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Jason Caldwells View From The Field Tigers getting better
Jason Caldwell
7–9 minutes
Auburn football beat Vanderbilt on Saturday,
Taking care of business
That’s it. That’s what this game and really this season has always been about. This is a roster with its share of limitations on both sides of the ball, but winning the games you should win and grabbing a few of the toss-up games was always going to be what I thought was possible for this team. Could you steal one along the way? They had some opportunities for that, but in the end it didn’t happen.
With Mississippi State and Vanderbilt up following a four-team gauntlet, Auburn had to take care of business and they did just that. Saturday in Nashville was particularly impressive because it happened despite several missed opportunities in every area. If you had told me that Auburn would throw a pick six, drop one sure touchdown pass and maybe a second, drop at least four more passes and not recover either of a pair of muffed punts, it’s a game I would have said the Tigers lost.
Not only was that not the case, but the game was never seriously in doubt. That’s a sign of growth for this team and for the program in year one under Hugh Freeze. The issues for this team won’t get solved between now and the end of the season. The roster is what it is, but the last two weeks we have seen a team that looks like it’s moving in the right direction.
Offense making moves
I mentioned the plays that weren’t made on offense, but the Tigers topped the 30-point mark against a Power 5 team for the first time this season and it could have easily been 10-14 points more with just a couple of plays. With Jarquez Hunter running well behind an offensive line that continues to improve, the Tigers had 230 yards on the ground. Even with drops that conservatively cost Payton Thorne 75 or more yards, he completed 17-27 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns with the one interception and another ill-advised throw that could have been picked.
While it was just a horrible game for Auburn’s receivers and even the normally sure-handed Rivaldo Fairweather, when the Tigers needed to make a play in the passing game they came through. That’s another positive for a group that just needs to continue to build confidence. The tempo is the great equalizer and if they can continue to have success on first down and make the plays that are in front of them, this Auburn offense can give the Tigers a chance to win the rest of the way.
Defense gets it done
Vanderbilt isn’t LSU or Alabama or Georgia on offense, but that’s not a bad group that Vanderbilt put on the field Saturday. After three quarters, the Commodores had run 40 plays on offense for a total of just 149 yards. That’s a strong outing for coach Ron Roberts’ defense as they continue to just attack every game and get the job done.
On Saturday it was done with the front four playing their best game of the season. The Tigers had five sacks and nine tackles for a loss with veteran Zykeivous Walker having what is probably the best game of his career with a sack and two tackles for a loss.
If there was one thing to take away from Saturday’s game it was the improvement from Auburn’s defensive line and the ability to create plays. That’s something that would be a massive development if it continues the rest of the regular season.
Home sweet home
It wasn’t Jordan-Hare Stadium. Actually, it was a complete construction zone that really had no business hosting a football game on Saturday, but for a few hours Auburn fans turned Vanderbilt’s stadium into a home field advantage. While the crowd was listed at 28,500, in reality it was probably closer to 25,000 with probably 17,000 of those Auburn fans. It made a huge impact and it’s something that made the newcomers to this program leave in awe about what they saw. Auburn fans continue to make an impact on this program in a positive way and the coaches and players feel it.
Statistics, scoring plays and notes from Auburn's win at Vanderbilt
Offense, defense, how they scored and notes.
Statistics, scoring plays and notes from Auburn's 31-15 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.
AUBURN
Passing Payton Thorne 17-27-1, 194 yards, 2 TD.
Rushing: Jarquez Hunter 19-183-2; Payton Thorne 12-40-0; Damari Alston 2-8-0; Brian Battie 2-3-0; Jeremiah Cobb 1-(minus) 1-0.
Receiving: Ja’Varrius Johnson 3-62-0; Rivaldo Fairweather 2-30-0; Camden Brown 3-25-0; Jay Fair 3-18-0; Caleb Burton 1-16-0; Brandon Frazier 1-8-0; Jeremiah Cobb 1-5-1; Jarquez Hunter 2-3-0; Malcolm Jonson Jr. 1-(minus) 5, 0.
Defense: D.J. James 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBU; Jaylin Simpson 5 tackles, 1 PBU; Eugene Asanta 5 tackles, 1 TFL; Zykeivous Walker 5 tackles, 2 TFL; Marcus Harris 4 tackles. 0.5 sacks, 0.5 TFL; Keionte Scott 3 tackles, 1 PBU; Austin Keys 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL; Jalen McLeon 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL; Lawrence Johnson 3 tackles, 1 TFL; Nehemiah Pritchett 2 tackles, INT; Elijah McAllister 2 tackles; Kayin Lee 1 tackle; Zion Puckett 1 tackle; Caleb Wooden 1 tackle; Cam Riley 1 tackle, 0.5 sacks, 0.5 TFL; Justin Rogers 1 tackle.
VANDERBILT
Passing: Ken Seals 16-29-1, 160 yards, 1 TD; Walter Taylor 1-3-0, 6 yards, 1 TD.
Rushing: Sedrick Alexander 9-40-0; AJ Newberry 4-26-0; Ken Seals 11-20-0, Junior Sherrill 1-11-0; Jayden McGowan 1-3-0; Walter Taylor 2-0-0; Chase Gillespie 2-0-0.
Receiving: Will Sheppard 4-43, 0 TD; London Humphries 2-30, 0 TD; Junior Sherrill 1-30, 1 TD; Kyle Logan 2-23, 0 TD; Justin Ball 1-17-0; Jayden McGowan 1-17-0.
Defense: Langston Patterson 12 tackles, 1.5 TFL; De’Rickey Wright 6 tackles; Nate Clifton 6 tackles; Jeffrey Ugochukwu 6 tackles, 1 TFL; Nate Clifton 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack; Jaylen Mahoney 3 tackles; John House 3 tackles; Christian James 3 tackles; Devin Lee 3 tackles.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST QUARTER
10:00: Hunter 67-yard run (McPherson kick), 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:28. Auburn 7, Vanderbilt 0.
3:01: Hunter 56-yard run (McPherson kick), 5 plays, 79 yards, 1:19. Auburn 14, Vanderbilt 0.
SECOND QUARTER
12:15: Cowan 5-yard interception return (Bocila kick). Auburn 14, Vanderbilt 7.
0:20: McPherson 32-yard field goal, 11 plays, 31 yards, 4:02. Auburn 17, Vanderbilt 7.
THIRD QUARTER
13:36: Fairweather 53-yard pass from Thorne (McPherson kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:16. Auburn 24, Vanderbilt 7.
9:44: Cobb 5-yard pass from Thorne (McPherson kick), 7 plays, 64 yards, 2:13. Auburn 31, Vanderbilt 7.
2:43: Sherrill 30-yard pass from Seals (Junior rush), 4 plays, 44 yards, 2:34. Auburn 31, Vanderbilt 15.
NOTEWORTHY
* Auburn broke an eight-game SEC road losing streak.
* Alex McPherson has made 15 consecutive field goals dating back to last season.
* Quarterback Payton Thorne played every offensive snap for the first time this season.
* Jarquez Hunter is No. 22 on Auburn’s all-time list with 1,916 career yards.
* Hunter’s 67-yard run on the second play of Auburn’s first possession was the longest of the season.
* Auburn has allowed just four third-down conversion in 26 chances.
* Auburn’s defense forced three-and-outs on six of Vanderbilt’s 13 possessions.
* Auburn’s defense has held five opponents to two or fewer touchdowns.
