Auburn Streak Ends in a Blitz

Georgia Tech intercepted four Brandon Cox passes in the second half and P.J. Daniels ran for 111 yards and a touchdown Saturday night to help the Yellow Jackets end Auburn’s 15-game winning streak with a 23-14 victory.

“We made a lot of mistakes we shouldn’t have,” Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville said.

The 16th-ranked Tigers clearly weren’t the same offensive team as last season, when they went 13-0 and were ranked No. 2. Backfield stars Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown all were taken in the first round of the NFL draft.

The loss ended the nation’s third-longest winning streak. USC (23) and Utah (17) have the nation’s longest streaks.

It also gave Auburn fans something else to worry about after an off-season of complaining that the Tigers should have played for a national title last season.

Although Cox passed for 342 yards, the Yellow Jackets forced him into costly mistakes with a blitzing defense that never allowed the Tigers’ running game to get rolling.

Travis Bell secured the victory with a 28-yard field goal with 1:32 remaining. It was set up when Gerris Wilkinson returned an interception 33 yards to the Auburn 20.

Reggie Ball passed for 174 yards and a touchdown for Georgia Tech.

“Everybody outside the locker room thought that was going to happen,” Georgia Tech Coach Chan Gailey said. “The only people who thought we were going to win are in that locker room.”

Cox completed 22 of 44 passes with two touchdowns, but lost a late fumble in addition to the four interceptions.

The Tigers self-destructed late, compounding Cox’s third interception with a personal foul and 15-yard facemask penalty midway through the fourth.

Joe Anoai struck Cox’s arm just as he was throwing and KaMichael Hall snagged the wobbly pass deep in Georgia Tech territory.

The 30 yards in penalties gave the Yellow Jackets the ball at Auburn’s 36 but the drive went backward thanks to a penalty and a sack.

Auburn was nearing field-goal position when Cox threw two of his interceptions and another set up a 21-yard field goal by Bell with 10:16 to play.

Trailing, 17-14, the Tigers got no points out of two long drives in the third quarter, with one drive ending on downs and another on an interception by Dawan Landry.