Auburn’s 44-39 loss to Florida on Saturday night came with a fourth-quarter surge that made the final margin look a little friendlier than the game actually felt. The Tigers scored 15 points in the last frame at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but the comeback came too late to erase what had already gone wrong.
The biggest issue was on defense. Auburn missed 24 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, and Florida took full advantage as Jadan Baugh and the Gators kept finding room.
The advanced numbers tell a sharper story of how the game tilted. When Auburn’s defense kept Florida clean, the Gators completed 13 of 21 passes for 139 yards, 6.6 yards per attempt and two touchdowns. Under pressure, Florida went 7 of 14 for 132 yards, 9.4 yards per attempt, one touchdown and one interception.
Florida also did damage when Auburn didn’t blitz. In those situations, the Gators completed 17 of 25 throws for 256 yards, 10.2 yards per attempt and three touchdowns. When Auburn brought pressure, Florida was 3 of 10 for just 15 yards, 1.5 yards per attempt and one interception.
On the ground, Byrum Brown finished with 65 rushing yards and 71 yards after contact. Jeremiah Cobb had 32 rushing yards and 28 yards after contact, while Bryson Washington added 8 rushing yards and 6 after contact.
In the passing game, Keshaun Singleton led the way with seven catches on 11 targets and no drops. Chas Nimrod had six receptions on 12 targets and one drop.
DeShawn Spencer and Jake Johnson each caught two passes on two targets, while Jeremiah Koger had one catch on two targets. Bryson Washington and Jeremiah Cobb each had one catch on one target, and Arlis Boardingham and Omar Mabson III were each targeted once without a catch.
The pressure numbers on Auburn’s offensive line were uneven. Stanton Ramil allowed seven pressures and three sacks.
Jo Simmons allowed six pressures and two sacks. Cole Skinner and Wilson Zierer each allowed five pressures, with Skinner also charged with two sacks and Zierer with five QB hurries.
Cole Best allowed three pressures and one sack.
On the defensive side, Xavier Atkins led Auburn with four QB pressures. Cody Sigler, Elijah Melendez and Jared Smith each had two, and seven other players had one apiece.
The missed-tackle total stood out across the board. Da’Shawn Womack and Xavier Atkins were each charged with five missed tackles, four players had two apiece, and six players had one.
Atkins also paced Auburn with seven solo stops. Cody Sigler and Elijah Melendez each had six, while Dallas Walker IV and Darrion Smith finished with three apiece. Four players had two solo stops, and four more had one.
In Other News...
Auburns Florida Loss Just Reignited A Bigger Debate Over John Cohen
Auburns loss to Florida did more than deepen the frustration around another SEC setback. It also pulled John Cohen back into the center of the conversation about where the program is headed, with Paul Finebaum pointing directly at the athletic director and tying the defeat to Auburns broader football troubles. The backdrop is familiar by now: since Cohen arrived in October 2022, the Tigers have been trying to climb out of a rough stretch, and the results have not matched the expectations that come with the job.
What makes the latest round of criticism sting is how close Auburn reportedly came to landing Jon Sumrall in December, before the deal fell apart amid a swirl of rumors. For fans already looking at the Tigers 6-19 mark in SEC play and 18-21 overall under Cohens watch, that near-miss has become more than just a footnote. It has turned into part of the larger debate over whether Auburns biggest problem is on the field, or in the decisions being made above it. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Has A Defensive Problem Golesh Did Not See Coming
Auburns SEC opener against Florida left the Tigers searching for answers on a side of the ball that has usually been a point of pride. Instead, Alex Golesh said he did not see the emotional, unsettled defensive performance coming, as Florida rolled up 44 points and 495 yards in a game that exposed issues Auburn rarely wants to carry into conference play.
DJ Durkin said the defense was too amped up, and it showed in the basics, from missed tackles to shaky communication. Auburn now has to reset quickly before Vanderbilt comes to town, because the next SEC matchup is less about explaining what went wrong in Gainesville and more about proving the problems can be cleaned up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Offense Is Improving But One Concern Still Looms
Auburns offense has taken a few encouraging steps through its first three games, but the results have still been uneven enough to leave room for concern. Under head coach Alex Golesh, the Tigers are 2-1 and have already absorbed a loss in their SEC opener against Florida, while the production to this point has placed them eighth in the league in total yards per game and 10th in yards per play.
The issues have been easy to spot, especially up front and in the running game, where the offensive line has needed attention. Byrum Browns hesitation has also limited the downfield passing attack, and the staff has responded with personnel changes along the line and a push to open things up vertically. Auburn is clearly trying to move past the early inconsistency, but the part of the offense that can change the ceiling still looks like the biggest question. [Read more 🡒]