Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Auburn was set to play in the BCS National Championship Game and Paul Chryst was finishing up his second season at Pittsburgh this time last year. The landscape at the start of 2015 is decidedly different for both parties, as the 19th-ranked Tigers settled for playing in the Outback bowl against Chrysts new team, the 17th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Jan. 1. The Tigers were once again in the title picture this season before a late- season collapse. While its offense put up big numbers on a weekly basis, Auburns defense was not up to par, which cost coordinator Ellis Johnson his job just hours after the Tigers surrendered 55 points to rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl. That loss dropped the Tigers to 8-4 overall and was their third straight conference setback. They wound up allowing 32.8 ppg against conference opponents and finished 4-4 against them. Charlie Harbison will serve as the defensive coordinator on New Years Day, but newly hired Will Muschamp was with the team during practice this month and will certainly be tuned in for the finale. Head coach Gus Malzahn knows his defensive players are under the microscope. Theyre trying to impress him, trying to show what they can do, Malzahn said of the recently-fired Florida head coach. Theyre in evaluation mode and hes trying to evaluate what we have and thinking about next year and putting his pieces of the puzzle. Linebacker Cassanova McKinzy finished second of the team in total tackles (82) and first in tackles for loss (10). Defensive back Jonathan Jones recorded three of the teams SEC-best 19 interceptions and was named to the All-SEC First Team. While the defense will undoubtedly be in good hands under Muschamp in the near future, theres not much Auburns offense can improve upon after putting up 35.8 points and 489.2 yards per game. Nine more points would give Auburn 439 on the season, which would rank third in school history behind the 2010 and 2013 squads. The offense is anchored by First-Team SEC center Reese Dismukes and boasts a talented backfield in Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne. After guiding the Tigers to within one late Florida State drive of a national title his first year under center, Marshall again showed his dual-threat ability by throwing for 2,315 yards and adding 780 more on the ground. He accounted for 29 total touchdowns, 18 through the air, and needs just 37 rushing yards to pass Phil Gargis for the most by an Auburn QB. Artis-Payne led the SEC at 127.7 rushing ypg and scored 11 touchdowns, while leading receiver Duke Williams, a junior college transfer, leads the Tigers with 45 receptions for 730 yards (16.2 yds/catch) and five TDs. Williams has been struck with an illness over the break and has not practiced. His status for the game is unknown. As far as special teams go, Auburn finished third nationally at 17.8 yards per punt return thanks to Quan Bray, who took two back for touchdowns. The Tigers are 22-14-2 all-time in bowl games, while Wisconsin is 11-14 in the postseason. Twelve of those bowl appearances came with Barry Alvarez as the Badgers head coach. Alvarez, the schools athletic director, is serving as interim head coach for this game as Chryst gets acclimated with the program after being hired on Dec. 17. A number of the seniors met with me...and asked if I would consider coaching the team, Alvarez said. I feel this gives our assistants an opportunity to concentrate on getting the team ready for a very good opponent in Auburn. My goal is to make sure our players, especially the seniors playing their last game, have a memorable experience and we do everything we can to prepare to win the game. Chryst is taking over for Gary Andersen, who decided to leave for Oregon State following the Badgers embarrassing 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. Melvin Gordon was held to 76 yards in that forgettable contest, soiling what was otherwise one of the most prolific seasons by a running back in FBS history. Gordon, who has a year left of eligibility, rushed for a then-FBS record 408 yards against Nebraska in November and ended the season with an FBS-leading 2,336 yards rushing, the fourth-best total all-time. He finished as a runner-up to Heisman Trophy-winner Marcus Mariota, and one touchdown in the Outback Bowl will give Gordon 30 on the season. Only Oklahoma States Barry Sanders (1988) and UCFs Kevin Smith (2007) finished with at least 2,000 rushing yards and 30 TDs in an FBS season. Corey Clement has served as an adequate backup to Gordon, totaling 830 yards and eight TDs, while Tanner McEvoy, the teams second-string QB, has added 572 yards and six TDs on the ground. Joel Stave (79-of-136, 1,042 yards, eight TDs, four INTs) is not asked to do a lot through the air, but when he does, he often looks for wide receiver Alex Ericson, who has 44 receptions for 651 yards and three TDs, or tight end Sam Arneson, who brought in 25 passes for 331 yards and four TDs. The blowout to Ohio State was an outlier for Wisconsin, which ranked fourth in FBS in total defense by allowing just 283.2 ypg. The Badgers also ranked No. 13 in scoring defense (20.0 ppg), No. 17 in rushing defense (118.9 ypg) and No. 5 in passing defense (164.3 ypg). This bowl has pitted programs from the SEC and Big Ten against each other since 1995, and the former has won four of the last five years. Auburn and Wisconsin met in the Capital One Bowl nine years ago, and the Badgers earned