TAMPA | Auburn couldn’t run the ball and didn’t have time to throw many balls down the field.

Minnesota took away Gus Malzahn’s bread and butter on offense and it resulted in just 232 yards of total offense, the worst output since the 2018 Arkansas game. It also resulted in a 31-24 loss in the Outback Bowl.

"There was a few little wrinkles," said Malzahn of Minnesota's scheme on defense. "It was more of lining up and getting after us more than anything. Just the fact of the matter."

Auburn finished with just 56 rushing yards, the lowest output of the season and the worse rushing performance since managing only 19 yards against Texas A&M in 2018. The Tigers had just five rushing yards in the first half and averaged 2.2 yards per carry against the Golden Gophers.

"I think we ran no more than 20 plays in the first half. It wasn’t a lot of plays,” senior offensive guard Marquel Harrell said. “It takes a lot to get in a rhythm of offensive performance.

“They did what they did on film. They back-fit, they brought an extra safety in the box and brought some extra guys in the box here and there, but at the end of the day, they executed their job better than we executed ours.”

JaTarvious Whitlow led AU with 24 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. D.J. Williams had 13 yards on five carries and Bo Nix 12 yards on six carries. Nix was sacked twice for a loss of 14 yards.

Overall, it was just an abysmal day for Auburn’s running backs and Bo Nix and the passing offense were unable to make up for it with any big plays. Nix completed just two passes of more than 20 yards and both came on busted plays when he scrambled from the pocket and found Spencer Nigh for a 24-yard gain and Sal Cannella for a 37-yard touchdown.

“It sucks, man, losing any type game just being the type of competitors we are on our side of the field,” Harrell said. “Like it sucks and it hurts even worse this being myself and the other seniors last game in an Auburn uniform. Even if guys go play in the NFL, you’re going to remember this game forever, your last collegiate game and we went out with a loss. You just hate to go out this way. You hate to lose any game but this one more. Sucks.”

Auburn finishes the 2019 season 9-4 overall.