Daniel Carlson's Outback Bowl saw the freshman kicker rise to career highs followed by career lows.
Though his potential game-tying effort glanced off the right upright, head coach Gus Malzahn said it doesn't diminish the quality of his season.
"He's down right now, so we just pat him on the back," Malzahn said. "He's a great kicker, he's had an outstanding year and he's done some great things for us."
Carlson was 18-of-24 in his first season and was perfect on extra-point attempts. The freshman also handled kickoff and punting duties for the majority of the season.
His 51-yard field goal in the second quarter of the Outback Bowl was the longest of his career and gave the Tigers a 17-14 lead.
Carlson tweeted after the game he was "heartbroken" over the final kick of his season, but thanked fans for their support.
Malzahn said he reached out to Carlson after the game, ensuring the freshman that he'd one day have his shot at redemption.
"I told him to keep his head up," Malzahn said. "He's a great kicker and he'll have his day. He'll win games for us in the future."
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