Auburn Overcomes 15 Point Deficit to Beat Oregon

There was just one game between two ranked teams in college football’s first full weekend of the 2019 season, but it was a good one between #11 Oregon and #16 Auburn at Arlington, Texas on August 31st.

This was only the second time these two schools have played each other. The first time was in the BCS Championship game following the 2010 season; Auburn beat Oregon 22-19 in that one to win the national championship. That one went down to the wire, with Auburn’s Wes Byrum booting a 19 yard field goal to win it as time expired. This game had another exciting finish.

Oregon took a 21-6 lead with 9:23 to go in the third quarter on a Darrian Felix six yard touchdown run. The Tigers answered that with 4:20 to go in the quarter with an 11 yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Bo Nix to Eli Stove. Then with 9:48 left in the fourth quarter, Joey Gatewood scored on a one yard run to bring Auburn to within one at 21-20. Then Nix engineered an 11 play 60 yard drive (including rushing himself for three yards on fourth and three to get the first down) ending with a 26 yard touchdown pass to Seth Williams with nine seconds left to seal the victory, and the Tigers went home with a 27-21 win over the Ducks.

Oregon was the top ranked team from the Pac-12 in the AP Preseason Poll. This was the second year in a row that Auburn opened against the top ranked Pac-12 team; the Tigers won that one two, beating #6 Washington in Atlanta 21-16. Next year, Auburn opens up the season at home against Alcorn State, and does not have a Pac-12 team on the schedule.