ages on the Plains.
<P><B>Unbeknownst to Ben</B>
<P>It was a typical Tuesday afternoon on game week and Ben Leard sat before the media in the Athletic Complex, answering their questions, much like he does every Tuesday afternoon during the season.
But for Leard, this was not a typical Tuesday afternoon. There was a look of excitement in his eyes and a confidence in his drawl. Yes, it was to be his first game back after suffering a concussion against Arkansas, but more importantly, he was going to lineup over center against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Growing up in Hartwell, Ga., less than an hour northeast of Athens, Leard grew up a Bulldog fan, listening religiously to Georgia games on the radio. Now, as an Auburn Tiger, he was about to live out a dream of playing between the hedges in Sanford Stadium.
<P>"As a kid, I dreamed of putting on the red jersey and silver britches," Leard said to a member of the media. "But when I came to Auburn, I fell in love with it and knew it was the right place for me to go. I've never second guessed my decision since."
<P>For Leard, Saturday couldn't come soon enough. Never mind what had happened earlier in the season. He was ready to play.
<P>Unbeknownst to he and the rest of the 86,117 in Sanford Stadium, few would have ever imagined what a night it would be for Mr. Leard.
<P>In one of the best single-game performances ever by an Auburn quarterback, Leard picked apart the Bulldog defense and led the Tigers to an amazing 31-0 first half lead en route to a 38-21 victory over the 14th ranked Bulldogs.
<P>Leard threw for a single-game school-record 416 yards on 24-of-32 passing and tied another school mark with four touchdown passes. He also set another school record early in the first quarter when he tossed his 90th consecutive pass without an interception, breaking the old school mark of 89 held by Randy Campbell in 1982. Leard upped that total to 118 by game's end.
<P>Leard also ran for another touchdown on a quarterback sneak to give Auburn a 38-0 lead in the third quarter. For his efforts, he was named the Southeastern Conference co-offensive player of the week.
<P><B>Farewell Tiger Seniors</B>
<P>Today's game is the final home game in Jordan-Hare Stadium for 17 Auburn seniors.
<P>Those seniors include: TE Dave Beasley (Brentwood, TN), DT Jimmy Brumbaugh (Keystone Heights, FL), DT Leonardo Carson (Mobile), HB Markeith Cooper (Miami, FL), LB Haven Fields (Miami, FL), OT Jeno James (Montgomery), WHIP Kenny Kelly (Panama City, FL), P Sammy Manno (Montgomery), CB Antwoine Nolan (Newnan, GA), RB Cencade Pennington (Troy), DE Quinton Reese (Birmingham), SN Gabe Sanders (Opp), TE Jack Schwieger (Chicago, IL), FS Adlai Trone (Trussville), DE Marcus Washington (Auburn), WR Brandon White (Birmingham), RB Rusty Williams (Moncks Corner, SC).
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<B>Auburn</B> (5-5, 2-5 SEC)<BR>
Head Coach: Tommy Tuberville (Southern Arkansas, 1976)<BR>
AU Record: 5-5 (first season)<BR>
Career Record: 30-25 (fifth season)<BR>
Sept. 4 APPALACHIAN STATE W, 22-15<BR>
Sept. 11 IDAHO W, 30-23<BR>
Sept. 18 at LSU W, 41-7<BR>
Sept. 25 OLE MISS L, 17-24 (OT)<BR>
Oct. 2 at Tennessee L, 0-24<BR>
Oct. 9 MISSISSIPPI STATE L, 16-18<BR>
Oct. 16 FLORIDA L, 14-32<BR>
Oct. 30 at Arkansas L, 10-34<BR>
Nov. 6 CENTRAL FLORIDA W, 28-10<BR>
Nov. 13 at Georgia W, 38-21<BR>
Nov. 20 ALABAMA<BR>
<P>
<B>Auburn Stat Leaders</B>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Rushing</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Attempts</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Average</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Touchdowns</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Rusty Williams</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>100</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>292</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>2.9</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>3</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Heath Evans</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>72</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>247</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>3.4</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>2</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2>
<TR><B>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Passing Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Attempts</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Completions</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Touchdowns</B></TD></B>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Ben Leard</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>118</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>85</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1186</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>10</TD>
<TR><TD ALIGN=center>Jeff Klein</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>169</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>85</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1,038</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>6</TD>
</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2>
<TR>
<B><TD ALIGN=center><B>Receiving</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Receptions</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Average</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Touchdowns</B></TD></B>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Ronney Daniels</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>50</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>990</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>19.8</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>9</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Markeith Cooper</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>32</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>341</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>10.7</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>2</TD>
</TR>
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<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2><TR>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Tackles</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Total</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Solo</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Asst.</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Sacks</B></TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Alex Lincoln</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>84</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>43</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>41</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1</TD>
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<TD ALIGN=center>Haven Fields</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>80</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>48</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>32</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>3.5</TD>
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<TD ALIGN=center>Rodney Crayton</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>58</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>43</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>15</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Kenny Kelly</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>56</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>40</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>16</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>4</TD></TD></TR>
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<P><HR>
<B>Alabama</B> (8-2, 6-1 SEC)<br>
Head Coach: Mike Dubose (Alabama, 1975)<br>
Alabama Record: 30-25 (3rd season)<br>
Career Record: 30-25 (3rd season)<br>
Sept. 4 at Vanderbilt, W 28-17<br>
Sept. 11 HOUSTON, W 37-10<br>
Sept. 18 LA. TECH, L, 28-29<br>
Sept. 25 ARKANSAS, W 35-21<br>
Oct. 2 at Florida, W 40-39<br>
Oct. 16 at Ole Miss, W 30-24<br>
Oct. 23 TENNESSEE, L 7-21<br>
Oct. 30 SOUTHERN MISS, W 35-14<br>
Nov. 6 LSU, W 23-17<br>
Nov. 13 MISSISSIPPI STATE, W 19-7<br>
Nov. 20 at Auburn, 6:30 pm<br>
<P>
<B> Alabama Stat Leaders</B>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Rushing</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Attempts</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Average</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Touchdowns</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Shaun Alexander</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>239</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1,104</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>4.6</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>15</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Shaun Bohanon</td>
<TD ALIGN=center>72</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>310</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>4.3</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>2</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2>
<TR><B>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Passing Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Attempts</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Completions</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Touchdowns</B></TD></B>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Andrew Zow</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>227</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>126</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1,598</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>11</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Tyler Watts</td>
<TD ALIGN=center>70</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>39</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>420</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>4</TD>
</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2>
<TR>
<B><TD ALIGN=center><B>Receiving</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Receptions</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Yards</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Average</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Touchdowns</B></TD></B>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Freddie Milons</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>58</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>680</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>11.7</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>2</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Antonio Carter</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>23</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>207</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>9.0</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>3</TD>
</td></TR>
</TABLE>
<P><TABLE WIDTH=60% BORDER=1 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=2><TR>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Tackles</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Total</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Solo</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Asst.</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN=center><B>Sacks</B></TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Saleem Rasheed</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>72</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>39</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>33</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>2</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Marvin Constant</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>62</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>36</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>26</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Marcus Spencer</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>57</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>46</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>11</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>1</TD>
<TR>
<TD ALIGN=center>Tony Dixon</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>56</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>41</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>15</TD>
<TD ALIGN=center>0</TD>
</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P>
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<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>&copy; 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>
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