A much-anticipated matchup in The Swamp between seventh-ranked Auburn and tenth-ranked Florida was too much for the Auburn offense to overcome. Auburn suffered its first loss of the season 24-13 to Florida.
The crowd was deafening pregame and throughout the game especially the first two Auburn possessions which resulted in three-and-outs.
Following the first three-and-out was when Florida struck first with a 64-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Trask to Freddie Swain.
While Auburn’s offense was stagnant, the defense came through with two forced fumbles by Christian Tutt and K.J. Britt. The fumbles were recovered by Chandler Wooten and Tyrone Truesdale.
Both fumbles resulted in Anders Carlson field goals after the offense could not make anything out of the takeaways.
Just before the end of the first quarter, Christian Tutt muffed a punt which gave Florida the ball at the 17-yard line. It was a crucial turnover until Marlon Davidson forced a fumble on third and seven that Derrick Brown returned 42 yards.
The fumble turned into nothing as Bo Nix threw his first interception since the first half against Oregon on a wheel route. Shawn Davis made the interception for Florida and returned it 41 yards.
Florida would convert on the interception with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Trask to Josh Hammond.
After another three-and-out for Auburn, Florida would also go three-and-out and faked a punt which Auburn covered perfectly and took over at the 32-yard line. Bo Nix found Seth Williams on a post route for a touchdown on the first play of the drive.
Florida’s next drive resulted in a field goal which concluded the scoring for the first half.
Auburn’s offense went three-and-out five times in the first half and turned the ball over twice.
Florida got the ball to Freddie Swain in the first half who had four receptions for 124 yards and a score. Auburn was able to wreak havoc and force three turnovers.
The third quarter was mostly uneventful with both teams trading punts until Auburn’s final drive of the quarter.
Auburn started the third quarter with another three-and-out and it’s next was only a 13-yard drive that ended with a punt.
Auburn finally started moving when Boobee Whitlow found room after Auburn started on its own four-yard line. This opened up the opportunity for a deep play-action pass which Bo Nix completed to Seth Williams for 46 yards. Three plays later, Nix threw an interception in the end zone which was intended for Sal Cannella.
Derrick Brown single-handedly kept Auburn in the game on the first drive of the second half. Kyle Trask was carving up Auburn’s defense until Brown got to him and forced a fumble and returned it 11 yards.
Auburn got two solid runs from Whitlow, but an incompletion and 22-yard sack ended Auburn’s hopes on that drive.
Auburn punted away and Florida put the game away immediately with an 88-yard touchdown run by Lamical Perine.
Auburn would get the ball back two more times but failed on fourth down and Nix threw an interception on Auburn’s final drive.
Nix finished the day 11 for 27 passing with 145 yards. He threw one touchdown and three interceptions. Boobee Whitlow was the leading rusher for Auburn with 81 yards on 18 attempts.
The defense kept Auburn in the game forcing four turnovers and sacking Trask four times.
Auburn looks to regroup during the bye week before heading to Arkansas on October 19.
Solutions by The State News
