Auburn football’s defense, after spending much of this season oscillating between disappointing and downright horrendous, finally delivered an emphatic performance, absolutely stomping a struggling Mississippi State squad 41-9 on Saturday, November 14. This wasn’t just a win, it was a defensive clinic: four forced turnovers, five fumbles, a season-high seven sacks, and a whopping 13 tackles for loss. Talk about answering the bell.
The Defensive Turnaround Nobody Expected
For much of this fall, Auburn’s defensive unit, under coordinator DJ Durkin, had been a shell of its former self. Last season, they were one of the nation’s best, but this year? Losses to Florida, Tennessee, LSU, and Ole Miss saw them manhandled, and it was rough to watch. But against Mississippi State at Davis Wade Stadium, something shifted. The numbers tell the story: four forced turnovers, a massive five fumbles caused, a season-best seven sacks, and 13 tackles for loss. Head coach Alex Golesh called it, “impressive efforts up front.” He knows this is November, a crucial time to “go finish this month,” emphasizing that this is where a team builds for the offseason.
Darrion Smith and the Takeaway Frenzy That Got Everyone “Juicy”
The shift in defensive energy started early and it started with sophomore Darrion Smith. Midway through the opening quarter, Smith stripped Mississippi State quarterback AJ Swann, and Cody Sigler was right there to fall on it, setting up Auburn’s first points. Smith wasn’t done, forcing MSU’s next fumble, though the Bulldogs managed to recover that one. The man is a chaos agent. His teammates picked up on that energy. Freshman Shadarius Toodle forced Mississippi State’s third fumble, and who was there to scoop it up? Darrion Smith, returning it 34 yards, just one yard shy of a touchdown! The final fumble recovery was another group effort, with Nate Johnson forcing it and Jared Smith eventually falling on the ball. Edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack summed up the feeling, saying, “Me and Darrion, we go way back, since high school. Just seeing that, it brought me back to moments like, ‘Oh snap, we at it.’ Once he got that first one, it was just another one after another one after another one. He just had everybody juicy.”
Building Momentum in November: Record-Setting Numbers
This wasn’t just a one-off performance, it felt like Auburn is really starting to build on itself. For the first time since 2004, Auburn recorded six or more sacks in back-to-back games, compiling a staggering 13 total sacks between their Arkansas (6) and Mississippi State (7) matchups. It was also a season-high total for tackles for loss, and they’ve now had consecutive contests with double-digit stops in the backfield. Coach Golesh said it best: “These (next) two games are so, so big for us.” It’s clear that this defensive surge in November is exactly what Auburn needs to finish strong and set the tone for what’s to come.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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