Mistake-Prone Auburn Tigers Implode in Loss to Oklahoma Sooners

Curious play calling, clock management, and over course a key turnover doom an otherwise dominant Auburn Tigers effort against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and quarterback weren't on the same page in Auburn's 27-21 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners / John Reed-Imagn Images

Auburn, Ala. – Crucial mistakes continue to haunt Auburn as the Tigers blew a 21-10 fourth quarter lead to Oklahoma. Leading 21-16 and needing to grind clock late in the game, Payton Thorne was intercepted by Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis, who raced 63 yards down the sideline to give the Sooners the go-ahead points. From there the Sooners held on 27-21 in their first ever trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Coming into the game Auburn ranked last or near last in the NCAA in interceptions thrown, fumbles, fumbles lost, and turnover margin. The Tigers had no fumbles, no interceptions on the day until Thorne’s pick-six that came with 4:06 left in the contest.

The game was overall mismanaged by Hugh Freeze, the Auburn coaches, and Thorne.

Auburn had the ball up 21-10 at the Oklahoma 33-yard line with under 11 minutes remaining, and tailback Jarquez Hunter was having success on the ground. But Auburn threw the ball incomplete on first and second down. The third down call was a run up the middle that set up freshman Towns McGough, who then missed from 51 yards.

McGough had a rough showing. After the Auburn staff mismanaged the clock at the end of the first half, McGough missed from 31 yards out. He was given a second chance because of an Oklahoma penalty, and he missed from 27 as well.

Auburn had other opportunities for points. In the first quarter Freeze elected to go for it on the Oklahoma one-yard line, and a Sam Jackson V wildcat quarterback sweep was stuffed.

The Tigers were just 1 of 3 scoring in the red zone.

Aside from the mismanaged series of plays, Auburn controlled the game and dominated the middle portion of the contest on both sides of the ball, outscoring Oklahoma 21-3.

Auburn racked up 482 yards of offense, a number that wins most games, especially when the defense holds the opponent to 2-10 on third down and just 291 yards offense.

Following Auburn’s botched possession early in the fourth quarter with a 21-10 lead, Oklahoma got its first touchdown since its opening possession of the game. Receiver J.J. Hester beat Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee deep for 60 yards. Two plays later the Sooners cut it to 21-16 as Jovantae Barnes went untouched on a two-yard touchdown.

Auburn was bleeding the clock and had moved the ball into Oklahoma territory when Thorne threw the pick-six interception.

The opening possessions went in the Sooners favor, forcing a three-and-out then putting the first points on the board. On a third-and-five near midfield, Michael Hawkins Jr. dropped back to pass then raced up the middle of the field 48 yards for a score. The Sooners led 7-0 with 12:30 left in the first quarter.

Auburn came back with a 13-play 74-yard drive, but the Oklahoma defense stood tall when it matted on fourth-and-goal from the one stuffing Jackson and maintaining a 7-0 lead.

Oklahoma’s offense punted on its next-five possessions and the Auburn offense took advantage. Thorne found KeAndre Lambert-Smith in single coverage down the right sidelines, and the senior receiver came down with a 50/50 ball from 31 yards out as the Tigers tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

On the following Auburn possession the Tigers took the lead on a deep throw from Thorne to Malcolm Simmons. The Tigers were in max protection, and Simmons was able to beat his man over the top of the defense for a 48-yard score.

With Auburn’s defense shutting down Oklahoma, Auburn had another opportunity for points at the end of the half, but alas that scoring opportunity was botched by coaching and kicking.

Auburn outgained Oklahoma 203 to 24 in the second quarter. At the half the Tigers ran 40 plays for 278 yards compared to 111 on 19 plays for the Sooners. However, Auburn was 0 for 2 at getting points in the red zone, and led just 14-7 at halftime.

On Oklahoma’s second possession of the second half it mounted its first productive drive since its opening series of the game, going 51 yards on 11 plays. The Sooners got into the Auburn red zone, but the Tigers led by Keldric Faulk held tight and forced a 24-yard field goal.

That made the score 14-10 Auburn, and the Tigers’ offense mounted a drive that looked at the time to put up enough points for the win. On second down from Auburn’s 46, the Sooners brought a corner blitz, which left freshman Cam Coleman one-on-one with safety Peyton Bowen. Coleman came down with the jump ball at the OU 12-yard line.

As the game progressed into the fourth quarter, Thorne picked up a first on a fourth down QB sneak. Two plays later Thorne found senior tight end Luke Deal in the end zone for a diving catch that stretched Auburn’s lead to 21-10.

What happened from there was the kind of play that has put Auburn at 2-3, 0-2 in the SEC. The Tigers continue to win most of the snaps over the course of 60 minutes, but have found ways to be 0-3 versus Power 4 competition thus far this season.

Auburn travels to Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., next Saturday to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.