Most defenses in college football would be staring at a huge deficit if their offensive counterparts gained one first down in 30 minutes of football against Alabama, a program that's won four national titles in seven years thanks largely to their own suffocating defense.
Most defenses would already be out for the count by the halftime break with no help from its offense against legendary head coach and defensive mind Nick Saban.
But most defenses aren't Auburn's.
Despite the Tiger offense gaining just 31 yards in the first half, including just four passing yards by quarterback Jeremy Johnson, No. 13 Auburn entered the halftime break down just 13-9 against the top-ranked Crimson Tide, thanks largely to several impact plays and a refusal to give up the big play.
At the end of the night, the Tide won 30-12 to claim its third-consecutive Iron Bowl win and its first unbeaten regular season since 2009. Alabama became the first team all season to score 30 points on the Tigers.
But the fact that Auburn stayed in the game for as long as it did against the nation's most talented team despite such a sluggish offensive performance is one of the strongest signs yet of the job first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is doing.
“Defensively, we always feel good because we’re always trying to forget the last play and move on to the next," senior defensive tackle Montravius Adams said. "Going in at halftime and coming out, we were on the same page.”
By halftime, Alabama had a 263-31 yard advantage and 14-1 edge in first downs. Despite those numbers, the Tigers were in the thick of the contest.
True freshman defensive back Daniel Thomas, who didn't receive an offer from the Tigers until National Signing Day and played in relief of an injured Rudy Ford, played a pivotal role in that by picking off Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts twice in the second quarter. His first was a diving effort, while his second resulted in a 29-yard return.
Both set up Daniel Carlson field goals.
“Going into the season, my testimony is that nobody expected me to play," Thomas said. "But I put in hard work and effort, and it's like Coach Steele always preaches: keep going to the next play.”
Thomas made a read on the ball and instinctively dove for his first career interception. On his second, he read Hurts the whole way, and once he got the ball in his hands, he was thinking about a touchdown.
“I was just thinking, ‘Go, go, go'," Thomas said. "I was trying to keep on going and trying to score.”
Though his presence on the field was a surprising one for Auburn, Thomas was the least-surprised person in the stadium. Steele's philosophy is that everyone on defense must be ready if called upon. Thomas was called upon, and he delivered twice when the Tigers desperately needed some momentum.
Many others contributed for Steele's unit, as well. Linebackers Deshaun Davis and Tre' Williams each had 10 tackles, while five other Tigers recorded at least six. While Davis believes his unit has plenty of room to improve, he understands the impact this season had on changing the culture of Auburn defense.
“On the defensive side of the ball, we feel like we can always be better at eliminating big plays," Davis said. "If we can keep everybody in front of us, we can be a really good defense. I feel like everybody knows that we have a good defense now.”
Despite a strong first half, the offense's lack of success and Alabama's adjustments ultimately led to a second-half decline. By the final whistle, Alabama had gained 501 yards on 81 plays and held the ball for 40:29. The Tigers, on the other hand, gained just 182 yards on 45 plays and held the ball for 19:31.
Not even Auburn's defense could avoid becoming fatigued after being on the field for so long.
“We do a lot of things that keep us in shape," Davis said. "We were on the field a lot, so fatigue definitely set in, but there was no reason to give up 30 points. Thirty points is not up to our standards. Defensively, we’ve got to play better.”
With an 8-4 (5-3 SEC) regular season behind them, the Tigers will turn their attention toward bowl preparations. Which bowl they play in is undetermined — the Sugar Bowl against the Big 12 champion is still in play if they get some help — but Auburn's seniors know the significance of earning a win in the last game, especially after earning a bowl win against Memphis a year ago.
“I want to let (our younger players) know that I love them as players and as young men," Adams said. "When we go to that bowl game, I want to play my best to try to leave my legacy here and for them to try to be the best that they can be."
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