Playing their second consecutive 11:20 a.m. kickoff game, the Tigers are tied 10-10 with Vanderbilt at halftime.
The Commodores accumulated several first downs in their first possession, moving the ball to their own 29-yard line and converting on fourth down to move the chains.
Running back Wesley Tate saw several snaps in the wildcat formation on the first drive. The Tigers' defense held Vanderbilt to another fourth down, but the black and gold converted again to move to its own 8-yard line.
Tate took another direct snap to the left and scored Vanderbilt's first touchdown of the game.
Casanova Mckinzey made the start at middle linebacker in place of Jake Holland, making several key tackles in his first game with major playing time.
Auburn's first play from scrimmage was a 17-yard rush by Tre Mason, but quarterback Clint Moseley completed a short pass to Trovon Reed short of the first down, forcing the Tigers to punt.
After Vanderbilt gashed the Tigers down to their 35-yard line, defensive tackle Angelo Blackson forced a fumble of Vanderbilt running back Wesley Tate.
Auburn's ensuing drive ended in another punt after Moseley couldn't scramble for enough yardage for the first down, but Auburn forced a quick three-and-out after a false start by the Commodores. A fake punt was stopped by the Tigers, and Auburn had the ball on its own 35.
Jonathan Wallace completed his first pass as a Tiger to Ricardo Louis to drive the Tigers down to the 11-yard line. An incomplete pass from Moseley to Emory Blake forced Cody Parkey to kick a short field goal and close the score to 3-7 Vanderbilt.
After another Vanderbilt three-and-out, the Tigers did the same, after short rushes by Tre Mason.
Vanderbilt was forced to go for it again on fourth down, and the Tigers' defense was up for the challenge, forcing a turnover on downs.
Moseley completed two passes in a row to Blake, and Mason finished the drive with a 1-yard run for Auburn's first touchdown, with just over a minute left in the first half.
Vanderbilt moved down the field on the next possession, including a 16-yard quick screen pass to Stacey to its own 22-yard line with 20 seconds remaining, and resulting in a Carey Spears field goal.
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