The Auburn Tigers lost a stunner today, falling 31-10 to the New Mexico State Aggies in a game that Auburn was favored by 25 points and paid New Mexico State $1.85 million to play in.
It’s ironic that earlier this week, we talked about the fact that it was 16 years ago that Nick Saban lost to Louisiana-Monroe in the second-to-last game of his first season as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. A game that was supposed to be a November tune-up before the Iron Bowl.
Auburn fans can point to this fact for some semblance of salvation. But what happened today in Jordan-Hare Stadium was inexcusable. You simply cannot lose a “buy game” no matter who you are or what kind of season you’re having.
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And for the Tigers, that’s the part that stings the most. While the middle part of the schedule was a disaster, losing four straight to begin SEC play, Hugh Freeze’s team looked like they had started to turn a corner over the last three with wins in dominating fashion over the weakest teams in the SEC.
Perhaps the most damning aspect is just how it happened. While it’s rare, we have seen teams lose these types of games before. To lose, while still inexcusable, is one thing.
But Auburn was completely run out of the building on Saturday afternoon. The Aggies nearly doubled Auburn’s total yardage with 414 to Auburn’s 213. New Mexico State had as many rushing yards (213) as Auburn did total yards, while the Tigers managed just 65 on the ground.
New Mexico State had nearly double the time of possession with 38:50 to Auburn’s 21:10. The Aggies completed half of their third downs (6 of 12) while Auburn managed just 20% (2 of 10).
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It was a loss for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers that derailed the possibility of this first season of a new era being looked at as a success.
It was a loss that will leave a stench among Auburn fans which will linger throughout the offseason.
Any momentum built over the past three weeks is gone.
Perhaps Auburn was looking ahead to the Iron Bowl. We’ll see if the Tigers can bounce back with a respectable performance next week against the Tide.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
