What a roller-coaster ride of a season. The Auburn Tigers rose to a top 10 ranking, then sunk to the depths, losing to a Tennessee team that didn’t even qualify for a bowl game.
Where does one start to recount such a season?
The Tigers finished the regular season 7-5 overall and placed fifth in the SEC West with a 3-5 conference mark. It is Auburn’s lowest finish since the Tigers were in last place in 2015.
Here are 10 things we’ll remember most from the 2018 regular season.
10. Head scratcher in Starkville
No. 8 Auburn looked like a different team when it traveled to Starkville and dropped a 23-9 decision to Mississippi State. It was a turning point in the season and head coach Gus Malzahn didn’t want to see the season slip away from him. “Our back’s against the wall like it was last year at this time,” Malzahn said. “We’ve got to do the same thing we did last year. We have to play better. We have to coach them better. We’ll get back to Auburn, and turn the page. We have to solve some of our issues.”
9. Tigers bounce back big after loss to LSU
No. 9 Auburn lost on a walk-off field goal to LSU but took out its frustrations on lowly Arkansas in a 34-3 victory. It was the first time the Auburn defense held an opponent without a touchdown since 2016.
8. SEC record for consecutive PAT kicks
Despite losing on a last-second field goal to LSU, the good news was that kicker Anders Carlson was successful on all three extra points, helping Auburn break the SEC record for consecutive PAT kicks with 235. That surpassed the 234 set by Texas A&M from 2013-17. Carlson has since extended that mark to 265, the longest current streak in the nation.
7. Senior Night success
The Tigers did everything right on Senior Night, sending the 16 seniors on the Auburn roster out in style with a 53-0 victory over Liberty at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
6. Rock bottom on Rocky Top
A 30-24 loss at home to Tennessee was the low point in the season. The Tigers could not hold onto the football, turning it over three times. Auburn was outscored 17-7 in the second half as the Vols connected on several big plays.
5. Stidham-to-Davis in record books
In a game which the Tigers lost 27-10 to No. 5 Georgia between the hedges in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, QB Jarrett Stidham and WR Ryan Davis became the most productive pass tandem in Auburn history with 141 completions. It broke the record of 140 set by the combination of Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley. In addition, Davis became the program’s career receiving leader with 165 career receptions.
4. The Comeback
Auburn was headed for another disappointing loss when the improbable happened. Trailing by 10 points to No. 25 Texas A&M, the Tigers rallied for two late fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull out a 28-24 victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium. A Noah Igbinoghene interception turned the momentum and Stidham drove the Tigers to consecutive touchdown drives. His touchdown pass to Seth Williams with 1:41 to play was the winner.
3. Crushing defeat at home to LSU
No. 12 LSU kicked a field goal as time expired to beat No. 7 Auburn 22-21, the Auburn roller-coaster ride’s first down. Auburn led 21-10 early in the third quarter and appeared to be on its way to a second consecutive victory over a top-15 team in the first three games of the season. But LSU scored the final 12 points.
2. Opening 21-16 victory over Washington
It was an impressive way to open the 2018 season, as No. 9 Auburn held off No. 6 Washington at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Stidham was 26-for-36 passing for 273 yards and a touchdown. Boobee Whitlow scored the winner, a 10-yard run with 6:15 to play, to complete a 10-play, 76-yard march to victory.
1. Iron Bowl debacle
The Iron Bowl will usually be the top memory for any fan of either Auburn or Alabama. This year’s version is no different. The Tigers were within a field goal at halftime, trailing only 17-14, before the Crimson Tide piled on the points in the second half for a 52-21 victory in Tuscaloosa.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
