Jake Browning led all passers today with 296 yards in a valiant effort against #9 Auburn, losing by a score of 21-16.
“This one felt a lot different than last time we were down here”, Chris Petersen said, “It’s frustrating…you go into a game knowing it’s going to come down to details.”
The details are things the coaches will look to clean up, but overall the Huskies played a very good game in a very hostile environment and against an SEC powerhouse.
Jatarvious Whitlow ran 10 yards for a touchdown with 6:15 remaining and the Auburn defense came through at the end, leading the No. 9 Tigers a 21-16 victory over No. 6 Washington that provided a big boost to their resume in the very first game of the season Saturday.
Trailing 16-15 after missing a two-point conversion on their opening drive of the game, Auburn drove 76 yards in 10 plays for the winning score. Jarrett Stidham kept the drive going early with a 12-yard pass to Chandler Cox on third-and-9.
Then, facing third-and-7 deep in Washington territory, Auburn handed off inside to Whitlow, who knocked over a Washington defender as he smashed into the end zone.
Washington drove to the Auburn 37 with plenty of time to pull off the comeback, but Myles Gaskin was thrown for a 3-yard loss and Jake Browning was stymied by a fierce pass rush on back-to-back plays to preserve the Tigers’ victory.
Stidham was 26 of 36 for 273 yards for Auburn, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Sal Cannella, who made a leaping grab in the end zone before landing flat on his back.
Browning, looking to bounce back from a disappointing junior season, completed 18 of 32 for 296 yards. He was picked off once but connected with Quinten Pounds on a 13-yard touchdown in the final minute of the first half .
Peyton Henry put the Huskies ahead for the first time with his third field goal, a 30-yarder that clanked off the right upright but ricocheted through with 14:06 remaining.
Both teams squandered scoring chances.
Anders Carlson, taking over from older brother Daniel as Auburn’s kicker, connected on three field goals — including a 53-yarder — but also missed from 33 and 54 yards.
Washington was kicking itself after coming away from a first-and-goal with no points. On third down at the 3, Browning rolled right looking to make a pitch only to be smacked by Nick Poe. The ball squirted free and Auburn’s Darrell Williams fell on it at the 20.
Another chance was wasted when Henry shanked a 40-yard field goal attempt.
“Our receivers did a nice job”, Petersen said after the game, “We asked the kids…just play hard, go fast, don’t think. We’ll tighten it up and have them make less errors…It all comes down to details when you’re playing evenly matched teams. We’ll get some things tightened up.”
Petersen said Browning should have thrown the ball out of bounds on the first quarter interception.
Notes
On Trey Adams, Petersen said, “Don’t know. It could be (a long time thing), might not. We don’t know.”
It’s unknown if Jake Browning is injured or not, he was being treated in the tent following the hit in the fourth quarter and the non-call for targeting might have rang his bell. There’s no word yet.
