Auburn Gets Outside Help in 28-17 Win

Auburn Coach Terry Bowden said he got a good scouting report on Virginia from his father, Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden.

“It was like my father said, they play a field-position game,” the younger Bowden said Thursday night after No. 16-ranked Auburn of the Southeastern Conference defeated Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference, 28-17. “The first half, we were in kind of a jam.”

But after Virginia failed to take advantage of field position and three scoring opportunities in the first half, Auburn scored three touchdowns in the second half to pull away in both teams’ season opener.

After Virginia lost a fumble on third-and-one at the Auburn 1, quarterback Dameyune Craig directed a 98-yard, six-minute scoring drive--running 17 yards for a touchdown after he couldn’t find a receiver.

Craig threw two touchdown passes to Karsten Bailey in the second half.

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Ron Curry, considered by most recruiting experts as the nation’s top quarterback prospect, has decided to attend Virginia.

As a junior, Curry led Hampton (Va.) High School to an undefeated season and the state football championship. He was named the state’s player of the year, then followed it by winning the same honor in basketball.