BY BRANDON HUGHES
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Last week, Alex Golesh said his team would have to “go find a way” in its first road game of the season. At Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3, Auburn (3-2, 1-2) found plenty of ways… to lose: seven pre-snap penalties, three turnovers and a failed fourth-and-1 in a 24-14 defeat to No. 17 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1).
“Story of the game: rushing defense, some missed tackles in there, some misfits, the lack of offense in the first half and then the penalties,” Golesh said.
The offense dug itself a hole for the third consecutive game. While the Tigers’ defense held the Volunteer’s offense to 16 plays, 48 yards and four punts on its first four drives, the offense stumbled out of the gate yet again with four consecutive three-and-outs, pre-snap penalties on the first three drives and a meager 11 plays for 25 yards and no first downs in the first quarter.
In fact, the offense did not move the chains until Keshaun Singleton’s 16-yard catch at 9:50 of the second quarter — the 100th of his career.
“I’ve just got to come out and be locked in from the jump and don’t wait on nobody to make a play,” Byrum Brown said.
That Auburn led 7-3 at halftime is a credit to the defense. Da’Shawn Womack recorded back-to-back first-quarter sacks, his first two of the season; Cody Sigler forced a fumble that Jared Smith recovered; and Xavier Atkins, who finished with a season-high 11 tackles, intercepted Vol QB Faizon Brandon, which Auburn turned into a four-play, 19-yard drive capped by Brown’s 7-yard touchdown run.
“In the first half, we kept answering the bell defensively,” Golesh said. “In the second half, we couldn’t get a stop in some critical situations.”
Critical was an understatement. Auburn held the ball for 10:57 of the third quarter and was outscored 14-0. Tennessee racked up 131 yards on 10 plays, including a one-play drive — a 44-yard TD run by Volunteer RB DeSean Bishop — following a Brown interception.
Bishop finished with 220 yards and three TDs on 34 carries. All told, the Vols rushed for 237 yards and threw for only 86 yards because they didn’t need to throw the ball to win. In D.J. Durkin’s first 26 games as Auburn’s defensive coordinator, Auburn allowed 200-plus rushing yards just twice (201 and 207).
Now, it’s happened twice in the last three games, with Florida rushing for 243 yards and Tennessee for 237.
In a decision that will be debated for some time, Golesh opted to go for it on fourth down from his own 24 down three with 6:38 remaining.
The decision was sound. However, the play call was, to be polite, a head-scratcher. With less than a yard to go and a 235-pound quarterback under center, the offensive brain trust eschewed the QB sneak for a wide pitch behind an offensive line that has struggled all season and was outnumbered to the play side before the snap. The play was doomed from the start, and Omar Mabson II was stopped short of the line to gain. Auburn covered 94 yards in 66 seconds on its previous drive, then could not find a yard in two tries.
After that, Tennessee needed only five plays to score, converting its own fourth-and-1 at the Auburn 15 on a 10-yard Bishop run before Bishop’s 5-yard TD made it 24-14, effectively ending the game.
The Vols, who went 3-for-14 on third down, were a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down, echoing what the defense has done all season on third and fourth down. Offenses have now converted six of the last seven fourth downs against Auburn’s defense.
Then there were the flags. Auburn’s 11 penalties for 94 yards were a season high, and it now ranks 114th nationally with 38 penalties on the season for 323 yards. Entering the fourth quarter Saturday, the team had more penalties than first downs.
On tape, the offensive line continues to look overmatched, getting run through and struggling to keep defenders in front. The numbers back up what everyone is seeing. The Tiger offense ranks 125th in tackles for loss given up and 132nd in sacks allowed. Until the line is fixed, it’s hard to imagine the offense improving.
Auburn’s final offensive series of the game encapsulated the day. A flag for a false start at the Tennessee 12 with less than two minutes left turned first-and-10 into first-and-15, and then Brown was intercepted at the 1-yard line on the next play.
Auburn went to Knoxville needing to find a way to win. It left with more yards, more explosive plays and a loss largely of its own doing.
“Can’t win games like that,” Brown said. “I’ve got to be better.”
Golesh said much the same about the penalties.
“I own that. That’s on me completely,” Golseh said.
Both are right, and both have said some version of the same thing before. The Tigers have accountability down. Now they need to win.
By the numbers
Tennessee had scored on its opening drive in each of its first four games. Auburn’s defense held the Vols to a three-and-out to open this game.
Tennessee’s win was its first at home over Auburn since Oct. 10, 1999, ending a streak of three straight Auburn wins at Neyland Stadium.
Auburn has lost 22 of its last 23 games against ranked opponents.
Up next:
Oct. 10 is a bye week. Auburn will face Georgia on the road on Oct. 17.
