OXFORD, Miss. – All season, Auburn has been waiting for its offense to click. There have been flashes – a long drive here or a big play there – but there just hasn't been enough consistency. In the third quarter Saturday, the Tigers found that consistency. They finally hit their stride.
Ahead 10-6, the offense scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to open the second half. In the third quarter alone, the Tigers scored 21 points, totaled 228 yards and averaged 13.4 yards per play. According to head coach Gus Malzahn, it was "probably the best quarter" Auburn has played all season.
So what was said at halftime that galvanized the players?
"The message really was just finish the game and let's get this W," senior wide receiver Ryan Davis said. "We know that once we get rolling and get into a rhythm that they couldn't stop us."
More specifically, Auburn made it a point of emphasis to come out and score a touchdown on its opening drive of the second half just like it did to start the first half. And the Tigers were confident they could run the ball effectively against the Ole Miss defense.
So three of the first four plays on that opening drive were runs by freshman JaTarvious Whitlow for 7, 4 and 5 yards. That helped set up a 21-yard pass to fellow freshman Seth Williams. Then after a 16-yard run by Anthony Schwartz – yet another freshman – on a jet sweep, it was Malik Miller who punched it in from a yard out to extend Auburn's lead. It took less than three minutes for the Tigers to go 68 yards on seven plays.
"From that moment on, we just kind of found our rhythm," quarterback Jarrett Stidham said.
On the next drive, freshman Shaun Shivers opened with three straight runs of 13, 2 and 5 yards. Then on 3rd-and-3, Whitlow checked back in the game and took a draw play to the left where he turned the corner and broke free. He went 54 yards and would have scored had the defender not jarred the ball loose at the goal line. Fortunately, Schwartz was there to recover it in the end zone for a touchdown.
Still, Whitlow – who was not at 100 percent – did most of the heavy lifting on the play.
"He's a tough kid," wide receiver Darius Slayton said. "He was fighting through injuries, and I think he did a hell of a job running the ball. I think it was time. I feel like he's been on the verge of breaking out a couple games, and finally today he was able to get that going."
Whitlow finished with a career-high 170 yards rushing on 19 carries, and he would have had more if not for an injury he suffered at the end of the third quarter that kept him out the rest of the game. The freshman also caught a touchdown pass in the first half – the first receiving touchdown of his career.
As a team, the Tigers rushed for 269 yards and averaged 5.8 yards per rush.
"[Whitlow] was awesome," Stidham said. "As awesome as he was, you have to give it to those guys up front. Those guys up front played their best game today. Run game, pass game, they played really well. I'm super proud of those guys and super proud of the rest of the guys, too."
The third scoring drive in the third quarter was the quickest of the day. After a two-yard loss on first down, Stidham hooked up with Williams again – this time for 62 yards all the way down to the Ole Miss 2-yard line. Miller plunged in one play later for his second touchdown.
Three drives. Three touchdowns. And just like that, Auburn had 31 points and was in full control.
"It felt great," Davis said. "We know that's what we're capable of. That's what we've been missing. It feels good to actually do what we're capable of and just execute. Our offense this game was in a rhythm more than ever. Our running game was effective. People were making plays down the field. So I feel like everything was clicking."
"This is what we're capable of," added Stidham. "It was just a matter of going out there and doing it. That's what it comes down to."
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @greg_ostendorf
