For the sixth time in as many tries, Auburn was denied an SEC win on its home field. It's a level of futility unmatched in Auburn's storied football history. Orange and blue-clad fans once again filed out of Jordan-Hare Stadium baring disappointed, baffled looks on their faces.
However, for all the reasons Auburn lost to No. 17 Texas A&M 29-16 on Saturday night, the Tigers' defense isn't one.
The Aggies came into the night averaging 49 points, 557 yards and 29 first downs per game. However, Auburn's defense frustrated them for much of the night, holding the A&M attack to 478 total yards, 19 first downs and 2-for-15 on third down.
Texas A&M's 13.3 percent third-down conversion rate was the lowest for an Auburn opponent since LSU failed to convert a single third down in 2014.
“I thought our defense played very good and gave the offense a lot of opportunities," said Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. "The offense just couldn’t seize the moment.”
Along with limiting the Aggies' explosive offense for much of the game, Auburn's defense was especially strong in the red zone. The Aggies moved inside the Auburn 20-yard line five times and scored just one touchdown on those drives.
“We did what we wanted to do," sophomore defensive back Carlton Davis said. "We definitely executed the gameplan, we fought our hearts out and we played lights-out.”
While holding Aggies kicker Daniel LaCamera to four red zone field goals and a fifth from 46 yards kept Auburn in the game, senior defensive tackle Montravious Adams didn't consider the red zone stops to be minor victories for his unit.
“Really, we were mad that they got the field goals," Adams said. "If we can take those five field goals away, maybe it would’ve been a better game. We shouldn’t have let them get those.”
Adams earned his seventh career sack and first of the season against Texas A&M.
Aggie quarterback Trevor Knight, one of the SEC's most highly touted newcomers, completed 20 of his 40 pass attempts for 247 yards and a score. After the game, Knight said Auburn "has one of the better defenses in the country."
Despite such a strong performance, it was negated for the second time in three weeks by an incoherent offense that couldn't take advantage. By the time Texas A&M's Trayveon Williams reached the end zone on his late 89-yard run (which accounted for roughly 20 percent of the Aggies' yards), it was apparent that Auburn's defense was simply too tired to keep it up.
Despite the defense's frustrations, they refuse to point any fingers at the offense.
“(The offense's struggles) put a little pressure on us, but since I’ve been here, the offense has been pretty good," Adams said. "They had a little struggle today. The offense has always been there to pick the defense up, so we should be there to pick them up.”
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