After taking a 28-3 lead Saturday against Mississippi State, Auburn surrendered 40 unanswered points in a 43-34 loss at home.

It was a shocking turnaround and the kind of collapse that can often have lasting effects on a team.

The result also qualified as the low point in Bryan Harsin’s first season with the Tigers and probably takes him out of the running for SEC Coach of the Year honors.

“I certainly think it’s cost him coach the year in the SEC, but that had probably slipped away anyway,” said SEC analyst Paul Finebaum on the “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” radio show Monday. “Overall, I think he’s held this program together well but it’s hard to find bouquets and flowers to send to a coach after a historic, epic meltdown.”

Finebaum also added that the loss means Auburn really needs a win at South Carolin this weekend or what was once a promising season will have been completely derailed.

“It definitely hurts; it hurts badly,” said Finebaum of the Mississippi State loss. “And now you just simply have to wait to see how the rest of the season plays out. You would expect them to go into Columbia and win. But if they don’t and then drop the Alabama game, this season has gone from a really great start to an absolute disastrous finish.”