AUBURN, Ala. – For the Auburn defense, the message all week was simple. Fight until the end. A week ago, the defense kept it close in the first half but let it get away in the second half. Fourteen points at halftime turned into 41 by the end of the game.
That wasn't going to happen again Saturday.
On Missouri's first offensive play in the second half, senior edge Derick Hall sacked the quarterback for a 5-yard loss. Missouri had to punt three plays later. The next drive Marcus Bragg made a huge tackle for loss on third-and-1 to force another punt. The drive after that it was Eku Leota's sack that prevented Missouri from moving the chains.
Missouri had to punt on its first six drives after halftime and had five 3-and-outs.
"Coming out of halftime, we said no matter what we're going to stop them," Auburn defensive lineman Colby Wooden said. "That's the mindset we had. Last week, we had held them (in the first half) and then let them out of the gates. This week, we had a different mindset. 'Y'all aren't slipping away from us.'"
"Coming into halftime, you make adjustments," Hall said. "You come out in the second half, and you try to hone in on those. I think we did that really well today. Guys came out, and we just continued to play. Just keep fighting, keep grinding, keep nailing the hammer."
Like Penn State, Missouri had 14 points at the half. Unlike Penn State, Missouri still had 14 points at the end of regulation. But the job wasn't done.
What was the message all week? Fight. Until. The. End.
On Saturday, the Auburn defense had to fight until the literal end, the last play of the game, but they came up with the stop they needed to preserve the victory.
It was that last stop –a fumble recovery in the end zone from freshman Cayden Bridges – that everybody will remember, but there would have been no overtime, no chance to win the game, had it not been for the effort from the Tigers on defense in the second half.
"A game like that you really don't know what's going to happen," Hall said. "You just have to continue to play. My heart stopped a couple times. But it's amazing."
Hall was outstanding. The senior captain finished with six tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also snatched his first career interception in the first half, which led to an Auburn touchdown. It was the team's first takeaway of the season.
HAVE A DAY, @derick_hall9 💪📈
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) September 24, 2022
• 6 Tackles
• 3 TFLs
• 2 Sacks
• 1 INT#WarEagle🦅 pic.twitter.com/E0QRWNtKiB
"Derick's a captain. There's a reason why he is. You know he's going to step up," Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin said. "He was great on the sideline, he was great in the locker room, he was great during the game. He went out there and produced. That's what great players do. They lead. They set the example. He did that."
Wooden and Leota were great, too. Both had sacks, and they combined for eight tackles. Owen Pappoe had eight tackles by himself to lead the team. The secondary also did its part, holding Missouri to 179 yards through the air. Cornerbacks Jaylin Simpson and D.J. James, who was making his first start at Auburn, each had a pass break-up.
It was a team effort from the defense, and every turnover or sack or third-down stop only not only amplified the crowd. It amplified the whole team.
"It pumps everybody up," Pappoe said. "The offense wants to feed off us, and it makes you want to go harder on defense because it's almost like we're in competition with each other. Derick gets a sack. You see Eku go out there the next drive, he gets one. It's really good for the defense. It boosts morale. It just makes us go harder."
"Momentum is everything," added Leota. "That's what we are trying to create every game. Just create positive momentum. It helps our team stay together."
At 1-0 in SEC play, Auburn now has some positive momentum heading into next week's showdown with LSU at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
For the defense, the message will remain the same. Fight until the end.