After an up-and-down season that saw heartbreak and joy for Auburn fans, it’s time to look back at the top moments of the Auburn season. It was impossible to narrow it down to just 10, so there are five honorable mentions.
Honorable mention: Noah Igbinoghene 96-yard kick return for touchdown in the Outback Bowl
Cornerback and kick returner Noah Igbinoghene saved the best for last as he got his first kick return for a touchdown of the season. This was Igbinoghene’s second kick return for a touchdown of his career, with the other coming in 2018 against Arkansas.
He returned kicks all three seasons at Auburn, averaging 23.8 yards his freshman year, 28.3 his sophomore year and 31.7 his junior year.
The wide receiver-turned-cornerback quickly progressed during his time at Auburn, recording 42 tackles and seven passes defended during his junior year.
Igbinoghene recently announced that he will forgo his remaining eligibility and declare for the NFL draft.
Honorable mention: Derrick Brown rushing off the sideline to get the tackle against Ole Miss
This was definitely one of the wackier sequences during the season. Brown had to wait for Big Kat Bryant to get off the field in order to avoid 12 men on the field. The second Bryant reached the sideline, Brown came scorching onto the field, right around the time Ole Miss snapped the ball.
It was designed to be a quick screen pass to the running back, but Brown ended up at just the right place at the right time. Brown was able to get a big hit on the running back, causing a loss of a couple yards.
Brown put together one of the best seasons Auburn has seen since Nick Fairley was the defensive tackle, and this won’t be his last appearance on this list.
Honorable mention: Harold Joiner 78-yard wheel route to setup a D.J. Williams touchdown
Running back Harold Joiner didn’t carry the ball much, rushing just 12 times, but instead was an impact in the passing game, catching six passes for 128 yards and a touchdown.
His biggest play of the season came on a wheel route against Ole Miss, taking it 78 yards before being tackled at the 1-yard line. Shedrick Jackson deserves props for the play, blocking his defender the entirety of the play allowing Joiner to run freely down the field.
D.J. Williams came in to punch in the touchdown, but Joiner was largely responsible for the touchdown.
In an Ole Miss game that lacked a lot of points, this was an important play for Auburn to build an early 10-0 lead.
Honorable mention: Bo Nix 32-yard touchdown to Seth Williams against Florida
Auburn’s lone touchdown against Florida came on a 32-yard Bo Nix pass to Seth Williams. After taking over on downs, the Tigers wasted no time finding the end zone.
While the matchup against Florida was one of Nix’s worst of the season, throwing for just 145 yards and three interceptions, his pass to Williams was one of the best of the season.
Nix was able to fit the pass into a tight window between two defenders; Williams then took a hard hit but fought his way into the end zone.
Honorable mention: Eli Stove 49-yard flea flicker touchdown against Kent State
The flea-flicker could not have worked more perfectly against Kent State in Nix’s 49-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stove. Nearly the entire defense collapsed on the line of scrimmage, leaving Stove wide-open without a defender within 10 yards of him.
While it came in an early season "buy game’" against an opponent where the spread was set at -35.5, the play-calling from head coach Gus Malzahn was brilliantly executed.
(10) Bo Nix 32-yard touchdown to Seth Williams against Mississippi State (2:50)
Against Mississippi State, Seth Williams was able to haul in 161 yards on eight catches along with two touchdowns.
His second touchdown from 32 yards out was the better of the two. Releasing from his defender just in time to get the catch, Williams turned out and caught it, then got both feet down to secure the touchdown.
The play is lower down the list because of importance, as it put Auburn up 49-9 early in the third quarter. Nonetheless, it was impressive and deserved a spot on the list.
(9) Bo Nix wild circus throw against LSU
Just when it looked like Auburn might be out of it, Nix launched the ball down the field while falling out of bounds. Nix’s favorite target on the season, Williams, was able to come down with it, putting Auburn in enemy territory.
A couple plays later, Williams found the end zone to bring the Tigers within three with 2:32 remaining.
(8) Big Kat Bryant fumble recovery against Oregon
It was an important swing of events for Auburn as Oregon was knocking on the goal-line with the opportunity to go up 21-3.
Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert opted to try and keep the ball himself but lost control of it. Bryant jumped on the opportunity, returning the ball all the way to the 3-yard line.
