BREAKING: #ESPNInsider Adam Shefter has learned from credible sources that Auburn University football coach Gus Malzahn worked out a contract extension with the University overnight. This comes on the heels of a huge win for Malzahn’s team over football power, and rival, Alabama. The deal is said to be a 5-year extension with $40 million guaranteed with up to $20 million in potential bonuses. The extension is said to have happened quickly with fears and rumors that Malzahn could be targeted for jobs such as Arkansas and Ole Miss.
Recap: AUBURN, AL, In the closing seconds, Gus Malzahn outcoached Nick Saban by using a trick substitution on a 4th and 4 situation, goading Alabama into a penalty for 12 men on the field. The Tide thought that Auburn would punt with about a minute to play, but the offense came back out on the field, and as punt returner Jaylen Waddle tried to get off the field, Alabama was flagged for having too many players. The infraction gave Auburn a first down and let the Tigers kneel down to run out the clock.
It all began with Auburn’s first drive resulting in a punt, and the Tide driving down for a short field goal to take a 3-0 lead several minutes into the first quarter. Both sides traded short drives on their next possessions, but Christian Tutt returned Alabama’s punt 36 yards, giving Auburn a short field. Bo Nix scampered into the end zone on the zone read three plays later to give the Tigers their first lead at 7-3 in the final minute of the opening period.
Alabama answered with one of their best drives of the day — a 14-play, 75-yard excursion that culminated in a Najee Harris touchdown run from 6 yards away. Now trailing 10-7, Anders Carlson, who was fantastic on the day, notched a 43 yard field goal after a 50-yard drive for the Tigers. That kick knotted up the score at 10-10, but then Auburn’s defense showed up.
On Alabama’s next possession, backed up into their own end, Mac Jones overthrew his intended receiver, and Smoke Monday zipped right in for the interception. He returned it 29 yards for the touchdown to put Auburn back on top at 17-10. However, Gus Malzahn elected to kick to Jaylen Waddle on the ensuing kickoff, and the Bama sophomore returned it 98 yards for the tying touchdown. With the crowd quieted momentarily, we were tied at 17 with 5:22 to play in the first half.
Disaster struck after that for Auburn, as Boobee Whitlow fumbled early on the Tigers’ next drive, and Alabama recovered at the Auburn 37. Four plays later, Henry Ruggs caught a 3-yard touchdown from Mac Jones and the Tide regained the advantage at 24-17. Never giving up on the day, Auburn’s offense meandered 75 yards to answer with a 14-yard toe-tapping touchdown from Nix to Sal Cannella. That came with 1:06 left in the half, but Alabama wasn’t done yet. Jones found Waddle on a mid-range pass that he turned upfield and outran the defense to the end zone for a 58-yard score to put Alabama up 31-24 with 33 seconds to play before halftime.
On Auburn’s final drive of the half, the Tigers appeared to have killed the clock on a little pass to Whitlow that he took down to the 35-yard line, but Malzahn appealed to the officials to review the play to see if Whitlow was down with a second left on the clock. They ruled that he was, and Auburn lined up for a 52-yard field goal. Snapping the ball on the referee’s ready for play signal, Carlson banged it through and cut the lead to 31-27 at halftime.
After the intermission, Alabama immediately went three and out, and Auburn whittled the margin down to a point after another Carlson field goal. This time he capped a 17-yard drive that was set up thanks to good field position, and Auburn trailed 31-30 with 11:49 to go in the third quarter. After that, the defense came back to make the biggest play of the day. Alabama took the kickoff and drove 74 yards in 11 plays, taking more than five minutes off the clock and reaching the Auburn 2-yard line. On a little outlet pass to Najee Harris, Mac Jones threw a little behind him, and Harris tipped the ball up to the trailing Zakoby McClain. McClain corralled the ball and returned it with a convoy 100 yards down the eastern sideline, giving Auburn a 37-31 edge.