Auburn 21, Vanderbilt 15
A defensive rebound and a huge special-teams play, with an offense that still struggled to sustain production.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn 3-1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Vanderbilt 3-1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
- Total yards
- 279–311 Auburn–them
- Yards/play
- 4.81 4.15 allowed
- Turnovers
- 0 1 taken, 1 given
- Third downs
- 7/15 4/17 allowed
- Flags–yards
- 5–44 them: 8–43
The game
Auburn allowed 184 fewer yards than against Florida on almost the same defensive workload: 75 plays versus 76. Sacks allowed dropped from seven to one. But the offense managed only 279 yards and two touchdowns; the third TD came on a blocked punt. Auburn then kept the ball for the final 6:26 to finish the win. Official game book, Auburn recap
The full comparison is below. Opponent offensive output represents Auburn's defensive allowances. Defensive plays equal the opponent's official offensive play count, with no extra special-teams or nullified plays added. A fake-punt pass already included in the official offensive total remains included. Calculated rates use unrounded counts. Auburn game book, Vanderbilt's matching game book
| Scoring and offense | Auburn | Vanderbilt |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 21 | 15 |
| Quarter scores: Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4 | 7 / 7 / 7 / 0 | 3 / 0 / 6 / 6 |
| Total yards | 279 | 311 |
| Offensive plays | 58 | 75 |
| Defensive plays | 75 | 58 |
| Yards/play | 4.81 | 4.15 |
| Rush attempts / net yards | 31 / 139 | 41 / 112 |
| Yards/carry | 4.48 | 2.73 |
| Rushing TDs | 1 | 1 |
| Pass completions / attempts | 18 / 27 | 22 / 34 |
| Completion rate | 66.7% | 64.7% |
| Passing yards | 140 | 199 |
| Passing yards/attempt | 5.19 | 5.85 |
| Passing TDs / INT thrown | 1 / 1 | 0 / 1 |
| First downs | 15 | 22 |
| First downs: rush / pass / penalty | 8 / 6 / 1 | 11 / 8 / 3 |
| Third downs | 7/15 (46.7%) | 4/17 (23.5%) |
| Fourth downs | 0/0 — N/A | 4/5 (80.0%) |
| Red-zone scores / trips | 1/2 (50.0%) | 2/2 (100.0%) |
| Red-zone TDs / trips | 1/2 (50.0%) | 1/2 (50.0%) |
| Possession | 22:28 | 37:32 |
The red-zone decline needs context: Auburn's second trip was the final possession. Cobb reached the Vanderbilt 18, then Auburn took three knees to end the game. The official 1/2 stays in the data, but that non-scoring trip was a successful clock-management decision. NCAA rushing includes sacks and kneeldowns; Auburn's 139 rushing yards include 2 sack yards lost and 12 kneeldown yards lost. Game book, final drive
| Defense, turnovers and discipline | Auburn | Vanderbilt |
|---|---|---|
| Sacks made / yards | 4 / 23 | 1 / 2 |
| Sacks allowed / yards lost | 1 / 2 | 4 / 23 |
| Tackles for loss, including sacks | 8 | 1 |
| Pass breakups | 0 | 3 |
| Fumbles / lost | 1 / 0 | 1 / 0 |
| Giveaways / takeaways | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Turnover margin | 0 | 0 |
| Forced fumbles / recoveries | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Penalties / yards | 5 / 44 | 8 / 43 |
The blocked punt was decisive special-teams production. It is not a takeaway and does not enter offensive yardage or the offensive play count. The official Auburn punt-return total includes 28 yards credited to Mabson on the block, 10 to Carlson on the touchdown recovery, and 3 to Cain. Game book, return statistics and play-by-play
| Special teams and returns | Auburn | Vanderbilt |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals made / attempted | 0 / 1 | 3 / 4 |
| FG attempts | 61 missed | 39 made, 48 blocked, 47 made, 45 made |
| PAT kicks | 3 / 3 | 0 / 0 |
| Two-point conversions | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 |
