Auburn defeated No. 15 Texas A&M 43-41 Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Amari Daniels dropped the tying score to give the Tigers the win.
The loss moves the Aggies to 5-2 in the conference and 8-3 overall, but Texas A&M will advance to the SEC title game with a win against Texas next week and keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. Can be done.
In the first overtime, Jahde Walker’s 12-yard touchdown catch gave the Aggies a 38-31 lead. However, Auburn fought back on the ensuing possession, in part due to a Javon Thomas pass interference penalty that forced the Tigers to the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Harquez Hunter scored a TD, sending the game into a second OT.
Both teams traded field goals in the second overtime, with Auburn’s Ian Vachon kicking 41 yards and Texas A&M’s Randy Bond responding with a 42-yard kick.
A game that looked like a potential blowout for the Tigers turned into an exciting shootout. The Aggies appeared to be done after falling behind 21-0 in the first quarter. But they fought back, with Noah Thomas turning a 10-yard diagonal route into a 73-yard touchdown to tie the score at 21-21 midway through the third quarter.
But Auburn regained the lead two possessions later on Lambert Smith’s 44-yard jumping grab. Harquez Hunter covered the final 10 yards on three carries to put the Tigers back on top at 28-21.
But Peyton Thorne’s interception at the start of the fourth quarter gave the Aggies the break they needed to finally take the lead. After a turnover, Randy Bonds made a 32-yard field goal to cut Auburn’s lead to four points. Texas A&M’s defense then forced the Tigers into two straight three-and-outs, putting the offense in position to take the lead.
Daniels scored on an 8-yard touchdown run with 4:05 left in regulation, and it looked like Texas A&M had completed a stunning comeback that would keep its hopes of making the conference title game alive.
The Tigers drove 79 yards in two minutes on their final possession, driving toward a tying or winning score. Hunter’s second straight 11-yard run got Auburn to the 7-yard line, but two false start penalties and a 4-yard gain later, Damari Alston slipped and fell, and the Tigers settled for a field goal. Vachon’s 29-yard kick sent the game into overtime.
Thorn completed 19-of-31 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Hunter ran for 130 yards and three scores on 28 carries. Cam Coleman led Auburn with seven receptions for 128 yards and two TDs, and Lambert Smith had two catches for 104 yards.
For Texas A&M, Marcell Reed threw for 297 yards, three TDs and one pick, completing 22 of 35 passes. He also had 66 yards rushing on 21 carries. Edwards gained 90 yards and a score on 26 rushes. Thomas had five catches for 124 yards and two TDs, and Walker added seven receptions for 69 yards and one TD.
