When a defensive back makes a major mistake like he did — stopping on a go route — it's going to show up,

It was a defensive battle,

This conference tends to build with speed rather than bulk, ... It's very noticeable. If you look at the defensive stats, there are a lot of guys ranked very high.

You've got to have a mobile quarterback against a front like theirs. When they blitz up the middle on 4th and 12, Jason has the presence to get outside and throw sidearm to get the first down. A young guy wouldn't know to do that.

Academics are the No. 1 thing. It's the first thing we tell players when they come to Auburn. They are here to get a degree first and foremost. Once they understand that, they understand that football is second.

We were caught by surprise when we got to the stadium and Brandon had a stomach virus. He had a 103-degree fever. We were fortunate it was this game.