Auburn football defense delivers takeaway-filled romp vs Mississippi State
Auburn football got plenty from its defense against Mississippi State, including five forced fumbles and four takeaways in a blowout victory.
Starkville, Miss. - The Auburn football defense shined brightly in their recent 41-9 victory over Mississippi State, delivering a game filled with takeaways and turnovers. Defending coordinator DJ Durkin's unit had been struggling throughout the season, but on Saturday, Nov. 14, they finally stepped up to the plate.
Auburn forced four turnovers and five fumbles, with their defense registering a season-high seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Head coach Alex Golesh praised his team, saying, "This is November. You've got to go finish this month. This is where you build to the offseason. These (next) two games are so, so big for us." Sophomore Darrion Smith was the star of the defensive show, stripping Mississippi State quarterback AJ Swann and forcing two more fumbles, which led directly to Auburn's first points.
Smith continued to impact the game, even scoring on a 34-yard touchdown return from a fumble he recovered.
The defensive efforts were truly team-wide, with freshman Shadarius Toodle and Nate Johnson also forcing fumbles and returning them for touchdowns. Auburn's defensive performance set records for the season, with six or more sacks in back-to-back games and a high number of tackles for loss. As Golesh stated, this was more than just a record-breaking game; it was evidence of Auburn building itself up, laying the foundation for a successful offseason and future seasons.
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