Jaden Baugh rushes for 162 yards and three touchdowns as Florida withstands Byrum Brown and Auburn’s fourth-quarter comeback at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Jaden Baugh rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries, including a 53-yard fourth-quarter score, and Florida held off Auburn 44-39 in the Southeastern Conference opener at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Auburn (2-1, 0-1 SEC) trailed by 17 early in the fourth quarter before Byrum Brown led a furious comeback that twice pulled the Tigers within striking distance.
“The expectation here is to go win that game,” Auburn coach Alex Golesh said. “We’ve got to get better in all three phases.”
Florida (3-0, 1-0) took control immediately after halftime.
Leading 20-17, the Gators opened the third quarter with a 37-yard completion before Baugh broke loose for a 33-yard touchdown. Aaron Philo later connected with Dallas Wilson for a 20-yard score, pushing Florida’s advantage to 34-17.
Auburn responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive. Brown found De’Shawn Spencer for a 10-yard touchdown with 1:24 remaining in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 34-24.
Florida answered with the play that proved decisive.
Facing fourth-and-1 near midfield, Baugh burst through the Auburn defense and raced 53 yards for his third touchdown, giving the Gators a 41-24 lead.
“We didn’t get off blocks well enough and we didn’t tackle well,” Golesh said.
BYRUM BROWN LEADS AUBURN’S LATE CHARGE
Brown refused to let Auburn go quietly.
The quarterback led a 90-yard touchdown drive in 2:35, rushing three times for 60 yards and scoring on a 21-yard run. His two-point conversion pass to Arliss Boardingham pulled Auburn within 41-32 with 6:10 remaining.
Florida recovered the ensuing onside kick and converted a key fourth down before Patrick Durkin kicked a 40-yard field goal, extending the lead to 44-32 with 2:53 left.
With no timeouts remaining, Brown drove Auburn 75 yards in eight plays and hit Chas Nimrod for a 35-yard touchdown with 24 seconds left.
That made it 44-39.
Auburn attempted another onside kick, but Florida recovered and ran out the clock.
EARLY TURNOVER PUTS AUBURN BEHIND
The Tigers were forced to play from behind almost immediately.
Auburn turned the ball over on the third play of the game, and Florida needed only three plays to capitalize. Baugh scored from 2 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers answered defensively when Da’Shawn Womack intercepted a deflected pass and returned it to Florida’s 8-yard line. Auburn settled for an Alex McPherson 40-yard field goal.
Florida stretched its lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter when Duke Clark finished a 16-play, 75-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run.
Auburn’s offense finally found its footing with consecutive 75-yard touchdown drives.
Brown completed three straight passes for 53 yards before Jeremiah Cobb scored on a 2-yard run, cutting the deficit to 14-10.
After Florida added a field goal, Brown hit Keshaun Singleton for a 48-yard gain and later found him again for a 4-yard touchdown that tied the game 17-17 with 5:21 left in the half.
Singleton finished with seven receptions for a team-high 99 yards.
Florida regained the lead before halftime, driving 65 yards in 11 plays before Durkin kicked a 28-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining for a 20-17 advantage.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS PROVE COSTLY
Auburn’s inability to contain Florida’s explosive plays ultimately overshadowed its offensive comeback.
Golesh pointed to 12 explosive plays totaling more than 300 yards as one of the defining differences in the game.
Baugh delivered the biggest damage on the ground, while Florida repeatedly found ways to extend drives and capitalize on Auburn mistakes.
Auburn’s defense still produced disruptive moments. Linebackers Elijah Melendez and Xavier Atkins combined for 20 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks.
But the Tigers could not completely overcome the early turnover, Florida’s second-half surge and Baugh’s three-touchdown performance.
AUBURN TURNS ITS ATTENTION TO VANDERBILT
Auburn now faces an immediate opportunity to respond.
The Tigers conclude their three-game homestand next Saturday against Vanderbilt for Homecoming at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network and the Auburn Sports Network.
“There’s no time to lick your wounds,” Golesh said. “Go right back to work.”
For Auburn, the SEC opener showed both sides of the equation: an offense capable of producing a late comeback and a defense that must limit explosive plays if the Tigers are going to turn rallies into conference victories.
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-- By Masakela P. Rawls and Sarah Darden
© Copyright 2026 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article cannot be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without written permission.
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