In a season of a close losses, collapses and disappointing finishes, Auburn had a level of control over the game it hadn’t experienced against a Power 4 opponent all season.
Even after a Missouri field goal made it 17-6, Auburn found itself driving, moving the ball at a methodical and consistent pace with a chance to take either a commanding three-possession lead or restore its 14-point advantage.
After that, Auburn fell apart. Here’s how it happened:
Offensive misfires
After a 15-yard first-down conversion from Payton Thorne to Malcolm Simmons set Auburn at the 10-yard line, it seemed like the visiting Tigers were about pull away.
Then, after Auburn had run the ball on eight of its nine previous plays, Hugh Freeze and the offensive staff decided to throw the ball three straight times in a goal-to-go scenario.
The first was a nicely-thrown goal line fade to Robert Lewis, but the ball went right through Lewis’ hands in the back corner of the endzone.
“I haven’t seen the film, but I thought it was a really good throw. We’ve got to make those plays to win games,” Freeze said after the game.
The next play was a sack and after Thorne completed a 10-yard pass to Jarquez Hunter to set up an easier field goal, freshman kicker Towns McGough missed from 30 yards out.
In the fourth quarter, the pressure was on Auburn’s offense and it struggled to perform.
The visiting Tigers went three-and-out on their first drive of the fourth quarter.
After the defense got a stop, Auburn had another chance to put the game away and was putting together a good drive. With the ball at the Missouri 44-yard line, Thorne had Rivaldo Fairweather open on third down. With the pressure in his face, though, the pass sailed, landing on the turf, yards in front of his tight end.
With an even better opportunity at Missouri’s 40-yard line on the next drive, Auburn went three-and-out again.
It was the culmination of Auburn’s offensive ineptitude throughout the game, especially when it came to converting on important plays.
Auburn got one more chance after Missouri scored with 46 seconds remaining, but the drive felt doomed from the start. With no timeouts and no history of execution in the game, Auburn was once again stopped with little fight, ending the game.
“We seem to not make the right call as coaches or the right play from time to time in critical moments still,“ Freeze said. ”That’s kind of been the story of the whole year.”
Defense crumbles against Brady Cook
After the 30-yard missed field goal, quarterback Brady Cook re-entered the game for Missouri and Auburn’s defense could no longer bail the offense out.
Despite suffering an ankle injury early in the game, Cook hurt Auburn most with his legs. His ability to extend the play gave Missouri crucial first downs in the fourth quarter.
Just in general, Cook‘s presence brought more stability and control to Missouri’s offense. On his third play back in the game, he completed a 78-yard pass to Mookie Cooper. Auburn helped Missouri on that play with a couple missed tackles, but it was a throw that backup quarterback Drew Pyne didn’t seem to have the trust and confidence to make.
On Missouri‘s game-winning, 95-yard touchdown drive, Cook carved up Auburn’s defense in every way.
He had scrambles of nine and 14 yards and notable completions of 13, 16 and 10, further aided by an Auburn pass interference call.
“Coach is putting us in great positions. I saw today guys being able to make plays in different spots,” Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante said. “In those key moments, it’s just understanding that if you get off the field, it gives another opportunity to our offense. I think that’s another key thing that we have to do. We didn’t do a good enough job today.”
Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m