Even with optimal field position the Tigers were forced to settle for a field goal, but it still marked an important swing in the game, keeping Auburn in it.
(7) Smoke Monday pick six against Alabama
The first of two pick-sixes against Alabama came from safety Smoke Monday halfway through the second quarter.
With the game tied at 10, Mac Jones overthrew his receiver, right into the hands of Monday. After a couple moves, Monday found himself in the end-zone and Auburn led 17-10.
The Monday pick six gets overshadowed by Zakoby McClain’s pick-six, but it was just as important to Auburn’s Iron Bowl victory.
(6) Anthony Schwartz 57-yard touchdown run against Texas A&M
In Auburn’s first true road game of the season, it was important to get off to a hot start and not fall behind early to a tough Texas A&M team.
The Tigers did just that as Anthony Schwartz was able to score on a 57-yard end-around on the first drive of the game. One of the most important parts of the play came when Nix turned around and set up a huge block to allow Schwartz to run more freely.
The play set the tone for the Tigers as the game seemingly never felt close until a late surge from the Aggies.
(5) Derrick Brown fumble recovery against Florida
Just as the first quarter came to a close, Florida looked to get in one last play as it was driving up the field.
It was actually Marlon Davidson who came off the edge to force the fumble, allowing Brown to pick it up and run the other way. Brown eventually tripped, falling down at the Florida 35-yard line.
The fumble ended up not playing much of an impact on the game as Nix was intercepted on the next play and Florida scored after the interception, but it was still worthy of a top play.
(4) Bo Nix touchdown to Sal Cannella in the Iron Bowl
After being held scoreless for 13 straight games, Sal Cannella found the end zone in one of the biggest moments of the whole season.
It was a stretch of potential top plays as Nix found Seth Williams for a one-handed, 37-yard gain, then Will Hastings hauled in a wild, 11-yard catch before Nix found Cannella on the very next play for a 14-yard touchdown.
Nix pump-faked, then threw it in a spot where only the 6-foot-5 Cannella could get it. Cannella reached out and grabbed it before barely getting his feet down for a touchdown that would’ve counted on Sunday.
The play tied the game up at 24 and would’ve been the most memorable had it not been overshadowed by three plays yet to come.
(3) Shaun Shivers 11-yard Iron Bowl touchdown
In a game full of memorable moments, none will likely be remembered more than the Shaun Shivers touchdown to put the Tigers up 48-45.
It was a direct snap to start running back Boobee Whitlow, who pitched it to Shivers. After Shivers slipped a little and regained his footing, he barreled full steam ahead into All-American safety Xavier Mckinney.
Mckinney ended up losing his helmet and Shivers found his way into the end zone for just the third time all season.
What ended up being the game-winning touchdown and 2-point conversion was one of the biggest plays of the game.
(2) Zakoby McClain’s 100-yard pick six
It is nearly impossible to top a play where someone gets trucked and the opponents helmet comes off. Nearly.
After Alabama had been bailed out by a roughing the passer and pass interference, Alabama’s sixth goal-line play ended up going Auburn’s way.
In a designed quick pass to Najee Harris who rolled out of the backfield, Harris never turned around and the ball bounced directly off his back. McClain was trailing Harris and the ball landed directly in his hands.
It was a pick-six that likely won’t happen again anytime soon and a huge play to help Auburn win the Iron Bowl.
(1) Seth Williams 25-yard touchdown against Oregon to win the game
Sometimes it is hard to fathom how much a single play can impact an entire season. The 25-yard Seth Williams touchdown against Oregon is one of those plays.
Just as Auburn had gotten a first down and could play conservatively before kicking a game-winning field goal, they chose to pass.
In his first collegiate game, Nix threw it just short of Williams to avoid an interception. Working through contact Williams was able to catch it, lose possession for a second and regain it before falling backwards into the end zone.
It was a moment that quickly led people to believe in Nix and further proved how valuable Williams was.
Had Auburn not gotten a touchdown there, it’s hard telling what could have happened this season. Maybe the team would have responded early or it’s possible they could have struggled to rebound from the loss, potentially losing more than four games.
In the end, it was clearly the biggest play of the season for Auburn and was a catalyst moment for the Tigers' wins to come.
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