Auburn edges Vanderbilt 21-15 to end long SEC home losing streak

AUBURN, Ala. (WAKA) – The toilet paper has come out at Toomer’s Corner as Auburn beat Vanderbilt 21-15, to end its SEC home losing streak, which had lasted for 671 days.

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown threw and ran for a touchdown, Cade Carlson recovered a blocked punt for a score.

The Tigers (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) bounced back from a home loss to Florida last week to give new head coach Alex Golesh his first league win.

Brown completed 18 of 27 passes for 140 yards, including a touchdown to Chas Nimrod, and threw an interception.

“One of the keys for us to have success on our offense was to be able to handle the pressure, to be able to handle the true, the cover zero looks, the all-up looks,” Golesh said. “I thought Byrum handled it extremely well”

Omar Mabson II added 24 yards rushing and turned in the play of the day on special teams: He blocked a punt in the second quarter that Carlson scooped up and returned 10 yards to put the Tigers ahead 14-3.

Jared Curtis completed 22 of 33 passes for 199 yards for Vandy (3-1, 0-1). He also led the team with 18 carries for 46 yards.

“You got to go find a way to win, and those are the margins I keep talking about. Like there’s a formula to winning,” Golesh said. “Sometimes you got to go outside the formula, and ultimately for us, as we build our identity here in year one, as big as anything else is the ability to finish and find ways to finish.”

The Tigers’ defense bounced back from last week’s loss, holding Vanderbilt to 15 points. After giving up 44 points and 495 yards to Florida a week ago, Auburn held the Commodores to 311.

Auburn will play at No. 14 Tennessee next Saturday.

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