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Most Important College Football Game for Each Top 25 Team During 2016 Season

By Zach Bigalke

Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough (9) moves past Mississippi Rebels linebacker DeMarquis Gates (3) during the fourth quarter of the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough (9) moves past Mississippi Rebels linebacker DeMarquis Gates (3) during the fourth quarter of the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 24, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Danny Etling (16) looks for a receiver on the last play of the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. The play was later overturned and the Auburn Tigers beat the LSU Tigers 18-13. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Danny Etling (16) looks for a receiver on the last play of the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. The play was later overturned and the Auburn Tigers beat the LSU Tigers 18-13. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports /

14. Auburn Kicks Six To Outlast LSU 18-13 (Sept. 24)

After opening the season 1-2 with losses to Clemson and Texas A&M, Gus Malzahn’s seat was starting to get mighty warm on the Plains. As September wound down, Auburn prepared for a visit from an LSU team sitting at its own crossroads. They were unable to do much against a stout Bayou Bengals defense, but Auburn still managed to take down LSU in a game that proved the last one of Les Miles’ coaching career in Baton Rouge.

Auburn was able to grind out nearly 400 yards of offense, but Malzahn’s offense was unable to get the ball across the goal line. Instead, they depended on the leg of veteran kicker Daniel Carlson for all of their points. Carlson went 6-of-6 kicking the ball, booting field goals of 51, 29, 29, 31, 37, and 29 yards. The Tigers defense came up strong against LSU, holding the visitors just 4-of-13 on third downs and forcing a fumble deep in Auburn territory. LSU still had a chance to win the game on a final drive, but time ran out 10 minutes from the goal line as Miles and crew mismanaged the clock one final time before being terminated.

The win over LSU turned things around for Auburn, serving as the start of a six-game winning streak in the heart of the season. It took a full fortnight, but the win helped propel Malzahn’s team into the AP and Coaches Top 25 polls and opened the door for the Tigers to earn the SEC’s Sugar Bowl berth this season. Had they lost, Auburn would have finished fourth instead of second in the SEC West.

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