| Punts / yards | 5 / 197 | 4 / 134 |
| Gross / official net punt average | 39.40 / 39.40 | 33.50 / 32.80 |
| Calculated net using all return yards | 39.40 | 23.25 |
| Punts: long / inside 20 / touchbacks | 47 / 2 / 0 | 53 / 3 / 0 |
| Punts: 50+ yards / fair catches | 0 / 3 | 1 / 0 |
| Kickoffs / yards / touchbacks | 4 / 260 / 4 | 5 / 325 / 5 |
| Punt returns / yards / TDs | 3 / 41 / 1 | 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Kickoff returns / yards / TDs | 0 / 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 / 0 |
| INT returns / yards / TDs | 1 / 0 / 0 | 1 / 1 / 0 |
| Punts blocked / field goals blocked | 1 / 1 | 0 / 0 |
Punting accounting: Vanderbilt's printed net is 32.8. Our consistent calculation using all reported return yards is (134 − 41) / 4 = 23.25. The printed figure matches subtracting only Cain's 3 yards; the difference is the 38 yards from the blocked-punt return. Both figures are shown, with calculations kept consistent in season totals. The book also lists Vanderbilt at 1 fumble/0 lost while the individual fumble listing says none; the team line is retained and neither version changes turnover margin. Official game book
Week over week
The direct comparison is against September 19's 39–44 loss to Florida, Auburn's preceding played game. Changes are latest minus previous; pp = percentage points. Better/worse describes raw output, without opponent adjustment. Workload and possession require context. Vanderbilt game book, Florida box
| Auburn metric | Vandy, Sep 26 | Florida, Sep 19 | Change | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points scored | 21 | 39 | −18 | Worsened |
| Offensive yards | 279 | 373 | −94 | Worsened |
| Offensive plays | 58 | 66 | −8 | Context |
| Defensive plays | 75 | 76 | −1 | Context |
| Offensive yards/play | 4.81 | 5.65 | −0.84 | Worsened |
| Rushing yards | 139 | 102 | +37 | Improved |
| Yards/carry | 4.48 | 3.29 | +1.19 | Improved |
| Passing yards | 140 | 271 | −131 | Worsened |
| Completion rate | 66.7% | 57.1% | +9.5 pp | Improved |
| Passing yards/attempt | 5.19 | 7.74 | −2.56 | Worsened |
| First downs | 15 | 22 | −7 | Worsened |
| Third-down rate | 46.7% | 46.2% | +0.5 pp | Improved |
| Fourth-down rate | N/A (0 attempts) | 50.0% | N/A | No comparable rate |
| Red-zone scoring rate | 50.0% | 100.0% | −50.0 pp | Lower; final kneeldowns |
| Red-zone TD rate | 50.0% | 75.0% | −25.0 pp | Lower; final kneeldowns |
| Giveaways | 1 | 1 | 0 | Same |
| Takeaways | 1 | 1 | 0 | Same |
| Turnover margin | 0 | 0 | 0 | Same |
| Sacks allowed | 1 | 7 | −6 | Improved |
| Points allowed | 15 | 44 | −29 | Improved |
| Yards allowed | 311 | 495 | −184 | Improved |
| Rushing yards allowed | 112 | 243 | −131 | Improved |
| Passing yards allowed | 199 | 252 | −53 | Improved |
| Defensive yards/play allowed | 4.15 | 6.51 | −2.37 | Improved |
| Yards/carry allowed | 2.73 | 4.58 | −1.85 | Improved |
| Passing yards/attempt allowed | 5.85 | 10.96 | −5.10 | Improved |
| Third-down rate allowed | 23.5% | 43.8% | −20.2 pp | Improved |
| Fourth-down rate allowed | 80.0% | 100.0% | −20.0 pp | Improved |
| Red-zone TD rate allowed | 50.0% | 60.0% | −10.0 pp | Improved |
| Sacks made | 4 | 2 | +2 | Improved |
| Tackles for loss | 8 | 7 | +1 | Improved |
| Pass breakups | 0 | 0 | 0 | Same |
| Penalties | 5 | 6 | −1 | Improved |
| Penalty yards | 44 | 65 | −21 | Improved |
| Possession | 22:28 | 20:44 | +1:44 | Context |
| Calculated net punt average | 39.40 | 33.50 | +5.90 | Improved |
Season to date
Season totals now cover four games. Average changes compare today's four-game average with the three-game average in the September 20 report. Opponent columns combine Baylor, Southern Miss, Florida and Vanderbilt. Sources: Baylor, USM, Florida, Vanderbilt.
