It was a story of defensive grit and offensive ineptness as Auburn dropped to No. 9 Texas A&M, 16-10, on Saturday in College Station.
The Tigers managed a mere 177 total yards of offense, failing to capitalize on a defensive effort that limited the Aggies to their lowest point total of the season by a significant margin. The same problems that surfaced in the loss last week to Oklahoma, including subpar quarterback and offensive line play, were evident again for Hugh Freeze's side.
It was a win that was there for the Tigers to take, but much like in previous matchups against ranked teams, Freeze's team came up short. Here are position grades for each unit following the loss to the Aggies.
Quarterback - D
It's become more and more apparent that Jackson Arnold might not be the answer at quarterback for Auburn after two games in which he held onto the ball too long, overthrew receivers and made some unwise decisions.
Running backs - Insufficient evidence
Jeremiah Cobb and Damari Alston combined for eight total carries. With an offense that is struggling with pass protection, that is inexcusable.
Wide receivers - C
Cam Coleman got just two touches, while Brandon Frazier had five. Say that again, and you can see why the passing game struggled. It was nice to see Eric Singleton Jr. back doing his thing.
Offensive line - F
There's no getting around this failing grade. If it wasn't a holding call, it was a false start by Jake Thornton's group. At times, when Auburn had a positive play and there was no flag, it seemed like a pipe dream.
Entire defense - A
The Tigers were able to pressure Marcel Reed, resulting in four sacks and six tackles for a loss. The linebackers played well, as did the secondary, which allowed just 207 pass yards. I don't usually put the entire defense in one group, but they weren't the problem on Saturday. They deserved better.
Special teams - B+
Surprisingly penalty-free and no mistakes outside of Alex McPherson's one missed field goal.
Coaching - C-
For DJ Durkin, it's an A. For Freeze and his entire offensive staff, it's an F.