For much of the 2024 season, Auburn football has been defined by missed opportunities in close games.

Auburn held a 21-10 lead over No. 21 Oklahoma with 14:14 left in the fourth quarter and trailed No. 19 Missouri 17-3 with eight minutes left in the third quarter. The Tigers would lose both of those games, unable to finish in critical moments.

The narrative changed Saturday night as Auburn dug deep to defeat No. 15 Texas A&M 43-41 in four overtimes.

“I think we could end up here with one or two losses and feel pretty good after the season, but we didn’t get there,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said. “But we did it tonight and against a very good football team.”

Payton Thorne found KeAndre Lambert-Smith on a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime, giving Auburn the lead. Lambert-Smith made a catch in the back of the end zone to secure the score.

With the game on the line, Auburn’s defense took over. Texas A&M attempted a reverse pass to tie the game, but the play fell incomplete, sealing the victory for the Tigers.

“We’ve gotten better, our young receivers have gotten better, Peyton is playing better and we’re taking care of the ball,” Freeze said. “I think our kids started playing with more of a will to win and a belief that they can.”

Auburn took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter, with Jarquez Hunter scoring on a rushing touchdown and Thorne connecting with Cam Coleman for two touchdown passes.

The Aggies scored 21 unanswered points to tie the game, but the Tigers responded with composure. The Auburn defense forced a critical three-and-out, creating a short field for the offense.

Thorne found Lambert-Smith on a deep 44-yard pass, bringing Auburn to the Texas A&M 11-yard line. Hunter followed with a 10-yard run and a 1-yard touchdown run to regain the lead at 28-21 late in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, an interception at the Auburn 15-yard line set up a Texas A&M drive where the Tigers held the Aggies to a field goal, cutting the Tigers’ lead to 28-24 with 12:47 to play.

Texas A&M took a 31-28 lead on an 8-yard touchdown run with 4:01 left. Auburn responded with a drive that allowed Ian Vachon’s 29-yard field goal to tie the game at 31 with five seconds left, forcing overtime.

“I’m so grateful, grateful to be at Auburn, grateful that we can give our fans a win like that and I hope it’s a sign for a lot of people that are coming,” Freeze said.

With bowl eligibility on the line, Auburn turns its attention to the Iron Bowl against Alabama in Tuscaloosa at 2:30 p.m. CST on ABC.

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Grace Heim | Assistant sports editor

Grace Heim is a senior from Enterprise, Alabama, majoring in political science. She started with The Plainsman in January 2023.

You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @graceeheim

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