AUBURN, Ala. — After one of the biggest wins in Auburn football history, beating the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs, the Tigers were unable to stop LSU’s high-powered offense, falling 38-17.
“We did not play anywhere near winning football today, in every imaginable way,” said Auburn coach Alex Golesh.
Both Tigers traded field goals in the early going, with Auburn going 69 yards on their scoring drive.
LSU’s offense was not slowing down, however, as they marched straight down the field and Sam Leavitt completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Harris.
After an Auburn punt, Leavitt threw a deep ball into double coverage and Eric Winters got his hands on it. Auburn thought they had a game-changing interception, but after further review, officials ruled the throw incomplete.
After another Auburn drive that netted negative seven yards in a three-and-out punt, LSU completed pass after pass and added seven more points, pushing the score to 17-3.
Auburn looked to get back in it, with Byrum Brown breaking off a 34-yard run before being pushed out at the one-yard line. Brown punched it in on the next play and cut the deficit to seven.
Unfortunately for Auburn, LSU wasn't done scoring. Leavitt found Harris again over the middle on third and eight. Harris broke away, outrunning Rayshawn Pleasant and bringing in a 70-yard touchdown run.
Auburn’s offense continued to stall, going three-and-out for the fourth time in the half, handing the ball back to LSU coach Lane Kiffin with over three minutes left in the half.
“We’re not efficient offensively,” said Golesh after the game.
LSU took advantage of Auburn’s struggles again, gaining 70 yards in nine plays before Leavitt found the end zone from four yards out on play 10.
Auburn went into the break down three scores, as the Bayou Bengals took a 31-10 lead to the second half.
Auburn’s defense held firm, assisted by a couple of LSU penalties, throughout the third quarter. But down 21, that wasn’t enough, and Auburn's offense remained stagnant.
Auburn only managed 20 total yards and two punts in the third.
LSU’s slow pace to run the clock down took away from Auburn’s chances to mount a comeback.
With the LSU Tigers on the drive to start the fourth quarter, Auburn’s defense finally broke for the first time in the second half. Leavitt found a couple of big completions before Dilin Jones spun out of a tackle and scored another LSU touchdown.
Auburn couldn't put together a drive downfield and gave the ball back to LSU, who ate up more clock as they marched down the field. Auburn finally stopped them on third-and-nine as LSU backup Landan Clark’s throw went wide.
Auburn backup quarterback Tristan Ti’a drove the Tigers downfield through the air, converting multiple first downs with DeShawn Spencer. On fourth-and-16, Ti’a scrambled for the first down to make it first-and-goal.
Two plays later, he outran two LSU defenders to finally put Auburn on the board in the second half.
LSU ran the game out on the next possession, and Auburn fell to 4-3 on the season.
“That was a really, really, really bad performance on both sides,” said Golesh.
After shocking No. 1 Georgia on the road last week, Auburn couldn't bring that same performance home for the Tiger Bowl.
“The ability to reset and respond now is what the name of the game is,” said Golesh. “I’ll find a way to make sure that we respond, because it’s the only option we’ve got.”
Auburn football plays next Halloween morning at 11:45 a.m. CDT in Oxford, Mississippi, as it takes on the Ole Miss Rebels.
