Auburn at Mississippi State

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  Evening star, October 11, 1953, page 71

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  Underdog’ 5 Surge In Final Period Starts Fans Riotinu STARKVILLE, Miss. Oct. TO- A slashing Auburn attack over came a 14-point Mississippi State lead today to gain 21–⁠21 tie with Jackie Parker’s high-riding Maroons. In the Cinderella finish, the resurging Plainsmen, led by a second string quarterback, Bobby Freeman, and a twisting half back named Fob James. closed a 14-point deficit to grab the tie. The torrid tension of the clos ing seconds broke into q fight on the field as Auburn rooterS poured out to grab the goal posts. The band played the Star Spangled Banner and police quickly broke up the mele. The tie left both teams undefeated but tied for leadership in the Southeastern Conference. Parker Builds Lead. Until that fourth quarter, the game appeared to be one of those easy and expected State victories. Parker’s passing and handoffs to speedy Zerk Wilson and Full back George Suda built up States IAN bolftiY,no 1nod The fast, bruiSing Auburn line mad the distinction of being the first team this year to stop Parker and Co. inside the 20 yard line. Even in the tie, Parker’s crafty ball-handling, passing and pitch outs were brilliant. For three quarters of the game. States ALL America contender, had baff1ed the tough Auburn team with super-slick handoffs and pitch outs resulting in three touch downs. States scoring, one in each of the first three periods, came on Suda’s 2-yard dive in the first; Wilson’s 15-yard run in the Sec ond; and Parker’s 2-yard sneak in the third. Runback Starts Rally. Late in the third period, Sec ond-strong Halfback Bob Duke took kickoff on the Auburn goal line and behind the broad back of Center Jack Locklear, numbered up the sideline 100 yards for the first Auburn score. George Atkins, late in the fourth period, blocked a Parker punt at the State 80 that dribbled all the way back to the 6-where End Jim Pyburn grabbed it and stepped over for Auburn’s second score. In the closing seconds of the game, Freeman smashed through the line from the 2 for the third touchdown. Davis stepped back and kicked the all-important conversion for the tie. Missis.iDpi AHsasa state 9 9 : l6-$1 6-$1 Auburn scoring: Iouchdoyns-Puke, (2l Burbank 60. downs-Suda, Wilson, Parker. Conversions--Parker CD.

Public-domain newspapers from the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America, found through the American Stories dataset (Dell and Harvard, CC BY 4.0). The text is the machine reading of the page, mistakes and all.

Officially, Auburn leads 66–⁠28–⁠2; as played, 63–⁠31–⁠3 in 97 meetings, counting the 69 since this game.