| Counting stat | AUB total | AUB/game | Δ avg | Opp. total | Opp./game | Δ avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 120 | 30.00 | −3.00 | 83 | 20.75 | −1.92 |
| Offensive plays | 284 | 71.00 | −4.33 | 308 | 77.00 | −0.67 |
| Defensive plays | 308 | 77.00 | −0.67 | 284 | 71.00 | −4.33 |
| Total yards | 1651 | 412.75 | −44.58 | 1463 | 365.75 | −18.25 |
| Rush attempts | 154 | 38.50 | −2.50 | 164 | 41.00 | 0.00 |
| Net rushing yards | 714 | 178.50 | −13.17 | 508 | 127.00 | −5.00 |
| Rushing TDs | 6 | 1.50 | −0.17 | 5 | 1.25 | −0.08 |
| Pass completions | 84 | 21.00 | −1.00 | 87 | 21.75 | +0.08 |
| Pass attempts | 130 | 32.50 | −1.83 | 144 | 36.00 | −0.67 |
| Passing yards | 937 | 234.25 | −31.42 | 955 | 238.75 | −13.25 |
| Passing TDs | 7 | 1.75 | −0.25 | 4 | 1.00 | −0.33 |
| First downs | 92 | 23.00 | −2.67 | 85 | 21.25 | +0.25 |
| Giveaways | 6 | 1.50 | −0.17 | 6 | 1.50 | −0.17 |
| Takeaways | 6 | 1.50 | −0.17 | 6 | 1.50 | −0.17 |
| Turnover margin | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Sacks made | 11 | 2.75 | +0.42 | 14 | 3.50 | −0.83 |
| Sacks allowed | 14 | 3.50 | −0.83 | 11 | 2.75 | +0.42 |
| Sack yards lost | 62 | 15.50 | −4.50 | 55 | 13.75 | +3.08 |
| Tackles for loss | 29 | 7.25 | +0.25 | 25 | 6.25 | −1.75 |
| Pass breakups | 12 | 3.00 | −1.00 | 10 | 2.50 | +0.17 |
| Penalties | 27 | 6.75 | −0.58 | 40 | 10.00 | −0.67 |
| Penalty yards | 229 | 57.25 | −4.42 | 306 | 76.50 | −11.17 |
Possession: Auburn 103:29 total / 25:52 per game (−1:08); opponents 136:31 / 34:08 (+1:08). Time averages and changes are rounded to seconds.
Aggregate rates divide summed numerators by summed denominators. Opponent rates are what Auburn allowed; Δ compares with last week’s report.
| Efficiency | Auburn season | Δ rate | Opponents season | Δ rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yards/play | 1651/284 = 5.81 | −0.26 | 1463/308 = 4.75 | −0.19 |
| Yards/carry | 714/154 = 4.64 | −0.04 | 508/164 = 3.10 | −0.12 |
| Completion rate | 84/130 = 64.6% | +0.5 pp | 87/144 = 60.4% | +1.3 pp |
| Passing yards/attempt | 937/130 = 7.21 | −0.53 | 955/144 = 6.63 | −0.24 |
| Third downs | 30/61 = 49.2% | −0.8 pp | 23/68 = 33.8% | −3.4 pp |
| Fourth downs | 5/8 = 62.5% | 0.0 pp | 11/16 = 68.8% | +5.1 pp |
| Red-zone scoring | 10/14 = 71.4% | −3.6 pp | 11/12 = 91.7% | +1.7 pp |
| Red-zone TDs | 9/14 = 64.3% | −2.4 pp | 7/12 = 58.3% | −1.7 pp |
Season special-teams and return totals are separate from offensive yardage and play counts.
| Season special teams / returns | Auburn | Opponents |
|---|---|---|
| FG made / attempts | 4/6 | 7/9 |
| PAT made / attempts | 14/14 | 6/6 |
| Two-point conversions | 1/1 | 1/3 |
| Punts / yards | 13 / 519 | 15 / 637 |
| Gross / calculated net punt avg | 39.92 / 38.92 | 42.47 / 39.73 |
| Punts inside 20 / touchbacks | 5 / 0 | 6 / 0 |
| Official kickoffs / touchbacks | 20 / 20 | 21 / 14 |
| Punt returns / yards / TDs | 6 / 41 / 1 | 2 / 13 / 0 |
| Kickoff returns / yards | 5 / 111 | 0 / 0 |
| INT returns / yards / TDs | 5 / 43 / 1 | 5 / 11 / 0 |
| Blocked punts / field goals | 1 / 1 | 0 / 0 |
| Safeties | 1 | 0 |
Auburn's FG rate is 4/6, 66.7% (−13.3 pp) after the 61-yard miss; PATs remain 14/14, 100%. Calculated net punting is 38.92 (+0.30). Punts average 3.25/game (+0.58) and inside-20 punts 1.25/game (+0.25). Official kickoffs and touchbacks each average 5.00/game (−0.33). The season has one blocked punt and one blocked FG, both this week. The official kickoff line continues to exclude the two onside attempts against Florida.
