Auburn’s quarterback Payton Thorne has reclaimed his starting position as the Tigers prepare to face Oklahoma this Saturday.
In the first quarter, Thorne attempted a pass to Malcolm Simmons, which resulted in no gain. The Tigers faced a tough start, with a handoff to Jarquez Hunter being stopped, followed by an incomplete pass intended for Cam Coleman. After a disappointing first possession, Auburn was forced to punt.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma quickly got on the board with a successful pass, moving the ball to the Auburn 48-yard line. A play from Michael Hawkins Jr. led to a 48-yard touchdown, putting the Sooners ahead 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
Auburn’s offense struggled as Thorne’s next passes faced heavy pressure, but he eventually completed a throw to Hunter for a first down. However, they could not find the end zone, and a fourth-down attempt failed just shy of the goal line.
Oklahoma took over deep in their own territory but faced pressure from Auburn, with Austin Keys sacking Hawkins. The Sooners managed to punt, concluding the first quarter with Oklahoma leading 7-0.
In the second quarter, Thorne connected with Cam Coleman for a first down, and subsequently reached the end zone with a touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, tying the game at 7-7.
Oklahoma resumed their drive but could not convert on a third down, leading to another punt. Auburn capitalized on the opportunity, as Thorne connected with Lambert-Smith again and then threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Simmons, giving the Tigers a 14-7 lead.
Despite pushing hard, Oklahoma struggled to score again, and after a near miss on a field goal at the end of the half, the teams went to the locker room with Auburn leading 14-7.
The third quarter saw Oklahoma add a field goal, narrowing Auburn’s lead to 14-10 as the fourth quarter commenced.
In the final quarter, Thorne threw a short pass to Luke Deal for a one-yard touchdown, extending Auburn’s lead to 21-10 with 14:12 left in the game.