OXFORD | It was a strange twist of fate for Auburn at No. 9 Ole Miss Saturday.

The offense finally came alive, especially a moribund running game at the same time as the defense, which has kept them in most games, got gashed for 448 rushing yards.

Still, it was a step forward for the Tigers’ running game, which totaled 301 yards in a 48-34 loss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

"We didn’t give up a ton of penetration. Our backs were able to get started," said AU coach Bryan Harsin. "I thought the backs ran hard today. I was really proud of Tank; he went hard. He got vertical, he stuck his foot in the ground and got vertical on quite a few runs, and it showed. He was able to create some explosive plays that way.

"But overall, I just thought we did a better job up front of getting the run started, giving our backs a chance and then our backs doing a great job breaking tackles and running hard."

Tank Bigsby finally broke loose with a season-high 179 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He averaged 9.0 yards per cary after averaging 2.63 against AU’s first three SEC opponents.

His 50-yard TD run in the third quarter was the longest of his career.

“Throughout the game today the confidence got higher and higher and we just stuck with it,” said Bigsby. “We said we were going to run down their throat and that was the mentality of the game. That’s what we came in to do."

Jarquez Hunter added 80 yards on 10 carries and quarterback Robby Ashford had 35 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

The 301 yards is the most rushing yards against an SEC opponent since 345 against Arkansas in 2017.

“It feel great, guys clicking. The guys clicking the way they’re supposed to and everybody doing their job,” said Bigsby. “It came close, man. I feel like we were supposed to win that game. It hurt a lot, man. Because when you put your all into it all week and you come out and you lose like that, it’s tough.”

Auburn (3-4 overall and 1-3 in the SEC) gets a week off before hosting Arkansas Oct. 29.