Closer look at Auburn's win

@BR Boxtext bold lede comma:THE STAR

Converted quarterback Kodi Burns accounted for four touchdowns, scoring on three 1-yard runs and throwing for another score out of the Wildcat formation. The multi-use junior finished with 32 rushing yards on nine carries and completed his only pass for 13 yards.

KEY MOMENT

The Tigers burned the Bulldogs with two touchdown runs out of the Wildcat earlier in the game, but they fooled them again in the third quarter when Burns faked a handoff out of the single-wing formation and rolled to his left. Two defenders bit and Burns lobbed a 13-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Philip Lutzenkirchen that gave Auburn an insurmountable 35-17 lead.

KEY DECISION

Leading 20-17 with three minutes left before halftime, Auburn used two timeouts while holding Mississippi State to a three-and-out. The Tigers got the ball with 1:29 on the clock and moved swiftly, going 78 yards in eight plays before Burns punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to make it an 11-point game heading into the locker room.

QUOTE OF THE GAME

“I’ve got some burners for you all. I hope to show that more often this year.” — running back Ben Tate, who balks at his designation as the “power back” in Auburn’s backfield. He broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run Saturday night, part of a career-best 157-yard night.

BY THE NUMBERS

114: Rushing yards for Auburn’s Onterio McCalebb, the first freshman in school history to top 100 yards in his first two college games.

0: Times in its history Auburn has had two running backs each finish with more than 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games before McCalebb and Tate accomplished the feat Saturday.

49: Points the Tigers scored against Mississippi State on Saturday.

88: Points the Tigers scored in SEC play all of last season.

17: Straight games Auburn has won with Gene Chizik on the staff. The Tigers are 2-0 this year and won the final 15 games he served as defensive coordinator.

1970: The last time the Tigers finished with more than 500 yards of offense in back-to-back games.