NASHVILLE, Tenn. – True freshman quarterback Hank Brown provided a spark in his hometown and Rivaldo Fairweather set Auburn's season record for tight end receptions but Maryland scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and beat the Tigers 31-13 Saturday in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl before 50,088 at Nissan Stadium.
"Our young men and our staff, starting with me, have got to create a standard of the way we consistently work and consistently compete and figure out how to be a true team," Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said. "That is my goal in 2024. It's disappointing today for our incredible fans and our administration that we didn't perform any better."
A Nashville native, Brown relieved Payton Thorne and Holden Geriner for Auburn's final two possessions, completing 7 of 9 attempts for a team-high 132 passing yards.
"Hank has incredible poise," Freeze said. "I see it every day when he's running the scout team."
Fairweather's first catch broke John Samuel Shenker's 2021 record of 33 receptions. He added four more to finish his first season on the Plains with 38 catches, four of which came on Auburn's 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive late in the first half.
"I wish we would have come out of here with a win," said Fairweather, whose 394 receiving yards are second in program history behind Shenker's 413 in 2021. "I want to thank God for allowing me to play this game and be a part of Auburn history. I'm going to put my head down and work the whole offseason and be ready for the first game next year."
Fellow tight end Brandon Frazier capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown catch, the second of his career.
"It was a big drive for us," Frazier said. "We were on the sideline talking about how we needed to get in the end zone, make a statement and get us back in the game."
Maryland dominated the opening quarter to take a 21-0 lead, needing only five plays to move 75 yards and score its first touchdown in less than two minutes.
The Terps added two more long TD drives before Auburn recorded its first first down, which came in the unlikeliest manner.
Standing on his own goal-line on fourth-and-5, punter Oscar Chapman fielded the deep snap and took off running to his left, picking up 10 yards. Auburn crossed midfield but the drive ended on an incomplete pass on fourth-and-4.
Working against a short field, Auburn's defense forced a punt thanks to Jalen McLeod's tackle for loss and Austin Keys' sack, leading to the Tigers' first touchdown drive before Maryland kicked a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left in the half.
Trailing 24-7 at the half, Auburn forced a three-and-out on Maryland's first third-quarter possession but Glendon Miller's 44-yard pick-six ended the Tigers' momentum, giving Maryland a 31-7 lead.
The Terrapins recovered an Auburn fumble on the ensuing kickoff but Zykeivous Walker's third-down sack took Maryland out field-goal range.
Late in the third quarter Caleb Wooden made an interception and the Tigers drove to Maryland's 20-yard-line before an interception ended the opportunity.
Auburn's fourth turnover came on a muffed punt return after Keldric Faulk's third-down sack.
Playing a few miles from his Lipscomb Academy high school, Brown teamed up with Caleb Burton for the Tigers' longest play, a 53-yard completion that set up Jeremiah Cobb's 1-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.
Burton led Auburn with 79 yards receiving on five catches.
McLeod and Bobby Jamison-Travis each recorded four tackles to highlight Auburn's defense.
Auburn ends the season with a 6-7 record and will open the 2024 season with five consecutive home games beginning Aug. 31 vs. Alabama A&M at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"We're incredibly blessed to be at Auburn," Freeze said. "We're incredibly blessed by our administration and our fans, and it hurts like heck to let them down. I'm still as confident as ever that this can be an elite football program again.
"It takes great recruiting, and it also takes player-led teams that put team first and the standard of the team every single day. We're still learning that and we've got to demand it as coaches and we can't waver from it when we get back in January. I'm looking forward to the leadership of our team doing that."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
Postgame Notes>> Captains: Luke Deal, Kam Stutts, Elijah McAllister, Gunner Britton
>> Coin Toss: Auburn wins the toss and defers; Maryland will receive
>> Attendance: 50,088
TEAM NOTES
>> First-time starters for Auburn: none
>> Auburn has scored in 142 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history.
>> Auburn's 14-play touchdown drive was the Tigers' longest TD drive in the number of plays this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES: OFFENSE
>> Brandon Frazier's touchdown catch was his second of the season and of his career; it was Payton Thorne's 16th TD pass this season.
>> Jarquez Hunter is now 18th among Auburn career rushers with 2,172 yards; next is Kenny Irons (2,186 from 2005-06).
>> Rivaldo Fairweather has 38 catches this season, breaking the Auburn single-season record for receptions by a tight end, set by John Samuel Shenker (33) in 2021.
>> Fairweather's 394 receiving yards this season are second-most ever by an Auburn TE, passing Fred Baxter (391 in 1991); the recordholder is John Samuel Shenker (413 in 2021).
>> Payton Thorne is 10th in single-season rushing yardage among all-time Auburn quarterbacks with 519 yards; next is Phil Gargis (534 yards in 1976).
>> Caleb Burton III has a season best with five receptions for 78 yards.
>> Jeremiah Cobb scores his second rushing touchdown and fourth score overall.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES: DEFENSE
>> Caleb Wooden's forced fumble was his first of the season.
>> Wooden recorded his first career interception.
>> Austin Keys records his second sack of the season.
>> Zykevious Walker records his second sack of the season and third of his career.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES: SPECIAL TEAMS
>> Lou Groza Award semifinalist Alex McPherson is 40-40 on PAT kicks this season and 49-49 for his career.
>> Brian Battie is tied for second among Auburn single-season kick return leaders with 28 along with Tristan Davis (28 in 2006); the recordholder is Demond Washington (46 in 2010).
>> Battie ranks fifth in Auburn single-season kick return yardage with 651, passing Noah Igbinoghene (571 in 2017), James Brooks (577 in 1979), Thomas Bailey (591 in 1991) and Tre Mason (633 in 2011); next is James Brooks (654 in 1977).