AUBURN | It was a long bus ride home from Columbia following Auburn’s 30-22 loss at South Carolina last Saturday.

That was especially true for quarterback Bo Nix, who had one of the worst games of his career throwing three interceptions, which were all converted into touchdowns by the USC offense.

“I rode the bus home with Bo right next to him, right next to his seat,” center Nick Brahms said. “I could just tell, that guy’s just a competitor, man. He talked to us after the game and he felt really down about himself, and it was our job to kinda pick him up as his teammates. He’s a competitor and he’s going to freaking fight until the end. That’s what I love about him. I love that guy, man.”

Nix completed 24 of 47 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked three times and pressured another five times by the Gamecock defense.

He still managed to drive Auburn into striking range late in the fourth quarter before his 4th down scramble came up two yards short of a first down on the USC 9-yard line. Nix finished the game with 69 yards on 15 carries.

“He competed like crazy, I do know that. He fought with the 15 rushes and throwing,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “He competed his tail off and I thought he made some big-time runs. He ran physical. He made some scramble plays that helped us on third down too with some conversions.”

The way Nix continued to compete even after his mistakes meant a lot to Brahms and his teammates.

“I have no doubt Bo is going to fight to the end,” Brahms said. “I can always count him. That's really what that showed me. He wants to win; he hates losing more than anybody on the team, I'll tell you that right now. He's going to work his butt off, man, every single game.”

Nix’s performance in Columbia was reminiscent of AU’s 24-13 loss at Florida last season in which he also threw three interceptions. He bounced back from that game to complete 12-of-17 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for another score in a 51-19 walloping at Arkansas in the next game.

Brahms believes a similar response could be coming this week.

“He’s going to bounce back,” Brahms said. “He’s so positive. I don’t think he lets the noise get to him, honestly, so I see him bouncing back.”

Auburn plays at Ole Miss Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on SECN.