Auburn jumped out of the gates early with two big touchdown runs by Jarquez Hunter and held on for a 31-15 victory over Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday evening to improve to 5-4 on the season.

Hunter's presence was felt immediately as he took off for a 67-yard score on the second play of Auburn's first drive. After going three-and-out on the next possession, Hunter took off again, this time for 56 yards to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Auburn would have had great field position to be in place to make it a three-score game after Vanderbilt muffed a punt, but a questionable interference call was issued on Jaylin Simpson. The Tigers held the Commodores to a punt, with Vanderbilt's punter getting the ball to drop inside the five. Three plays later, Payton Thorne was intercepted for a touchdown.

Before halftime, Auburn drove down to Vanderbilt's three-yard line, but an illegal block by Micah Riley set the Tigers back to the 18-yard line. Alex McPherson made it 17-7 with a 32-yard field goal.

The Tigers took advantage of getting the second-half kickoff by driving 75 yards on three plays, capped by a 53-yard touchdown reception by Rivaldo Fairweather to extend the lead to 24-7. On the next drive, Jeremiah Cobb took a quick pitch from Thorne for a five-yard touchdown to up the lead to 24.

Vanderbilt tried to stage a comeback as Ken Seals hit Junior Sherrill for a 30-yard touchdown with 2:43 left in the third quarter. The 'Dores were knocking on the door again, driving down to Auburn's 10-yard line, but a sack by Marcus Harris and Cam Riley and two incompletions, one on fourth down, stopped the rally.

It kept up the promise that Harris made to Freeze following the previous touchdown.

"That won't happen again," the defensive lineman told the head coach.

Hunter finished with a career-high 183 yards on 19 rushes and two scores. Thorne completed 17-of-27 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Auburn travels to Fayetteville next Saturday to take on Arkansas. Game time is set for 3 p.m. CT.