In a frustrating turn of events, the Auburn Tigers squandered a 21-10 lead in the fourth quarter, falling to the Oklahoma Sooners 27-21. Despite a seemingly dominant performance, critical errors—including poor play calling, ineffective clock management, and a crucial turnover—derailed their chances of victory.
Auburn’s quarterback Payton Thorne threw an interception to Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis, who returned it 63 yards for a touchdown, putting the Sooners ahead with just over four minutes left. This costly mistake was especially painful for a team that entered the game struggling with turnovers, ranking near the bottom in the NCAA for interceptions and fumbles. Up until that pivotal moment, the Tigers had avoided turnovers altogether.
Head coach Hugh Freeze and the coaching staff mismanaged crucial moments, particularly during a critical drive late in the game. With Auburn holding a 21-10 lead and at the Oklahoma 33-yard line, the Tigers opted for two consecutive pass plays that fell incomplete. A run on third down by tailback Jarquez Hunter was insufficient, leading to a missed 51-yard field goal attempt by freshman kicker Towns McGough. McGough had a rough outing, missing from 31 yards earlier in the game and again from 27 yards due to an Oklahoma penalty.
Auburn had other chances to score as well. In the first quarter, Freeze decided to go for it on fourth down at the Oklahoma one-yard line, but a wildcat play with Sam Jackson V failed to convert. Overall, Auburn struggled in the red zone, finishing just 1-for-3 in those critical scoring opportunities.
Despite these blunders, Auburn initially controlled the game, outscoring Oklahoma 21-3 during the middle portions of the contest and racking up an impressive 482 yards of offense. The defense held Oklahoma to a mere 291 yards and limited them to just two successful third-down conversions out of ten attempts.
The tide began to turn when Oklahoma scored their first touchdown since the opening possession, as J.J. Hester beat Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee for a 60-yard reception. This play set up Jovantae Barnes’ touchdown run, closing the gap to 21-16 and igniting a comeback that Auburn could not thwart.
The game started favorably for the Sooners, who forced a quick three-and-out and quickly scored on a 48-yard scramble from Hawkins, taking an early 7-0 lead. Auburn responded with a robust 13-play drive, but Oklahoma’s defense held strong on fourth down to maintain their lead.
Auburn’s offense finally got on the board with a touchdown from Thorne to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, tying the game at 7-7. They later took the lead with another deep pass from Thorne to Malcolm Simmons, extending their advantage to 14-7 by halftime.
Despite outgaining Oklahoma 278 yards to 111 in the first half and dominating the second quarter, Auburn couldn’t capitalize in the red zone, finishing the half with just a 14-7 lead.
In the second half, Oklahoma’s offense began to find its rhythm, scoring a field goal to narrow Auburn’s lead to 14-10. As Auburn seemed poised to increase their lead, Thorne connected with tight end Luke Deal for a touchdown, pushing the score to 21-10. However, that would be the last significant highlight for the Tigers, who fell to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the SEC.
The Tigers now look ahead to their next matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium next Saturday, hoping to bounce back from this disappointing loss and regain their footing in the conference.
