Auburn's Hugh Freeze 'Really Wanted to Fight' after 2-Blown Calls vs. Texas A&M

Fight from the Auburn Tigers helped rescue a win against Texas A&M that, like so many others, seemed to be slipping away.

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze admitted he was ready to fight after back to back decisions went against his team in a win over Texas A&M. / John Reed-Imagn Images

For all their huffing and puffing, the Auburn Tigers just couldn't get enough inspiration and lady luck to get past a ranked team for most of the season.

That all changed late on a very memorable night of roller-coaster emotions for long suffering Tigers fans - sweet relief flowed and flowed.

It took four overtime periods, yes four, before the Tigers finally prevailed over Texas A&M by a heart stopping 43-41 scoreline.

During what turned into an epic topsy-turvy encounter, some questionable calls also threatened to shoot down the Tigers chances.

Immediately post game, the refs still had the combative Tigers head Hugh Freeze hot under the collar, but it all added to the drama. On back to back plays in overtime, an obvious pass interference wasn't called in the end zone, and then a phantom offensive pass interference negated a big gain on the next play.

"I don't know if I've ever wanted to fight so bad," Freeze admitted of the dubious decisions. "I really wanted to fight at that moment."

All season long Freeze has frequently begged for far more fight to emerge from his youthful team, and while you might suggest it arrived after too much time; it's always better late than never.

"It's been that kind of year where you just battle through and you fight through and you keep climbing cliffs," Freeze said of the challenges they've faced. "Our locker room has continued to fight and no matter what people say, they just have chosen to say we're going to fight to the finish."

Staying the course has breathed life back into the program heading into next week's Iron Bowl against the increasingly wobbly Alabama Crimson Tide -  landing early blows in particular set a positive tone against A&M.

Having said that, it wouldn't be the Tigers without making life difficult on themselves - squandering a 21-point lead won't do much good for anyone's blood pressure.

Truth is, getting one over the 15th ranked Aggies was always going to be full of challenges, but the Tigers finally proved to themselves that a blend of old and new can work.

Furthermore, Freeze sticking with his senior quarterback Payton Thorne has born late fruit, especially after he threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Maybe his most important play of the day was a 23-yard scramble with just over 90-seconds to go in regulation on 4th and 3.

Thorne is of course playing to extend his college career by helping conjure up a bowl appearance for Freeze and his teammates, and his connection with explosive wide Cam Coleman in particular represented a tangible changing of the guard at Auburn.

"My emotions are kind of tough to put into words right now," Thorne confessed after the game. "I am still kind of riding that high. It was great. I did not know if they were going to storm the field or not, and I turned around and some fan was smacking me in the head. That is when I was like, 'Whoa, this is pretty sweet.' It was awesome."

Whereas before, vital precision execution on offense has been sorely lacking against ranked opponents, things clicked into place on this occasion.

Getting over the finishing line triggered the aforementioned explosion of emotions onto the playing field at Jordan-Hare Stadium - with many new and potential recruits amongst the elated throng of invaders.

Heaven knows, quarterback Deuce Knight is getting pretty darn good at jumping the guard rails to join the party irrespective of what stadium he finds himself a guest at.

"Oh yeah, you know I rushed the field, you know I got on the field," Knight told Christian Clemente. "Man, that just sums up everything you know about SEC ball."

In the final analysis, that kind of positive energy is the very life blood of the Tigers right now, especially as they get to grips with transitioning into a bold new era, one that will eventually feature Knight.

As for the here-and-now, winning out and grabbing a bowl berth is suddenly very much back on the table, and boy will the frequently embattled Freeze be most thankful for that set of circumstances. 

Simple self-preservation really shouldn't feel this good, but it undoubtedly does.