BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It was supposed to be a shootout. Could Auburn keep up with Paxton Lynch and outscore the high-powered Memphis offense?
Auburn did its part, scoring 31 points. But Lynch failed to live up to the hype as the Auburn defense smothered throughout the game. Gus Malzahn’s group pulled away in the second half, winning 31-10 in Wednesday’s Iron Bowl at historic Legion Field.
What this win means for Auburn: There were a lot of potential distractions for Auburn entering Wednesday’s bowl game. They had yet to hire a defensive coordinator. They hadn’t named a starting quarterback yet.