AUBURN | It was a solid first start for Hank Brown.

The redshirt freshman completed 17 of 25 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns to lead Auburn to a 45-19 win over New Mexico Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

After a shaky second quarter, Brown came out on fire in the third quarter completing all six of his pass attempts as the Tigers scored 14 unanswered points.

Brown connected with Micah Riley for a three-yard touchdown pass on the opening possession of the second half. Two plays after an interception by Antonio Kite, Brown connected with Jarquez Hunter on a 14-yard TD pass.

Brown put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter with a 26-yard TD pass to Rivaldo Fairweather. He was 9 of 11 for 120 yards with and three touchdowns in the second half.

Hunter finished with 152 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Damari Alston added 80 yards on 10 carries including a 22-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter as AU piled up 268 rushing yards and 503 total yards.

Auburn out-scored New Mexico 28-6 in the second half.

Auburn led 17-13 at halftime as New Mexico totaled 293 yards of offense. The Tigers came out of the blocks early as Jeremiah Cobb had a 66-yard kickoff return to set up AU’s first touchdown, a 10-yard pass from Brown to Camden Brown.

Hunter had a two-yard TD run at the end of the first quarter that was set up by a 50-yard pass from Brown to KeAndre Lambert-Smith.

AU had a second and goal at the two-yard line to start the second quarter but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from Towns McGough.

Brown finished the first half completing 1 of his final 6 pass attempts.

Auburn (2-1) opens SEC play next Saturday against Arkansas. Kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.