AUBURN, Ala. – The message all week was to send the 16 seniors out the right way. Auburn did just that Saturday with a 53-0 win over Liberty in what was the last game the seniors will play in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"I just want to start out by saying I really appreciate our seniors," Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said after the game. "I'm real proud of those guys. We played very well as a team today. All of the seniors got to play, and I think that was really important.
"Our guys came out, and they took care of business. I thought all three phases did a solid job tonight."
The Auburn defense got things started early when senior linebacker Darrell Williams intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers an early 10-0 lead. It was the first career interception for Williams.
"For him to take it for a touchdown on senior day, I know it's a moment he'll never forget," fellow senior Deshaun Davis said. "I had a pretty good view of it also, so it's something I'll never forget."
Then on the very next drive, it was the special teams turn to make a play. Auburn cornerback Jordyn Peters came rushing in and blocked a punt that went out of the back of the end zone for a safety. It was the third blocked punt of the season for Peters, and it was Auburn's first blocked punt for a safety since the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia.
The offense waited until early in the second quarter to score its first touchdown, but after that, four of the next six drive resulted in a touchdown. More importanlty, the Tigers didn't turn the ball over.
Running back Kam Martin had over 100 yards rushing by halftime, and quarterback Jarrett Stidham accounted for two first-half touchdowns, including a 22-yard strike to Sal Cannella late in the second quarter that gave the Tigers a 32-0 lead heading into the intermission. Stidham finished 12 of 18 for 178 yards and two touchdowns through the air and also added another score on the ground.
As a team, Auburn ran for 340 yards and accounted 531 total yards on the day. Freshmen Seth Williams and Shaun Shivers both scored touchdowns, and backup quarterback Malik Willis added a rushing touchdown – his first of the season – late in the third quarter.
The defense, who set the tone early with the interception return for a touchdown, never let up. The standard for this unit every week is to pitch a shutout, and for the first time this season, the Tigers delivered as they kept Liberty off the scoreboard and allowed only 134 total yards of offense.
"It feels good when you work hard for something and you achieve it," senior defensive lineman Andrew Williams said. "Our No. 1 goal was to keep the zero on the scoreboard. From the starters to the walk-ons, everyone had the same mindset."
The interception by Darrell Williams was also one of four turnovers forced by Auburn in the game. Big Kat Bryant and T.D. Moultry both had sacks that caused fumbles, which were recovered by the Tigers. And freshman Smoke Monday brought in his first career interception late in the third quarter.
Between the defensive touchdown, the safety on special teams and the five touchdowns scored by the offense, it was the second game this season that Auburn scored on all three phases.
Next week, the Tigers close out the regular season on the road at No. 1 Alabama. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on CBS.
Auburn vs. Liberty final notes
- Captains: Deshaun Davis, Ryan Davis, Jarrett Stidham
- Coin Toss: Liberty wins the toss and will receive
- Eagle Flight: Aurea from flagpole (first game flight)
- Attendance: 81,129
TEAM NOTES
- First-time starters for Auburn: none
- Auburn has scored in 78 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history
- Auburn scored first for the eighth time this season
- Auburn held the opponent without a first-quarter touchdown for the 1oth time this season
- This is the second game this season Auburn has scored on offense, defense and special teams
- Auburn had a 100-yard rusher (Kam Martin) and receiver (Seth Williams) in the same game for the first time since last season's Alabama game (Kerryon Johnson/Ryan Davis)
- Auburn won the turnover battle for the sixth time this season
- Auburn registered a shutout of the opponent for the first time since the 2016 Alabama A&M game (55-0)
- In records back through 1967, 53-0 is the fourth-largest lead after three quarters in Auburn records and the largest since a 59-point lead against ULM in 2003
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/OFFENSE
- Ryan Davis extends his Auburn career receiving record with 169 career receptions (4 today). Davis ranks 14th in Auburn career receiving yardage (1,517)
- Davis has caught a pass in 25 consecutive games, the most since Rod Smith had a 25-game streak between 2007-08, tied for the fourth-longest streak in school history
- Jarrett Stidham to Ryan Davis is the most productive pass tandem in Auburn history, with 145 (4 today) completions
- Stidham is sixth among Auburn career passing leaders with 5,391 yards (117 today)
- Stidham now ranks fifth in Auburn career completions with 442 (12 today); next Pat Sullivan (452 from 1969-71)
- Sal Cannella recorded his third touchdown catch of the season on a 22-yard pass from Stidham
- Jarrett Stidham scored his third rushing touchdown of the season and seventh of his Auburn career
- Kam Martin recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and third of his career
- JaTarvious Whitlow is now fourth all-time among Auburn freshman rushers with 716 yards this season (48 today); next Travis Tidwell (772 in 1946) 104
- Seth Williams scored his fifth receiving touchdown of the season on a 45-yard catch from Jarrett Stidham. It was Stidham's 12th touchdown pass of the season and 30th of his Auburn career. Seth Williams records his first 100-yard receiving game.
- Seth Williams is now third all-time among Auburn freshman receivers with 479 receiving yards this season (109 today), passing Robert Baker (370 in 1995) and Courtney Taylor (379 in 2003). Williams is fifth in freshman passes caught with 25 (5 today), passing Trovon Reed (21 in 2011), Eli Stove (23 in 2016), Marcus Davis (23 in 2013) and Deandre Green (23 in 2000)
- Anthony Schwartz is now seventh all-time among Auburn freshman receivers with 297 receiving yards this season (4 today); next is Devin Aromashodu (304 in 2002)
- Shaun Shivers scored his third rushing touchdown of the season
- Malik Willis scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and second of his career
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/DEFENSE
- Darrell Williams' 26-yard interception return for a touchdown was his first career interception
- With 252 career tackles (7 today), Deshaun Davis ranks sixth among Auburn career tacklers since 2000, passing Kris Frost (247 from 2012-15) and Will Herring (250 from 2002-06) and tied with Craig Stevens (252 from 2006-10)
- Big Kat Bryant records his second career forced fumble and Derrick Brown records his second career fumble recovery
- Smoke Monday records his first career interception
- Gary Walker records his first career fumble recovery. The fumble was forced by T.D. Moultry, the first of his career
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/SPECIAL TEAMS
- Auburn holds the SEC record for consecutive PAT with 262, longest current streak in the nation with 6 PAT today. Anders Carlson is now 32-32 on PAT for his career and Ian Shannon is 5-5 for the season
- Anders Carlson's 53-yard field goal tied his career long (also Washington)
- Carlson recorded his third game this season with three field goals made
- Jordyn Peters blocked his third punt of the season, resulting in a safety; it's the first blocked punt for a safety since 2011 vs. Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. It was Auburn's first safety since last season's ULM game