Auburn vs. Texas A&M: Live Game Grades and Analysis for the Tigers
Auburn 45, Texas A&M 41—FINAL
Auburn (6-1, 3-1 SEC) went into College Station and came out with a thrilling 45-41 win over Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2).
The final box score can be found at NCAA.com.
Check out our final and first-half grading for Auburn and analysis below, and give us your feedback in the comments section.
| Pass Offense | B | A- |
| Rush Offense | A- | A |
| Pass Defense | C- | D |
| Rush Defense | B+ | B |
| Special Teams | B | B |
| Coaching | C | B |
Final game analysis for the Auburn Tigers:
Pass Offense: Nick Marshall was under 50 percent passing (11-of-23) but made the throws when necessary for 236 yards and two TDs. Sammy Coates was huge in the second half to redeem some first-half drops.
Run Offense: Tre Mason (27 carries, 178 yards, one TD) was unstoppable, especially in the second half. Marshall (100 yards, two TDs) was slippery. Auburn ran for 381 yards total.
Pass Defense: The Tigers couldn't guard Mike Evans (11 catches, 287 yards, 4 TDs) no matter how hard they tried. Johnny Manziel (28-of-38, 454 yards) could throw almost at will.
Run Defense: Manziel began to get loose in the second half after being stifled before halftime, but not to the level of other games. A&M only ran for 133 yards.
Special Teams: Other than being unprepared for a fake field goal that earned a first down, nothing to speak of.
Coaching: Gus Malzahn dropped the trickery and played straightforward in the second half with stellar results. His game plan worked exactly as hoped.
First-half analysis for the Auburn Tigers:
Pass Offense: Nick Marshall has made great throws, particularly the rollout bullet to Quan Bray for a score. The wheel pass to Jay Prosch for 57 yards was perfectly executed. Drops, however, have been costly.
Run Offense: Auburn has been able to move the ball without much resistance, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Marshall was careless on his fumble, but it didn't cost the Tigers.
Pass Defense: Might want to cover Mike Evans. He has 182 yards and three TDs, most of that coming after the catch. Still, two picks have led to 10 points.
Run Defense: Johnny Manziel hasn't been able to run, which made A&M mostly one-dimensional until late in the half. A&M has only 63 yards on 17 team carries.
Special Teams: Cody Parkey hit a 27-yard field goal early, while Steven Clark has averaged 41.3 yards on three punts.
Coaching: Gus Malzahn has rolled the dice, with mixed results. Throwing late in first half instead of running out the clock led to a late A&M TD.
