The Auburn football team’s 2023 campaign has seen ups and downs, but up until this past Saturday, the Tigers’ defense held steady. The team did not perform to the level the Tigers had set this season against the New Mexico State Aggies.
New Mexico State scored 414 yards of total offense against the Tigers, including 213 yards of rushes. Auburn’s total yardage for the day was only 213 to give you an idea. With six third-down conversions allowed in 12 attempts, the Tigers’ defense found it difficult to get off the field.
New Mexico State was able to have lengthy, continuous drives as a result. It took more than five minutes for three Aggie touchdown drives. Against the Aggies, Auburn’s 19-game streak of forcing a turnover was also ended.
Diego Pavia, the Aggie quarterback, finished the game with 201 passing yards and three touchdowns, and the Tiger defense was unable to stop him.
The Aggie offense maintained possession for the majority of the game, making it difficult for the Auburn offense to remain hot. The Aggies’ fourth-and-goal touchdown pass to end a 16-play, 83-yard drive was the proverbial game-winner. After that, with 8:42 remaining and the Aggies up 17 points, many Auburn supporters started to leave the stadium.
With seven tackles, six of which were solo stops, Keionte Scott led the Tigers in that category. Throughout the evening, Elijah McAllister was Auburn’s lone sack.
The defensive effort on Saturday was very different from what it had been in the earlier weeks. Auburn’s defense gave up 15 points against Vanderbilt, 13 against Mississippi State, and 10 against Arkansas in their previous three games. The defense controlled the game in those matches, all of which Auburn won, and gave the offense short fields to work with.
But against the Aggies, things were different as New Mexico State scored 31 points, which is the second-highest amount of points Auburn has allowed this year.
Penalties also tarnished Auburn’s defense. Four of Auburn’s nine penalties that evening came from the defense. The Aggies took an early lead because of two pass interference penalties that the Tigers committed during the opening drive.
The Auburn defense was adversely affected by the Aggies’ decision to use backup quarterback Eli Stowers. With nine carries, Stowers was a running quarterback. The Aggies used the jet motion, and Stowers ran with it or gave it to the motion man.
This made an already challenging offense even harder to stop and occasionally appeared to perplex the Tiger defense. For the Aggies, Stowers also caught a touchdown pass.
For the most part of the season, Auburn’s defense has been effective. The Tigers showed promise during a three-game stretch, and they also performed well against Georgia. But New Mexico State’s complete dominance of Auburn in every facet of the game brought things to a disastrous and unexpected end for the Tigers.
This was never an Auburn lead. Prior to this one, Auburn had won all three of their meetings with the Aggies. But on Saturday afternoon, the roles were reversed, with Auburn falling short against the Aggies.
The Alabama offense, which struggled early in the season but has found fire in the second half, will present a challenge for Auburn’s defense, which will need to quickly regain its footing. Auburn’s goal will be to contain Jalen Milroe and the Alabama offense.
Due to a well-rounded offensive attack, Auburn’s defense was defeated by New Mexico State; the Crimson Tide will probably try to replicate what the Aggies accomplished today.
Auburn will need to regroup and get ready for the Iron Bowl following their performance on Saturday. The Auburn defense may try to contain Alabama if they can regain their previous level of playmaking. But it might be a long night for the Tigers if they perform like they did against the Aggies.
