Bo Nix matches inspiring moments with humbling mistakes

For every moment Bo Nix's youth and inexperience showed — every missed receiver, near-interception or fumble — the true freshman had a "wow" moment to match.

Nix was turned to as the primary source of offense for Auburn — particularly in the second half — throwing 50 passes and completing 30, racking up 287 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns in the Tigers' dramatic loss to Georgia, 21-14.

"He battled," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said of his quarterback. "He fought."

Auburn's plan against Georgia's top-ranked run defense was to establish its offense through the ground game, then let Nix take advantage of play-action opportunities.

That strategy never came to pass. The Tigers averaged 2.3 yard per carry, and they didn't have a running play exceed 10 yards in the loss.

So the offense had to stem from under center. Nix threw an even 25 passes each half, completing 14 in the first and 16 plus a touchdown in the second.

"There’s not many other freshman quarterbacks who can go play like that in the atmosphere, especially in the second half," right tackle Jack Driscoll said of Nix. "He really turned it on and started making plays with both his feet and his legs."

Nix wasn't getting much help early. Georgia's defensive line was overwhelming Auburn's offensive line, getting into the backfield quickly and forcing Nix to roll out often.

Auburn's offense, when the run game was clearly being rendered ineffective by Georgia's front, seemed to be predicated around the quick passing game, particularly on slant patterns to sophomore Seth Williams.

Nix continued to adjust, however, even as the Bulldogs' lead swelled to what felt like an insurmountable 21 points for an Auburn offense that stubbed its toe every time in crossed midfield. Receiver Eli Stove, who caught a 3-yard touchdown from Nix in the fourth quarter, said the quarterback talked over coverages and worked with coaches on the sidelines after every possession, trying to analyze how to make his next throw and decision better than his last.

Then it clicked — rather, Auburn was able to finish. As Georgia went to its base defense, up 21-0, Nix led the Tigers' offense storming down the field on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive at the start of the fourth quarter. It was the first time all game Auburn had come away with points after getting into Georgia territory.

"When we go at a pace like that, defenses have a hard time with switching up so we can get some cheap completions on them and we can start moving the ball a little bit that way," Nix said. "That opened up our running game there in there fourth quarter so we got some cheap runs in there, too."

The next drive was even more rapid and irrepressible. After Auburn's defense sent the Dawgs three-and-out, Nix completed passes of 24, 14 and 9 yards in less than 30 seconds, moving Auburn into the red zone. Two plays later, after he had fumbled on a QB keeper in the second quarter, killing off Auburn's best drive to that point, he pulled the pigskin out of Boobee Whitlow's belly, cut back and found paydirt, bringing the Tigers within one score.

It was the first rushing touchdown allowed by Georgia all season.

Nix was scorching to the touch at that point, having completed 12 of his last 13 passes for 120 yards as Auburn was rallying at light speed.

"I think that offense does benefit Bo," Driscoll said. "He played it in high school and when you give him the chance to run or a quick pass, to get in those situations where it’s second-and-manageable and you’re not stuck behind the chains at third-and-10 or third-and-11-plus."

The defense, which held Georgia to 2 total yards and zero first downs in the final quarter, constricted again, and Auburn got the ball back with 6 minutes on the clock.

Nix came out firing once again, shaking off a fumbled snap early in the drive and dissecting Georgia's secondary all the way to the Bulldogs' 42-yard line.

Then Nix appeared to make the throw of the game, finding Williams along the sideline for 17 yards. It was ruled a catch. Malzahn called it an "NFL catch." Nix thought it was a catch, sprinting up to get set to run the next play lightning-quick. But it was overturned.

Two plays later, after making plenty of "wow" moments in the clutch, Nix looked like a freshman again.

He threw behind Harold Joiner on a smartly called leak-out on fourth-and-2. Joiner couldn't make the tough snag.

Nix said it was 100% his fault.

"It was a sprint-out and I threw it behind Harold," Nix said. "You can’t make mistakes like that."

Nix could have had a few more big-time completions added to his performance. Notably, a deep-ball attempt to Anthony Schwartz in the first half and a throw over the middle to Williams on the final drive were both catchable balls that were adeptly broken up by Georgia's talented defensive backs. And, obviously, Williams' sideline grab would have been on SportsCenter on Sunday morning had the ruling been upheld.

But he also could have had three turnovers, as he fumbled in the first half and sailed two errant passes into reach of Georgia's secondary for a pair of near-interceptions.

That's been Bo Nix's rookie campaign — flashes of inspiring brilliance amalgamated with humbling instances of youth. Only he's no longer a rookie. He has three games remaining in a season where he'll likely break most Auburn freshman quarterback records.

Only he's no longer a freshman, his head coach deemed after the loss. And for Nix, that means just one thing: It's time to start delivering with the consistency of a veteran.

"For [Malzahn] to say that I'm already over being a freshman — I agree with him," Nix said. "And I should start playing better and giving our offense the best chance to win."

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