Auburn vs. California Week 2 result

The Auburn vs. California game from week 2 turned out to be a tightly-fought contest. It was the first time that the Auburn Tigers played the California Golden Bears in the history of college football.

Both Auburn and California recorded wins in their season openers for 2023. The Tigers defeated UMass with a comfortable 59-14 scoreline. On the other hand, the California Golden Bears also recorded a win by defeating North Texas 21-58.

In the Auburn vs. California game, both the defenses dominated throughout. Neither team was able to establish dominance early on, and both teams were being patient, staking each other out.

The Auburn Tigers were the favorites heading into the game, but the team's offense remained pretty dull throughout the night. They could only record six first downs in the first three-quarters of the game.

In the fourth quarter, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne found Rivaldo Fairweather with a 28-yard pass after converting a 3rd and 17 from a 69-yard drive. That is when the team capitalized on this lead, and the game ended with Auburn securing the victory with a final scoreline of 14-10.

The California Golden Bears had one chance to make a comeback when Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter fumbled with just four minutes left to play. California eventually succumbed to a holding penalty. Subsequently, their quarterback Sam Jackson V threw an interception at the end-zone on the 4 and 13, after which the Auburn Tigers ran down the remaining 1 minute 44 seconds of the game.

While it may not have been the best night for both teams' offenses, Auburn came out at the top as the team that made fewer mistakes. Payton Thorne and Sam Jackson V did not enjoy much success, but Thorne went on to make the game-changing pass to lead his team to a 2-0 record in their 2023 campaign.

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The Auburn Tigers need to tune up their offensive line for the next game

The Tigers emerged victorious because of their resilient defense and that one game-changing moment on account of Payton Thorne. However, the game also revealed that their offensive line can have off-days like this one, and they cannot really afford that.

While going up against stronger rivals, the Auburn Tigers will have an even more difficult time if coach Hugh Freeze does not address this issue on an immediate basis. Both Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford are capable quarterbacks, but they will have to continue to work on syncing up with their teammates.

The Auburn Tigers have their next game against the Samford Bulldogs at home.