Auburn's defense was getting gashed in the first half. Georgia State was moving at will with 24 points, 299 yards of offense and averaging 7.9 yards per play.

Then, the unit flipped a switch after the half.

"Didn't play up to our standard in the first half; it was unacceptable really in all three phases, to be honest with you," Auburn LB Chandler Wooten said. "We understood that, but everybody at the same time was, you know, extremely positive. Just tried to get everybody on the same page, just bring that energy. And so obviously we came out in the second half with a lot more energy than we had in the first half. We had to play up to our standard, and we did that and were able to come out with a win."

In the second half, the defense held Georgia State to just 85 total yards and didn't allow a single point. Georgia State averaged 2.6 yards per play.

That also included a stretch where Auburn's defense forced four-straight three-and-outs to keep them in the game.

"Coach Mason came in and said that when we won the game that he didn’t change a single call. We just executed it better in the second half," Colby Wooden said. "We got down, hurried up and played football."

Eku Leota came up with a sack on two separate third down plays, and T.D. Moultry added one, too.

The defense was also boosted with the return of Zakoby McClain, who had to sit out the first half after a targeting call against Penn State.

"We just did our jobs, man," Smoke Monday said. "That was the key coming out at halftime. We've just got to do our jobs. It was a great plus that I got my evil twin Zakoby back. I mean, that dude there — Ricochet Rabbit, he's gonna do his job. He's going to play hard and play physical. He's the person I know that I'm going to get his all from every single snap, just like Chandler Wooten. Man, he really kept us in the game as a defensive leader. One of those guys who just keeps fighting, keeps fighting. That's what we did in the second half."

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