After three quarters of football, neither the Bulldogs nor O’Neill could crack their opponent’s defense, leading to a 0-0 tie entering the fourth quarter of the first round playoff game.
The two run-dominant offenses moved the ball down field efficiently in the first 45 minutes played, but the defenses had always stiffened to keep the scoreboard empty. #7 Auburn edged #10 O’Neill in the rushing game with 244 yards on the night compared to 215 for the Eagles, but Auburn had eight more carries. The two teams had minimal pass attempts, but O’Neill had one more reception than Auburn for an extra 17 yards through the air.
Seniors Nixon Ligouri and Brant Gulizia combined for 34 of Auburn’s 37 carries. Ligouri, the quarterback, racked up a team high 162 rushing yards, while Gulizia had 67 yards on the ground and ten more receiving yards on a pair of catches. Ligouri was six for eight passing for 34 yards.