Trends
Points, game by game
Yards per play
The four-game trend keeps offensive and defensive workloads separate. Scores are Auburn–opponent; defensive third downs are opponent conversions. Baylor, USM, Florida, Vanderbilt
| Game | Score | Off. plays | Def. plays | Off. Y/play | Def. Y/play | Off. 3rd | Def. 3rd | TO margin | Sacks allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 · 09-05 · Baylor | 17–16 | 76 | 99 | 5.12 | 4.40 | 10/18 (55.6%) | 7/22 (31.8%) | −1 | 5 |
| G2 · 09-12 · Southern Miss | 43–8 | 84 | 58 | 7.26 | 3.81 | 7/15 (46.7%) | 5/13 (38.5%) | +1 | 1 |
| G3 · 09-19 · Florida | 39–44 | 66 | 76 | 5.65 | 6.51 | 6/13 (46.2%) | 7/16 (43.8%) | 0 | 7 |
| G4 · 09-26 · Vanderbilt | 21–15 | 58 | 75 | 4.81 | 4.15 | 7/15 (46.7%) | 4/17 (23.5%) | 0 | 1 |
The rolling last-three-game comparison now shifts from Games 1–3 to Games 2–4. Both windows went 2–1 and overlap in two games; the change replaces Baylor with Vanderbilt rather than representing six independent games.
| Metric | Last 3: Sep 12–26 | Prior 3: Sep 5–19 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points/game | 34.33 | 33.00 | +1.33 |
| Points allowed/game | 22.33 | 22.67 | −0.33 |
| Offensive plays/game | 69.33 | 75.33 | −6.00 |
| Defensive plays/game | 69.67 | 77.67 | −8.00 |
| Offensive yards/play | 6.07 | 6.07 | 0.00 |
| Defensive yards/play | 4.91 | 4.94 | −0.03 |
| Offensive third-down rate | 46.5% | 50.0% | −3.5 pp |
| Third-down rate allowed | 34.8% | 37.3% | −2.5 pp |
| Turnover margin/game | 0.33 | 0.00 | +0.33 |
| Sacks allowed/game | 3.00 | 4.33 | −1.33 |
The breakdown
The defense made a real recovery. Vanderbilt managed 4.15 yards/play, down from Florida's 6.51, while defensive workload barely changed. Auburn held Vandy to 112 rushing yards, 2.73/carry, made four sacks and allowed one offensive TD. Vanderbilt arrived 3–0, so this was a useful SEC response, though it is not an opponent-adjusted comparison. Game book, Vanderbilt recap
Fourth-down defense still needs fixing. The 4/17 third-down allowance was excellent, but Vanderbilt went 4/5 on fourth down. Across the two SEC games, opponents are 7/8 on fourth down. That helped Vanderbilt hold the ball 37:32 despite modest yards/play. Auburn has to finish more of those stops. Florida box, Vanderbilt game book
Protection improved; passing efficiency did not. One sack allowed after seven is a major gain, and completion rate rose to 66.7%. But passing yards/attempt dropped 7.74 → 5.19 and total offense fell 373 → 279. The offense ran eight fewer plays and was also less productive per play. Across the last three games, offensive yards/play has slid 7.26 → 5.65 → 4.81. That shit still needs work. Florida box, Vanderbilt game book
Special teams and the final drive won the margins. Mabson's block and Carlson's return supplied seven points; Sigler blocked a 48-yard FG. After Vandy cut it to six, Auburn kept the ball for the remaining 6:26. Brown's third-and-5 completion to Singleton and Cobb's later 21-yard run were the key plays. The raw red-zone decline should not obscure that finish. Auburn recap, game book
Key contributors: Brown went 18/27 for 140 yards, one TD and one INT, plus 57 rushing yards and a TD; Cobb had 58 yards on eight carries; Nimrod caught five for 52 and the passing TD. Atkins led Auburn with eight tackles and three TFL. Vanderbilt's Junior Sherrill caught six for 95, accounting for nearly half its passing yardage. Official individual statistics
Four games are still a small sample. The rolling three-game offensive yards/play is essentially unchanged because Vanderbilt replaced Baylor; that does not erase the decline within the latest three individual games. Different opponents, a special-teams score, long Vanderbilt possessions and Auburn’s final kneeldowns all matter when interpreting the raw totals.
The fresh checks found no changes in previously stored team fields for Baylor, Southern Miss or Florida. The USM baseline remains 610 yards / 84 offensive plays / 267 passing yards, and Florida-game Auburn net punting remains the labeled 33.5 calculation. Earlier reports are preserved. Pressure counts, success rate, EPA, opponent-adjusted ratings and individual snaps are unavailable on a consistent verified basis. Baylor, USM, Florida
Next scheduled game: at Tennessee, October 3, 2:30 p.m. CDT, Neyland Stadium. Official schedule