Tigers thrive in difficult conditions

AUBURN | When the weather turned to its worst, Auburn’s offense was at its best.

With a light rain turning into a heavy downpour, the 15th-ranked Tigers totaled 183 total yards and 24 points in the second quarter of a 52-0 rout of Samford.

“The first half it was miserable, the weather was,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “I think too, anytime you play in adverse conditions right there, I think that’s very good too. We’ve practiced out in that stuff a couple of times in the last month, but there’s nothing like the real thing to go out there and handle the conditions and really protect the football with no turnovers. There were a lot of different people that touched the ball so I think that’s a really good plus carrying forward too."

Quarterback Bo Nix completed 15 of 23 passes for 150 yards. He wasn't able to connect on a couple of long throws down the field, but did find Harold Joiner for a 10-yard touchdown pass and Boobee Whitlow on a 36-yard wheel route to set up the final touchdown of the first half.

“Well, it's pretty tough, obviously, in the rain, throwing the ball. You're going to have a little bit harder of a time throwing it down the field,” Nix said. “I thought we threw it pretty well, as well as you could do it. We completed a lot of passes, and we got some stuff going and were able to run the ball.”

While the Bulldogs turned the ball over four times, Auburn didn’t put the ball on the ground or throw an interception despite the difficult conditions that saw Jordan-Hare Stadium nearly clear out after halftime.

The Tigers were able to empty the bench starting early in the third quarter. Three quarterbacks threw passes, six running backs had at least one carry and a total of 11 players caught at least one pass.

Seth Williams, who caught four passes for 45 yards, compared the conditions to playing backyard football.

“I like playing in the rain all the time,” Williams said. “I know you don't throw the ball a lot in the rain. But just being out there and being wet, throwing the ball in the rain, sliding around in the mud and stuff, just being with your friends.”

Auburn, which improved to 8-3 on the season, hosts Alabama in the 84th Iron Bowl next Saturday. Kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.