SZVETITZ COLUMN: Fans saw a little of everything in Tigers’ win

Auburn’s Mario Fannin is fast.

So is West Virginia’s Noel Devine.

Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium turned into a track meet. Only after the swim meet took place when 3.75 inches of rain fell on Pat Dye Field prior to the delayed kickoff.

There’s never been that many Auburn fans in attendance for a contest in either sport.

But this year is different. Way different. Fans head out to a football game, expecting to see four quarters and a cloud of dust, and instead they’re treated to the 100-yard dash and the high jump — Trooper Taylor’s favorite event.

Saturday — football, track or swimming fan — everyone got his money’s worth in Auburn’s 41-30 win over West Virginia, that’s for sure.

And then some.

Speaking of track, who says it’s boring? Ask the 87,451 fans who have no fingernails left.

Boring? No way.

Especially when the 4x100-yard relay is going on, which, actually, never stopped.

And here you thought this was going to be a slugfest. Please.

What wet playing conditions? OK, so Devine runs a 4.27 40 on rain-soaked turf, instead of a 4.25. Excuse me.

Up one side of the field and down the other went Auburn and West Virginia, passing the baton back and forth, just like the momentum.

Devine picked up right where he left off last year against Auburn. Running. Very fast. Untouched.

Auburn, meanwhile, missed the starter’s gun again and again, as WVU jumped out to a 14-0 lead faster than Bill Stewart can say “Aw, shucks.”

A 50-minute first quarter that saw 318 yards of total offense, with West Virginia responsible for 219 of those, leading 21-10. Wow.

The Mountaineers were running circles around the Tigers, while the home team just ran in place.

Earlier in the week, Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said he’d know what kind of team he had on Sunday morning after playing the Mountaineers.

Bruised. Battered. Tired. Victorious.

WVU did everything it did last year to Auburn, and then some.

The difference? The Tigers took it all in stride. Then hit back, running up 301 total yards in the final three quarters, while outscoring West Virginia, 31-9.

This was the first time this season Auburn stumbled out of the gate and was forced to play catch-up, though they have trailed in every game. And, eventually, the Tigers did. They just needed to stretch. And be stretched.

“What I did like tonight,” Chizik said, “I did see our football team, no matter what the circumstances were, fight and claw and scratch … I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The defense responded.

The offense responded.

Wide receiver Darvin Adams responded, becoming the first Tiger wideout to catch three TD passes in one game in 20 years. Oh, and Chris Todd also became the first AU quarterback in eight years to throw for four scores in one game.

In an age where Auburn’s defense has been the story time and time again, it’s Auburn’s offense that’s making history time and time again.

Three games, more than three offensive records have been matched or broken.

Track (see: Auburn’s offense) just became the second-favorite sport on the Plains.

Oh, and about that defense?

Six turnovers, including five interceptions, including the game-clinching pick-6.

Not bad.

Hey, field-event athletes can score points, too.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.