AUBURN, Ala. — It’s difficult to imagine any win over Jacksonville State ranking with the most memorable in Auburn’s history.
Then again, No. 6 Auburn’s ability to dodge a major upset could prove to be just as important to its championship hopes as the program’s biggest landmark wins in recent years.
Auburn avoided a defeat that would have ranked with the biggest upsets in college football history, riding a dramatic touchdown catch in the final minute and Peyton Barber’s overtime touchdown run to a 27-20 win over the Gamecocks on Saturday.
Barber, making his first start at tailback, ran for 125 yards. The most important came on his 4-yard scoring run to cap Auburn’s first possession in overtime.
Barber said he never stopped believing Auburn would win, even when the Tigers trailed 20-13 with less than six minutes remaining in regulation.
“That’s one thing I was always saying, was that we cannot lose to this team,” Barber said.
Jacksonville State (1-1) is the first Football Championship Subdivision team to take a ranked FBS team to overtime, but coach John Grass said that’s no reason to celebrate.
“I don’t want to hear no moral victory stuff,” Grass said.
The shaky win may inspire self-doubt in some Auburn circles.
“We’ve got some growing up to do; there’s no doubt about that,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said.
