AUBURN | With Auburn on Missouri's 29-yard line, the game tied and less than two minutes left on the clock, Bryan Harsin had a choice. Either go for it and try to get closer into range for Anders Carlson, or depend on his offensive line to get a big enough push for Tank Bigsby to rush for a first down.

Harsin chose the latter, and Bigsby got stuffed in the backfield. The Auburn coach considered it the best move.

"It felt like from what we had done, and stuff we had discussed too, that we could get that," Harsin said. "I really believe our guys can get that and that we needed that as well."

Rushing up the middle has been a problem for the Tigers all season long, and it was again on this play as Bigsby lost a yard to give Missouri time to drive down the field and set up the game-winning field goal attempt. Fortunately, the visiting Tigers' kicker missed it wide right and the gamble, and not possibly putting points on the board, didn't come back to haunt Harsin.

He credited Missouri with making the big play when it mattered.

"They did a great job with their front, knocked us back," Harsin said. "They beat us on the edge, I think is what happened, then they got into the backfield, and we didn't get it."

It was a calculated risk, but one that Harsin and the Tigers had taken three times earlier in the game, converting each of them, including twice on the opening drive when Auburn went 59 yards on 14 plays, all on the ground.

With the game becoming a defensive battle/inept offense showcase in the second half, a 46-yard field goal by Carlson might have sealed the deal. But Harsin thought it was the right call at the right moment.

"That was more us being aggressive in that moment, and it's inches, and we felt like we could get it because we had done that throughout the game," he said. "You're here to win this football game."