The Auburn Tigers took full advantage of Cupcake Week in the SEC with an easy 53-0 victory over visiting Liberty on Saturday in the final game at Jordan-Hare Stadium this season. It was Liberty’s first-ever game against a SEC opponent.
The Tigers (7-4) ensured a successful Senior Day for the 16 seniors on the roster by making short work of the 4-6 Flames, who are in their first season as an FBS member after 30 seasons at the FCS level.
Auburn put the game away by halftime, leading 32-0. In that time, quarterback Jarrett Stidham ran for one touchdown and threw for another. Stidham began piling on with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Seth Williams to cap the opening drive of the second half and extend the lead to 39-0. He played deep into the third quarter then got the rest of the night off with Auburn holding a 46-0 lead. Stidham completed 12-of-18 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
Backup quarterback Malik Willis made his presence felt, scoring in the final minute of the third quarter on a 16-yard touchdown run.
Kam Martin broke 100 yards rushing for the Tigers midway through the second quarter in leading an offensive onslaught that totaled 284 yards over the first two quarters and had more than 300 yards rushing in the game.
Midway through the first quarter, the Tigers scored their first 12 points in a span of 55 seconds. They struck first with a 53-yard field goal by Anders Carlson, his first of three in the first half (20, 49). His initial boot completed a six-play, 32-yard opening drive for a 3-0 Tigers lead. The Tigers scored first for the 24th time in their past 29 games.
It quickly became 10-0 two plays later when senior linebacker Darrell Williams returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown. On Liberty’s next drive, Jordyn Peters recorded his third blocked punt of the season; the ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety and the rout was on.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
