The Auburn Tigers have just earned the biggest win so far of the Hugh Freeze era, taking down the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies 43-41 in a thriller that took four overtimes to settle. It was the first ranked win of the Hugh Freeze era for the Tigers and the biggest victory in a very long time on The Plains.
Auburn actually got off to the best start they have all year, jumping out to a 21-0 lead via a Jarquez Hunter early score on their first drive of the game and Cam Coleman receiving touchdowns on the next two:
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1860485431068099048
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1860488893952557413
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1860493946633486694
In the first half, the freshman Coleman had four catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers led 21-7 following an Aggie score late in the second quarter by fellow freshman star Terry Bussey for Texas A&M.
For a while in the second half, it was all Aggies, and they were able to tie the game via a 73-yard touchdown from Marcel Reed to Noah Thomas midway through the third quarter:
https://twitter.com/AggieFootball/status/1860515050496340177
Late in the third quarter, the Tigers settled things down with a nice drive that ended in Hunter’s second touchdown of the night to grab a seven-point lead heading into the fourth quarter:
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1860518951261995128
Forcing a punt on the ensuing Aggies possession, Auburn looked like they were well on their way toward cruising to victory before an old problem reared its ugly head again. A brutal Payton Thorne interception opened the door for A&M.
Auburn got away with it, holding the Aggies to a field goal and keeping the score at 28-24 before A&M got the ball back late in the fourth and grabbed their first lead of the night with just over four minutes left in the game:
https://twitter.com/AggieFootball/status/1860530473048637542
Thorne proceeded to lead a terrific drive right down the field, and Tigers walk-on kicker Ian Vachon tied up the game at 31 to send it to overtime. The Aggies possessed the ball first and found their way into the end zone, a result Auburn matched with a third Jarquez Hunter score before the two sides exchanged field goals and headed to the always nerve-racking two-point conversion phase of overtime once you get to OT3.
After both teams missed their first attempt, Auburn was up first, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith made an unbelievable catch to put the Tigers up 43-41 and on the brink of victory:
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1860545340539306150
Needing one stop, Auburn allowed the Aggies to perfectly execute their play call, but instead of a fifth overtime, A&M running back Amari Daniels dropped the ball in the end zone and gave Auburn the victory:
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1860550703745499435
Thorne finished 19 of 31 for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and the one interception. Hunter, on the other hand, toted the rock 28 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
Auburn now gets set to head to Tuscaloosa for an Iron Bowl against a reeling Alabama team where a victory would mean not only bragging rights but also the securing of bowl eligibility.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