a 24-10 victory in what, incidentally, was Alvarezs final game in his 16-year tenure as head coach. Cheap D.J. Hayden Jersey ." The game can be seen live on TSN starting with Monday Night Countdown at 6:30 p.m et/3:30 p.m. pt. The Patriots, who had a bye in Week 10, will look to continue the offensive success they had a week earlier when New England scored 55 points and racked up 610 yards of total offense in a 55-31 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cheap Jaelen Strong Jersey . Team spokesman Donald Beauchamp said there was no new information on the 80-year-old Hall of Famers condition. The family has requested privacy. http://www.cheapjaguarsjerseyselite.com/?tag=cheap-justin-blackmon-jersey . The Marlies surrendered two power-play goals and failed to score on six man-advantage opportunities en route to a 4-1 defeat in American Hockey League action on Saturday. Cheap Cody Kessler Jersey . Then again, he really was at his home away from home. "It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night," Shields said after pitching Kansas City past the San Diego Padres 8-0 Wednesday. Ronnie Harrison Jersey . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres.GREEN BAY, Wis. - It had been a while since an NFC team pushed back against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.The Atlanta Falcons gave the Packers a four-quarter wake-up call on Monday night.Eddie Lacy ran for a touchdown and caught one of Aaron Rodgers three TD passes, and Green Bay built a 24-point halftime lead before holding on for a 43-37 victory.The Packers (10-3) earned their fifth consecutive victory to stay a game up on Detroit in the NFC North. They remained tied with Arizona for the NFCs best record.But Green Bay had plenty to think about.Atlanta star receiver Julio Jones shredded the secondary for a career-high 259 yards before leaving with a hip injury in the fourth quarter. Matt Ryan threw for 375 yards and four second-half touchdowns.We cant play one half or three quarters or anything like that, Packers defensive end-linebacker Julius Peppers said. Weve got to finish games.The New York Jets and New England Patriots each stayed within a touchdown of the Packers this season. But the four previous games against NFC foes were all blowouts, effectively over following a first-half Packers onslaught.This one appeared headed that way, too, after the Packers built a 31-7 halftime lead.The first play of the third quarter provided a clue that things might turn out differently against Atlanta.Jones 79-yard catch-and-run to the Packers 3 on the first play of the third quarter set up a 5-yard touchdown catch by Eric Weems on fourth down. Jones added a 22-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.Ryans 1-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter trimmed Green Bays lead to 40-30. Jones didnt come out for Atlantas failed 2-point conversion attempt.Atlanta coach Mike Smith said it was difficult to lose Jones late. But the Falcons did damage even with their No. 1 receiver hobbling on the sideline.The Falcons dropped to 5-8, but remained in a first-place tie with New Orleans in the woeful NFC South.White found a big bright spot.We scored 37 points tonight. If you cant believe in that, then you dont need to be in this locker room — we need to cut some people, White said.Some other takeaways after Green Bay improved to 7-0 at home this season:HOME COOKING: It mmay have been challenging in the second half, but in the end the Packers held on and stayed in contention for home-field advantage through the playoffs.ddddddddddddTheres been some ups and downs on both sides of the ball all season, Rodgers said. But were really getting this home-field advantage thing going, with the crowd noise, with the footing, with the way were playing, being really balanced on offence.Rodgers finished 24 of 36 for 327 yards. His other two touchdown passes went to Jordy Nelson, including a 60-yarder in the fourth quarter.Rodgers also extended his NFL records to 396 straight attempts and 34 consecutive touchdown passes at home without an interception.JULIOS BIG NIGHT: Only the hip injury stopped Jones.Jones set a career high for receiving yards for a second straight week, after going for 189 yards the previous game against Arizona.The Falcons didnt offer specifics on the injury afterward. Jones was spotted after the game having trouble walking up a flight of stairs to the locker room.NOT HIP, EITHER: Lacy also left the game with a bruised hip. Backup running back James Starks took over on the final drive and effectively ended Atlantas upset hopes with a 41-yard run to the Falcons 6 with 1:37 left.Lacy said he thought he would be OK, though he was sidelined as a precaution. Asked when the injury occurred, Lacy joked, Whenever I ran into the two big dudes.DEFENSIVE WOES: Atlantas NFL-worst defence sprung leaks early, even with the Falcons seemingly determined not to let the Packers beat them deep.Rodgers found openings checking down to Lacy and Starks. Lacy finished with 73 yards on 13 carries, while Starks had 75 yards on 10 attempts.Rodgers also took off five times for 28 yards.We gave up the big, explosive run. We did not tackle well across the board, Smith said.ODDS AND ENDS: Packers coach Mike McCarthy tied Vince Lombardi with 98 career victories, second on the franchise list behind Curly Lambeau (209). ... LB Clay Matthews beat his cousin, left tackle Jake Matthews, to give him 5 1/2 sacks this season. ... 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