In a start to the season where mistakes have loomed large in losses to teams the Tigers beat on the road a year ago, Auburn was so close to playing a turnover free game and capturing the program’s first win over a ranked win since October of 2021.
But failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities and a costly pick-six from fifth year senior quarterback Payton Thorne late in the fourth quarter caused the Tigers’ to give up 17 fourth quarter points in a 27-21 loss to No. 21 Oklahoma to give the Tigers a 2-3 record after a five-game home stand to start the season.
“I thought they played harder and deserved to win the game,” Freeze said following his fourth straight power-four loss.”And, I've got to find a way to help them win these games and it's not on them and their effort today.”
The Tigers were successful in several statistical categories that had been areas of concern all season – especially in the home losses to Cal and Arkansas. Auburn led time the possession 35:26 to 24:34, total plays 75 to 47, held Oklahoma to two-of-10 on third down and had 26 first downs to Oklahoma’s 11.
“That's kind of been a story. You know, we outgained Arkansas last week by a good amount, and today also, but are not winning football games. So, we've got to do something different to win these games. When we're able to produce the yards we are, we're not producing the points that should come with that to assist the defense,” Freeze said.
Auburn converted on only one of its three red zone trips against the Sooners – getting all the way down to the one yard line before failing on a Sam Jackson V wildcat play on fourth down. Freshman kicker Towns McGough also missed both of his kicks Saturday afternoon – a 27-yard chip shot going into the half and a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter.
“We gotta find a way to win, that’s it,” Jalen McLeod said when asked what his message was going to be to the team following Auburn’s 0-2 start to SEC play. “We played a hell of a game but we gotta find a way to win.”
Following Oklahoma’s four-play opening drive resulting in a touchdown, the defensive side of the ball for Auburn forced the Sooners to punt on their next five drives – including three, three-and-outs. Oklahoma wouldn’t score again until a field goal with 2:26 remaining in the third quarter.
“As the game settled in we were able to settle in more and keep him [Michael Hawkins] in the pocket, keep him contained and we did a good job of trying to corral him in the pocket but we just got to hone in the big moments,” linebacker Eugene Asante said.
Thorne threw for 338 yards, the most since his performance in the 2021 Peach Bowl for Michigan State against Pittsburgh, completed 21 of his 32 passing attempts and had three touchdowns through the air. But in his first SEC start of the season, his fourth quarter, game deciding pick six was ultimately the dagger – continuing a streak of seven straight games of an Auburn quarterback throwing an interception against a power-four opponent.
“Just didn't execute well enough, and obviously gave them the points on the turnover. And I shouldn't have put him in that position and had him have that option,” Freeze said.
The Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith has continued to be the Tigers’ biggest weapon offensively, racking up 77 yards on five receptions and a touchdown – marking his sixth of the season. Lambert-Smith, in his fifth game, became just the 18th Auburn receiver to acquire six touchdowns in a season.
“We should be 5-0 right now but stuff happens,” freshman wide receiver Malcolm Simmons said. “So we just got to come back second half of the season and make a run.”
Simmons, following Lambert-Smith, caught four balls for 61 yards, including a 48 yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.
The Tigers running attack combined for 144 total yards, led by 17 carries from Jarquez Hunter for 97 yards and a seven carries totaling 24 yards for Damari Alston. Throne joined Hunter with 17 rushing attempts, often scrambling away from the pocket, totaling 27 yards.
“But no, I honestly, really felt like we were going to win this football game all week. I kind of felt that, and felt it this morning too,” Freeze said.
Ultimately, it's another strong performance against a strong opponent resulting in a near loss for Auburn under Freeze. The Tigers just haven't quite been able to get over the hump against the game’s best recently – Georgia and Alabama in 2023 and Oklahoma this afternoon.
And the cost of another close loss is a chance for Freeze to finally obtain a proof of concept win in his season and a half at Auburn and the Tigers’ first win over a team that finished with a winning record since 2021.
“After a while you get tired of silver linings. It gets old and guys don’t want to hear that. We’re all competitors at the end of the day and you only wanna hear that so much,” Throne said. “You get tired of that after a while. It’s time to win.”
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
