Emotions ran high for Auburn football after their 17-7 loss to Vanderbilt at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Following the game, a brief scuffle broke out at midfield during postgame handshakes, and players had to be separated.
As the Tigers head into their bye week before facing ULM, quarterback Payton Thorne is urging his team to stay focused, with their season on the line at 3-6 overall and 1-4 in SEC play.
“It’s tough,” Thorne commented. “Our defense, I thought, played outstanding. They held a strong team to 17 points, and one of those came from a short field. They keep showing up.”
Thorne highlighted the offense’s need to finish drives, especially once they cross midfield. “Going into the bye, we need to use our time wisely, stay focused, and prepare for our remaining games,” he added.
Thorne completed 69% of his passes with no interceptions, helping the offense reach 14 first downs. However, Vanderbilt’s defense shut down Auburn’s run game, limiting them to 88 yards and sacking Thorne three times.
A week after his standout performance against Kentucky, running back Jarquez Hunter managed just 50 yards on 12 carries and only two touches in the second half.
“It’s all about execution,” Thorne noted. “When every guy does his job, it usually leads to the end zone. We’ve got to focus on that.”
Auburn is now in a must-win situation, needing to win their last three games to be bowl eligible. On paper, ULM should serve as a warm-up before Auburn faces Texas A&M and Alabama, but given the season’s unpredictability, it’s uncertain.
Thorne emphasized the importance of staying focused on ULM first. “We have to win out, and it starts with the next game,” he said. “We can’t look too far ahead. We need a strong plan over the bye week so we can execute in our next game.”
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