NASHVILLE | It was fast. It was furious. And Purdue didn’t stand a chance.

Auburn scored touchdowns on its first seven offensive possessions of the game in a blistering 63-14 win Friday in the Music City Bowl.

Returning to his play-calling roots for the first time in three years, the tempo and the big plays returned to the Tigers’ offense.

“I ain't gonna lie, I ain't gonna lie. It really was fire,” said running back JaTarvious Whitlow, who was the first Auburn player to score three touchdowns in a bowl game before Darius Slayton tied his record later in the first half. “He really was calling them plays today. I'm looking like 'dang.' We were just going in such a fast pace. Purdue couldn't even adjust to it. I'm like well, hate it for y'all next year.”

Malzahn made a statement right out of the gate. Third-and-1 at Auburn’s own 34-yard line on the opening drive and he went for the jugular. He dialed up a play-action wheel route from Jarrett Stidham to Whitlow, which was executed to perfection for a 66-yard touchdown.

“When your players are executing, you can call any play. That was the way it was today. We call any play and they executed,” Malzahn said.

It quickly turned into a record-breaking performance for the Tigers. The 56 first-half points are the most-ever by any team in any bowl game, and the 63 total points is a bowl record for an SEC team.

Stidham, who was named bowl MVP, threw five touchdowns, the most-ever in an Auburn bowl game and tying the most-ever in a game. His 74-yard touchdown to Slayton is the longest in AU bowl history, and Slayton’s three touchdown receptions ties an AU bowl record.

The Tigers finished with a bowl record 586 total yards.

“We played our best game,” Malzahn said. “We had explosive plays. When we have explosive plays, we can get tempo and play fast. I think we were able to throw it and run it. I think that’s real important too. Jarrett got us in some good plays. We had a couple pass plays that went Cover 2, he checked to runs, and we were able to be successful with that. It’s just really all about execution.”

Auburn finishes the 2018 season 8-5 and earns some much-needed optimism and momentum headed into the offseason.

“You know last year, we had a tough bowl loss, and it really carried over,” Malzahn said. “It was kind of a tough deal in the offseason, with a bad taste in your mouth. Well, it’s just the opposite feeling today. I really feel like this’ll carry over in the offseason. We got a lot of things we can build upon and give us some momentum going into next season.”