Hugh Freeze finally got his moment Saturday night against No. 15 Texas A&M.
The Tigers jumped out to a 21-0 lead only to watch it slowly slip away. Texas A&M took a fourth-quarter lead in the final 5 minutes, but Auburn answered with a 74-yard drive and a 29-yard field goal with just 5 seconds left on the clock.
In the fourth overtime period, Auburn connected on its 2-point play while Texas A&M dropped a would-be score for the Tigers to escape with a 43-41 win.
The victory gave Auburn just its second conference win of the season and set up an Iron Bowl next weekend with bowl eligibility on the line for the Tigers.
“Just so happy for our fans and our kids,” Freeze told ESPN on the field immediately after the game. “Our kids have fought all year. We’ve been in so many close ones and it just hasn’t gone our way. For one to finally go our way is pretty sweet.”
Auburn lost a 21-14 game to Cal earlier this year in a game that featured 5 Auburn turnovers. The Tigers turned it over 5 more times in a 10-point loss to Arkansas. They blew a 21-10 lead in the final 9 minutes of the game against Oklahoma to lose 27-21. They blew a 17-6 fourth-quarter lead in a 21-17 loss to Missouri.
The swings this season for Auburn have been vicious. But the Tigers have now won 3 of their last 4 to salvage the season.
“They haven’t quit all year,” Freeze said. “We’re young and we’re getting better each week. We made it harder than it could have been but you’ve got to give them credit, too. They didn’t fold.”
The Iron Bowl kicks off from Tuscaloosa next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Alabama (8-3) will be fighting to stay in the College Football Playoff discussion. Auburn (5-6) will be fighting for a bowl game.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
