Auburn, Ala. The Tigers offense took over up with remaining. On the first play of the possession Jarquez Hunter reeled off a yard run down to the Oklahoma yard line. Auburn pegged the ESPN win predictor at From there on Auburn mismanaged its way to a loss. It looked to be a called RPO run-pass option. Lambert-Smith ran a go. Now it's 3rd and The clock is stopped after having run just 34 seconds off the clock, and Auburn burns a time out after two-poo play calls.
There never should have been a pass option in a situation where Auburn needed to chew up clock, and the running game was effective. That Thorne nearly threw an interception on first down? That Thorne, playing in his 46th college game, chose to throw the ball in that situation The third down play call was also a failure. Hunter ran up the middle for no gain. That set up for a Towns McGough yard field goal attempt. McGough, a freshman filling in for Alex McPherson, had already missed from 31 on a penalty play and 27 yards to end the first half.
He missed the yard attempt as well. The end of first half sequence was also mismanaged from the sideline from a clock perspective. Those matter in games like this in this league. Then when you do get a two-score lead protecting the football and running the clock is a priority. Hester for 60 yards. Two plays after that the Sooners put it in the end zone. They failed on the two-point attempt, and Auburn got the ball back up with remaining. On third and four with just over four minutes left, Auburn went to an empty set.
Oklahoma showed blitz, and linebacker Kip Lewis dropped into coverage. Thorne threw it right to him, and Lewis gave the Sooners their first lead since Auburn entered the game last in the NCAA in turnovers. Published Sep 29,
