For the second consecutive year, the Auburn Tigers have blown a fourth-quarter lead to LSU in a stinging loss. Granted, this year’s collapse wasn’t as monumental as a year ago, when Auburn led 20-0. No, the most recent heartbreaker found Auburn coughing up a 21-10 advantage. But the pain is equally felt.

It happened again, as if nothing was learned from last year’s debacle down on the bayou. Only this time, it happened in front of a stunned Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd, and that makes it even worse.

So Auburn has helped history repeat itself. Well, maybe that’s not the worst thing, especially if the Tigers can repeat what happened last season after the unlikely loss at LSU. Auburn went on to win its final five regular-season games, including a beatdown of Alabama, to win the SEC West and play in the SEC Championship Game.

At least one person in the Auburn program believes it could happen again. Head coach Gus Malzahn said as much right after his team let the Tiger Bowl slip away a second straight time.

“We are a team, and I think we have a chance to have a good offense before it’s all said and done. Our defense is a good defense. Obviously, it was a disappointing loss here, but this team is going to rebound, I’m confident in that,” Malzahn said after the game.

“We have to be big boys and keep our chin up. We’ve got to put this setback, understand it, and move forward and put this behind us. That’s what quality teams do, and that’s what we are going to have to do.”

Credit: Julie Bennett-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn really has no other choice. The Tigers are simply too good to just fold the tent and call it a year. Besides, it’s way too early to take that approach. The 2018 season really hasn’t even taken off yet, not like last year when Auburn already had five victories under its belt (included three SEC wins) before stumbling in Baton Rouge.

No, this year’s loss was the SEC opener, so Auburn has a much bigger mountain to climb. Whereas the Tigers finished the season strong following the loss to LSU last year, there’s a whole season still in front of Auburn this year. And it starts on Saturday with Arkansas coming to town.

“We can play with anybody,” said fullback Chandler Cox. “We’re a very good team. We’re still trying to jell as an offense and as a defense. It’s starting to come together more and more. Obviously we lost (Saturday) and people will question that, but there’s a lot of positives from that game. Also a lot of negatives, so we should focus on turning those negatives into positives.

“We’ll learn from it. It’s like life. You get knocked down, but you have to keep going. We’re going to flush it, and move onto Arkansas. We’ll be okay.”

The Tigers have an opportunity to build some momentum against inferior opponents Arkansas and Southern Miss at home over the next two weeks before being tested again in their first big SEC road game of the season at Mississippi State.

If the Tigers can climb back into it like they did last year, they control their own fate, with SEC finales against Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama.

“We’ve got to get to work next week,” said defensive end Derrick Brown. “SEC play is nothing to play (around) with. We need to play well if we plan on pursuing our hopes. We were in the same situation last year, so if we plan on pursuing our hopes of playing in the SEC Championship, we’ve got to go do our thing.”