The Auburn Tigers may have used all their bullets against Alabama in the Iron Bowl loss a month ago.
The Tigers team that took the field on Saturday in Nashville sleepwalked through the first quarter against a shorthanded Maryland Terrapins team, putting themselves in an early 21-0 hole they would never climb out of in a 31-13 loss.
Auburn’s defense which had been so good all regular season long allowed backup quarterbacks Billy Edwards Jr. and Cameron Edge to trade blows, as they each finished the first half with a passing touchdown. The former added a rushing touchdown as well.
In total, the Auburn defense gave up 24 points to the pair of backups, and it could have been much worse if not for the blowout nature of the game.
On the offensive side of things, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] played arguably his worst game as a Tiger, completing just 13/27 passes for 84 yards, one touchdown, and one inexcusable pick-six that all-but ended any hope the Tigers’ had at making a comeback.
The Auburn running backs also looked more like terrapins like tigers in Tennessee, as Jarquez Hunter and Damari Alston combined for just 67 yards over 22 carries. The 3 yards-per-carry is nearly two whole yards lower than the season average of the two backs.
This is the first time Auburn has lost in the Music City Bowl after claiming victories in the prior two games it appeared in. The Tigers are now 24-21-2 all time in bowl games and but have won just two of their last 10.
Maryland and head coach Mike Locksley have now won three consecutive bowl games after a Pinstripe Bowl victory in 2021 and a Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory in 2022.
While Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] now heads into his second season leading the Tigers with a losing record, Auburn fans can take solace in the fact the Tigers have a stacked recruiting class heading into next season.
It’s a tough end to the season for Auburn, but the Tigers should come back more talented and experienced in 2024.
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