Defense batters Auburn as Aggies win 16-10
COLLEGE STATION — It wasn’t pretty — in fact, it was pretty ugly — but Texas A&M found a way to take care of business Saturday against Auburn.
Le’Veon Moss ran for 140 yards and a touchdown and the Aggie defense held Auburn to 154 yards of total offense as the No. 9 Aggies (4-0, 1-0 SEC) overcame their own mistakes to beat the Tigers (3-2, 0-2 SEC) 16-10 before 108,449 at Kyle Field.
“Obviously, a great win. Anytime you get an SEC win, it’s a great win for us,” coach Mike Elko said. “To start 4-0 for the first time since 2016, that was huge, obviously (and) for us to go out and play defense the way we did today and win us a game multiple times.”
Quick strike puts Aggies ahead early
A defensive struggle was not expected after the Aggies battled Notre Dame to the wire in a 41-40 victory. The shootout that everyone expected seemed like it was in the making as the Aggies stormed down the field and scored on their first possession. After a 24-yard completion from Marcel Reed (15-22, 207 yards, 1 INT) to KC Concepcion (7 catches, 113 yards), Moss broke through right up the middle for a 38-yard run to set up his 2-yard touchdown run a play later.
That would be the only touchdown A&M scored all day, but the defense made it hold up. Late in the first quarter, a shanked 36-yard punt by Tyler White set Auburn up at the Aggies’ 43-yard line. Four plays later, the Tigers were punting from the A&M 44 after defensive tackle DJ Hicks racked up A&M’s second sack of the quarter (the first going to linebacker Daymion Sanford on Auburn’s first drive).
Auburn would get on the board in the second quarter courtesy of two questionable calls that went against the Aggies. Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold threw a deep pass down the sideline to wideout Eric Singleton that was closely contested by corner Will Lee, who appeared to come away with the ball. The officials gave possession to Singleton, and a personal foul call on defensive tackle Albert Regis on a 2nd and 20 three plays later kept the drive alive. The Aggies would stop Auburn from there, forcing a 32-yard field goal from Alex McPherson to make the score 7-3.
A&M responded on their next drive, moving into the red zone on a 10-play drive. But a holding call on Dametrious Crownover — one of 13 penalties for 119 yards against the Aggies — forced A&M to settle for a 33-yard field goal from Randy Bond.
“We ran the ball for over 200 yards. We were efficient in the throwing game. We just created too many penalties. Like, it’s just, it’s, it’s. Got. To get fixed,” Elko said.
The Aggies forced another 3 and out for Auburn on the Tigers’ next possession and were able to move the ball into Auburn territory for a 49-yard field goal by Bond. The key play of the drive came on 3rd and 12 from the A&M 42, when Reed rolled out to his right to find tight end Amari Niblack for a 23-yard catch and run.
The Aggies had a chance for more points after they briskly moved the ball from their 21 to the Auburn 33 in just 34 seconds. Running back Rueben Owens (3 carries, 53 yards) ripped off a 15-yard run to start the drive, followed by a 10-yard pass to Terry Bussey and a 12-yard scramble by Reed. By the time Reed found Nate Boerkircher on the sidelines for 9 yards with 4 seconds left, the Aggies were in field goal range, but Bond missed wide right.
Moss missed a large portion of the first half but still carried 6 times for 64 yards. Moss wasn’t hurt, but he wasn’t exactly feeling good either.
“I was just throwing up,” he said after the game. “I’ve had this stomach bug all week.”
Second half stalemate
At halftime, the Aggies had 246 yards of total offense compared to Auburn’s 105, but only led 13-3. But A&M had already rushed for 143 yards against an Auburn defense that was giving up less than 54 yards a game on the ground coming into the game, and they would continue to pound away.
Reed and the passing game were clicking on the first drive of the second half, completing three passes in a row, including two to Concepcion to move the ball to the Auburn 24. But guard Chase Bisnotis was called for a hold on the next play, followed by a 15-yard loss on an intentional grounding penalty that moved the Aggies back to midfield and a 2nd and 35 situation. A&M would get 20 back immediately on another connection between Reed and Concepcion, but Bisontis, who had continued to scream at the officials over the holding call, was nailed with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the play. A 12-yard completion to Mario Craver (4 catches, 34 yards) on 3rd and 30 moved the ball back to the Auburn 33, but Bond missed a 50-yard attempt short and to the right.
Auburn’s luck on offense didn’t change on their next drive as they were able to move to the A&M 41 but failed to convert on fourth down. After a scoreless third quarter, the Aggies looked like they were on the verge of salting the game away on their first possession of the fourth quarter as Moss and Amari Daniels (12 carries, 42 yards) helped the Aggies grind down the Auburn defensive front. But disaster struck on a 3rd and 1 play from the Auburn 25, when offensive coordinator called for a quick pass to Bussey instead of running the ball. The pass from Reed was high and bounced off Bussey’s hands into the arms of Auburn linebacker Deebo Atkins, who returned it 73 yards to the A&M 2-yard line. Arnold would score one play later to cut A&M’s lead to 3.
Stifling defense secures the win
The Tigers wouldn’t even threaten to score after that point as the Aggie defense slammed the door hard. After A&M was forced to punt and White pinned Auburn at their 13-yard line, linebacker Taurean York and defensive end Cashius Howell racked up sacks on two of Auburn’s three offensive plays to force another punt.
York, who reached out and flipped Arnold for his sack, thanked God and strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt afterwards.
“That was God’s work. Man, I feel like I overran Arnold a little bit. I got a strong arm though. So shout out to coach Moffitt. He got me right in the weight room doing those curls on Thursday,” he said. I think sack happened on first down. We hunted on second down, got the field. It was a crazy game, to be honest with you, but I’m just so happy we won the game. It was extremely personal for so many reasons.”
Taking over at the Auburn 48, Moss immediately made Auburn pay with a 20-yard run. After missing a good portion of the first half with stomach issues, the senior All-SEC selection felt good enough to inflict pain on the visiting Tigers after halftime. The Aggies were able to move to the Auburn 22 and looked like they’d clinched the win on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Reed to Craver — but an illegal man downfield call on guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams negated the score. Bond would come on and nail a 44-yard attempt to make it a 16-10 game with 2:42 remaining in the game.
Auburn would go 3 and out on their next drive and surprisingly decided to punt with 2:16 remaining. Hugh Freeze’s idea worked out, as A&M was forced to punt after three ineffective runs by Moss. White shanked a low knuckleball that ended up rolling down to the Auburn 22 for a punt of 51 yards. With the game on the line, Auburn was totally overwhelmed by the A&M defense, with defensive end Dayon Hayes putting the finishing touches on a masterful performance with a sack on 4th and 1 at Auburn’s 31-yard line — and, had Hayes not gotten to Arnold, Sanford and blitzing safety Dalton Brooks were there to assist.
Auburn ended up with 52 total yards rushing and 5 sacks allowed. The Aggies also did not allow Auburn to convert a third our fourth down effort while forcing six 3 and outs and two turnovers on downs.
“It’s rare (to hold an opponent without a conversion),” Elko said. “So it was a good day.”
After winning in a shootout against Notre Dame and putting the clamps down on Auburn Saturday, the Aggies have proven they can win with offense or defense. If they put the two together, Elko believes the team can go a long way.
“We did the things we need to do to win today, and I just think the ceiling for this team is a lot higher if we can figure out how to go put four quarters together,” he said.
