Golesh era begins at Auburn with heart-stopping 17-16 win over Baylor

ATLANTA (WSFA) - A 1-yard-line tackle by Auburn safety Eric Winters denied Baylor a game-winning 2-point conversion as the Tigers held off the Bears in a defensive slugfest to secure their first victory of the Alex Golesh era.

Despite a sluggish performance by the offense, Byrum Brown completed 26 passes for 259 total yards, including a late-game rush that gave Auburn the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter with just 3:21 left on the clock.

Elijah Menendez accounted for 12 tackles, including a forced fumble on Baylor’s first possession that Auburn turned into a field goal scoring drive just 7 plays later.

Alex McPherson, who brought Auburn onto the board with the 43-yard attempt, went 2/3 for kicks and helped edge the Tigers ahead as Baylor trailed by just one score for the entire game.

Jeremiah Cobb ran for 53 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown rush that pulled Auburn ahead late in the first half.

Baylor promptly responded with a 75 yard drive for a touchdown that cut the deficit 10-7 at halftime.

It was game between two quarterbacks making their debuts, and it quickly turned into a defensive battle.

Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway, who was battling an unspecified ankle injury for most of the game, threw for both of Baylor’s touchdowns.

Lagway’s most astonishing play came on his last drive, when the quarterback found Gavin Freeman 27 yards downfield on a crucial fourth down. Four plays later, he connected with Freeman again in the endzone for a five-yard touchdown.

Lagway ended the game with 333 passing yards, throwing the ball 54 times and completing 27 of those passes.

Both offenses struggled with their running game, but made up for it in passing, with both quarterbacks throwing for a combined 592 yards.

It was Winters’ critical stop, however, that sealed Alex Golesh’s first victory as coach of the Tigers.

The close victory puts Auburn up 1-0 as they head home to host Southern Miss next Saturday.

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