COLLEGE STATION, Texas (EETV) -- Gus Malzahn said it best, "that's a big boy road win!" Auburn walked into the heart of the 12th man and came out with their first SEC win of the season.
The road team has now won 7 out of the last 8 games in this series after the 28-20 win by the Tigers, a trend you don't see often. It was a complete performance by Auburn, and they are now in the midst of a playoff run.
Let's take a look at some of the key takeaways from the game.
1. The Defense Shines Again
Auburn's defensive line shows again why it is considered the best D-line in the nation, allowing only 56 yards rushing with 2.7 yards a carry. Derrick Brown was the player of the game on that side of the ball, beating A&M's offensive line on every snap, and finishing with two sacks.
Linebacker K.J. Britt continues to improve every snap, blitzing through the gaps and causing havoc all day for the Aggies running game.
Perhaps the play of the game came on the first snap of the third quarter, when safety Daniel Thomas stripped and recovered the ball from A&M running back Isaiah Spiller, which led to a touchdown drive for Auburn to put them up 21-3.
The defense did give up plenty of passing yards to Kellen Mond as he placed the ball where only his receiver had a chance at it; resulting in a few spectacular catches. That will be a talking point going further into the year with Auburn facing elite quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa.
2. Bo Continues To Grow Up
Several times throughout the game, Bo Nix knew he had to take some of the read options for himself. Starting from the first drive of the game, Bo kept the ball and carved up A&M's defense for multiple first downs.
This opened up many things for Auburn's offense, including the run-pass-option, a staple in Gus Malzahn's offense. He did not end up with lofty running numbers, 12 carries for 38 yards, but made the right decision when it mattered most.
Bo will still need to work on the deep ball, overthrowing two receivers that would have ended up in scoring opportunities. He finished 12-20, with 100 yards and 1 touchdown.
The moment did not phase him as seemed more than ready for the challenge.
One thing is clear about Bo: The bigger the moment, the brighter he will shine.
3. The Return Of The Receivers
Continuing on Bo Nix, the return of wide receiver Anthony Schwartz sure did help his confidence, knowing he had the fastest player in all of college football. Schwartz (2 receptions for 30 yards) blazed through the Aggies defense on his 57-yard touchdown run on the first drive of the game, showing his Olympic speed.
Seth Williams' big body shielded defenders away as he finished with 4 receptions, 47 yards and 1 touchdown. Seth was double-teamed throughout the game and Auburn's depth was on display.
Seven different receivers caught the ball, including a sneaky touchdown reception by John Samuel Shenker that caught A&M off-balanced.
This as deep as a receiving core Auburn has had in a long while and Bo could not be happier with the playmakers he has around him.
4. Up Next
Auburn will have their SEC home-opener next Saturday against Mississippi State on ESPN Primetime at 6:00 pm CT.
