Sept. 4, 2005
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AUBURN, Ala. (AP) – Georgia Tech intercepted Brandon Cox four times in the second half and P.J. Daniels ran for 111 yards and a touchdown to help the Yellow Jackets end Auburn’s 15-game winning streak with a 23-14 victory Saturday night.
The 16th-ranked Tigers clearly weren’t the same offensive team that went 13-0 in 2004 and finished No. 2 nationally but sent backfield stars Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown into the first round of the NFL draft.
The loss ended the nation’s third longest winning streak, hours after both Southern California (23) and Utah (17) kept their streaks going. It also gave Auburn fans something else to worry about after an offseason of complaining that the Tigers should have played for a national title last season.
The Yellow Jackets one-upped the nation’s top scoring defense of last year, allowing Cox to pass for 342 yards but forcing him into costly mistakes with a blitzing defense that never allowed the Tigers’ running game to get untracked.
Travis Bell locked up the win with a 28-yard field goal with 1:32 remaining, his second of the final 11 minutes. It was set up when Gerris Wilkinson returned an interception 33 yards to the Auburn 20, the Yellow Jackets’ third pick in Auburn territory.
Reggie Ball passed for 174 yards and a touchdown for Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech has become adept at ruining Auburn’s mood since the once-prominent rivalry was renewed in 2003, when the Yellow Jackets won 17-3 in the Tigers’ lowpoint of a troubling season.
Auburn managed 40 yards rushing in that game and just 50 this time, the fewest since then.
Cox was 22-of-44 passing 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.
