For much of the 2024 season, Auburn football has been defined by missed opportunities in close games.
Auburn held a 21-10 lead over No. 21 Oklahoma with 14:14 remaining in the fourth quarter and was ahead of No. 19 Missouri 17-3 with eight minutes left in the third quarter. The Tigers would lose both of those games, being unable to finish in critical moments.
The narrative changed on Saturday night as Auburn dug deep to defeat No. 15 Texas A&M 43-41 in four overtimes.
“I think we could be sitting here with one or two losses and feeling pretty good about the season, but we didn't get it done,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. “But we did tonight and against a really good football team.”
Payton Thorne found KeAndre Lambert-Smith on a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime, giving Auburn the lead. Lambert-Smith made a catch in the back of the end zone to secure the score.
With the game on the line, Auburn’s defense took over. Texas A&M attempted a reverse pass to tie the game, but the play fell incomplete, sealing the Tigers’ victory.
“We've gotten better, and our young receivers have gotten better, and Payton’s playing better, and we're taking care of the ball,” Freeze said. “I think our kids have started playing with more of a will to win and believing that they can.”
Auburn built a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter, with Jarquez Hunter scoring on a rushing touchdown and Thorne connecting with Cam Coleman for two touchdown passes.
The Aggies scored 21 unanswered points to tie the game, but the Tigers responded with composure. Auburn’s defense forced a critical three-and-out, setting up a short field for the offense.
Thorne found Lambert-Smith on a deep pass for 44 yards, bringing Auburn to Texas A&M’s 11-yard line. Hunter followed with a 10-yard rush and a 1-yard touchdown to regain the lead at 28-21 late in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, an interception at Auburn’s 15-yard line set up a Texas A&M drive where the Tigers held the Aggies to a field goal, narrowing the Tigers’ lead to 28-24 with 12:47 remaining.
Texas A&M took a 31-28 lead on a 8-yard touchdown run with 4:01 left. Auburn responded with a drive that set up Ian Vachon's 29-yard field goal to tie the game at 31 with five seconds remaining, forcing overtime.
“I'm so thankful, thankful to be at Auburn, thankful that we can give our fans a win like that and hopefully it's a sign of many that come,” Freeze said.
With bowl eligibility hanging in the balance, Auburn looks to the Iron Bowl against Alabama in Tuscaloosa 2:30 p.m. CST on ABC.
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Grace Heim is a senior from Enterprise, Alabama, majoring in Political Science. She started with The Plainsman in January of 2023.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @graceeheim
