Struggling to put together a passing game, the Auburn Tigers went back to their roots, running the football at will on an Ole Miss defense that ranks last in the SEC against the rush. The result was a much-needed 31-16 victory Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Though it wasn’t a game of national attention, for the first time since 2012 the two teams met with neither ranked, it was nevertheless a big victory for an Auburn team that had lost two straight and was in desperate need of a win.

They got it with a relentless run game, coupled with a harassing defense that gave Rebels’ QB Jordan Ta’amu fits. For the 11th time in the past 14 games between the SEC West rivals, the game was decided by double-digits. It was Auburn’s 12th victory in 15 games in Oxford.

Ole Miss came into the game yielding an average of 210 rushing yards per game. Auburn easily exceeded that with RB JaTarvious Whitlow gaining a career-high 170 on his own, on 19 carries before leaving late in the third quarter with an injury. It was Whitlow’s first 100-yard game since going for 115 against LSU in Week 3.

Auburn topped 260 yards rushing — double its total against Tennessee last week and more than 100 yards about its season average.

Auburn (5-2, 2-3) pulled away from Ole Miss (5-3, 1-3), scoring touchdowns on its first three drives of the second half.

The Tigers extended a 10-6 halftime lead to 17-6, taking the second-half kick and driving 68 yards on seven plays. Malik Miller scored on a 1-yard run, and after a third Ole Miss field goal, the Tigers marched again.

Whitlow ripped off a 54-yard run but fumbled at the goal line and running mate Anthony Schwartz fell on the football in the end zone to complete the touchdown play. Midway through the third quarter Auburn was comfortably in control, 24-9.

But the Tigers were not finished. After stopping Ole Miss on downs, they went 62 yards on just three plays. Stidham threw 62 yards to Seth Williams, who came up just short of the goal line. But Miller covered the final two yards on the next play, taking a handoff from QB Jarrett Stidham and bolting into the end zone for a 31-9 lead.

The Rebels’ only answer was field goals of 36, 37, and 35 yards by K Luke Logan until A.J. Brown capped a terrific day with a touchdown catch in the final minutes. Brown finished with 10 catches for 155 yards and his fifth TD catch of the season.

The Tigers scored first for the 23rd time in the last 26 games. But it was only after Marlon Davidson blocked a Rebels field goal on their first drive of the game. Auburn proceeded to drive 77 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Stidham threw 3 yards to Whitlow for the score.