AUBURN, Ala. – Rushing 11 times in a 12-play drive, Auburn methodically restored its lead to 18 points while consuming more than six minutes in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 28-20 victory at Texas A&M.
"We ran the ball at will and we kind of did whatever we wanted," quarterback Bo Nix said. "To finish a game like that, those kind of drives are huge, especially for a confident booster. Now we know that against a good team we can do stuff like that."
The Aggies pulled with 11 points with their first touchdown 32 seconds into the fourth quarter. Auburn responded with a steady dose of JaTarvious Whitlow runs, including five straight to start the drive, netting 27 yards.
Whitlow, who had logged only six carries in the first three quarters, rushed eight times on the drive for 47 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown run, finishing the game with 67 yards on 18 carries.
JaTarvious Whitlow salutes Auburn fans after 8-yard touchdown run
"He runs it really hard and the first person hardly ever tackles him," Nix said. "Once he gets in there and we're in that kind of a situation where we know we're going to run the ball and our offensive line knows it, we can really do some damage."
"I was really proud of the offense in the fourth quarter," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "That touchdown drive. That really was the type of drive that you have to have to win on the road. I was real proud of our unit to be able to do that.
"You start out and you know what you have to do. You're on the sideline with the guys and 'Hey, let's go down and score, and we'll put the game away.' They just got it done. They executed, played with great pad level, great physicality. I think we only threw it once. It was a big third down conversion to Seth Williams. The rest of the time it was just mixing up some zone, mixing up some gap. Our guys blocked good on the perimeter. That was a big-time drive."
"I think that was a statement drive for us," tight end John Samuel Shenker said. "At that moment, we said we're going to run right at you and if you can stop it, you try. We ran it right down their throats and we scored. I think that was a statement drive for us for the game."
"A statement drive for us."
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) September 22, 2019
🗣@JsShenker on @AuburnFootball 12-play, 69-yard, 6:01 TOP 4Q TD drive, his 1Q TD catch, & winning @SEC opener on the road:
"It's huge." pic.twitter.com/GM2YKVGExC
"Those kind of drives are huge, especially for a confidence booster."
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) September 22, 2019
🗣@bo_nix10 on fourth quarter TD drive & his game-clinch first down run. pic.twitter.com/q9F5JrrnB5
'A BUNCH OF BULLIES'
Auburn outrushed Texas A&M 193-56, averaging 4.6 yards per carry to the Aggies' 2.7.
"The whole D-line played lights out," safety Jeremiah Dinson said. "They made our job way easier. I tell all of the D-line they're just a bunch of bullies, and they played like a bunch of bullies on Saturday."
Dinson made three tackles against Texas A&M, increasing his team-leading total to 30. Noah Igbinoghene led Auburn with eight tackles against the Aggies with K.J. Britt adding seven.
"A huge win for us," Dinson said. "Texas A&M is a good team. We have a good team. We have a good defense and we have a good offense. It just brought us together, but we've got to be consistent."
DUAL THREAT
After Whitlow's team-best four rushing touchdowns, quarterback Joey Gatewood ranks second with three TD runs on 20 carries.
With Texas A&M keying on Gatewood's running threat, he threw his first touchdown pass, a 6-yarder to Shenker to give Auburn a 14-3 late in the first quarter.
"There's definitely an advantage to it. They can keep doing that," Gatewood said. "Y'all haven't seen me throw yet. I definitely can throw the ball. I'm just grateful. It was a good, executed play. It starts with the O-line and execution from the receivers. I'm really part of the puzzle."
"They can keep doing that."@Joey1gatewood on how teams' keying on his running ability opens up the pass, his relationship w/@bo_nix10, & his 6-yard TD pass to John Samuel Shenker
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) September 22, 2019
"Y'all haven't seen me throw, yet." pic.twitter.com/iUpSu11Amr
CBS IN THE SWAMP
For the second time this season, CBS will feature Auburn in the network's 2:30 p.m. CT slot when the No. 7 Tigers play at No. 9 Florida on Oct. 5. Both teams are 4-0.
CBS also televised Auburn's win at Texas A&M.
Auburn has won three straight against the Gators (2006, 2007, 2011) and four of the past five meetings.
SIP CATCHES RAY'S
Auburn punter Arryn Siposs is one of eight finalists for the Ray Guy Award's Punter of the Week honors.
Siposs averaged 43.8 yards on eight punts against Texas A&M with nary a return yard. Siposs boomed three punts 50 or more yards and out-netted the Aggies' Braden Mann, 2018's Ray Guy Award winner, by more than 3 yards (43.8 to 40.7).
Siposs is the only SEC punter in this week's "Ray's 8." The winner will be announced Tuesday at 9 a.m. CT.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer