COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Xavier Atkins’ late interception return gave Auburn a chance, but the Tigers fell 16-10 to No. 9 Texas A&M Saturday in front of 108,449, the fifth-largest crowd in Kyle Field history.
“Defense and special teams played well enough to win, and offensively we weren’t acceptable,” Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said. “I don’t put that on the kids. We have to coach better.”
Trailing 13-3, Atkins intercepted a deflected pass and returned it 73 yards to Texas A&M’s 2-yard line. Jackson Arnold scored on the next play to trim the Aggies’ lead to 13-10 with 10:20 left in the game.
“What a big play that was,” Freeze said. “It gave us a chance to go win the football game.”
Auburn had three chances to tie or take the lead after the Tigers’ defense forced a pair of punts and a field goal, but Auburn failed to pick up a first down on any of the opportunities on a day in which Auburn went 0-for-13 on third down, 0-for-2 on fourth down, and was outgained 414-177.
Trailing 13-3 at the half, Auburn crossed midfield on both of its third quarter drives but failed to score, getting stopped on fourth down on the first possession and having to punt on the second after a holding penalty.
On his way to career-high 10 tackles, Atkins dominated a second-half series for Auburn’s defense, making all three tackles in a three-and-out, including a strip sack on third down that the Aggies recovered.
Robert Woodyard Jr. added nine tackles to help Auburn limit the Aggies to one touchdown and three field goals.
“Resilience,” Freeze said of Auburn’s defensive performance. “All of those guys play so hard and we’re playing a lot of young kids. They keep getting better each week.”
In the first half, the Aggies(4-0, 1-0) struck quickly after forcing a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, needing only four plays to move 66 yards.
A 24-yard pass and a 38-yard run set up Le’Veon Moss for a 1-yard touchdown and a 7-0 Aggies lead at the 12:14 mark of the first quarter.
Eric Winters’ first career sack forced a punt on the Aggies’ second possession. Keyron Crawford’s fourth sack of the season ended Texas A&M’s next drive, giving Auburn the ball at the Aggies’ 43-yard line after a short punt.
Unable to capitalize on the advantageous field position, Auburn went three-and-out, trailing 7-0 after the first quarter.
After the Tigers’ defense forced a third consecutive punt, Auburn produced its longest drive of the game, moving 57 yards on eight plays, 37 coming on Arnold’s deep pass to Eric Singleton Jr. down the right sideline. Singleton led Auburn with five receptions for 56 yards.
A personal foul penalty advanced Auburn to the Aggies’ 14-yard line, but after a pair of incompletions and a false start penalty, the Tigers settled for Alex McPherson’s 32-yard field goal, trailing 7-3 at the 10:50 mark in the second quarter.
Texas A&M added two Randy Bond field goals to lead 13-3 at the half.
Auburn (3-2, 0-2) returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium Oct. 11 with an extra week to prepare to host No. 5 Georgia in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
“It’s going to be beneficial for sure physically,” Freeze said of the open date. “We’ve had two difficult, physical road games. It should help us offensively too, to figure out exactly what we can do well. We probably need to stick with a few things and do those really well.”
In the locker room, Freeze encouraged the Tigers.
“I fully believe you can win the rest of them,” he said. “We owe you better, offensively. You continue to give the effort and the passion you’re giving in these games, it’s going to bounce your way sooner than later.”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer