Barber’s 5 TDs lifts Auburn past San Jose State, 35-21

Quarterback Joe Gray completed 21 of 33 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown for San Jose State while running for a score, but also tossed two interceptions. The Tigers punched in the first of five touchdowns by running back Peyton Barber on the day soon after, putting San Jose State in a hole they weren’t able to climb out of. The Tigers returned a pair of kickoffs deep into San Jose State territory, giving their struggling offense a shorter distance to work with.

Auburn fumbled four times but the offense recovered every one, and had an average starting field position of its own 47.

“We do what we have to do to win”, Malzahn said in a matter-of-fact manner after the game.

“He’s a beast”, Auburn quarterback Sean White said. The onside kick failed and Barber scampered for touchdown No. 5 after four short ones.

Barber, a player who was buried as the third-string option leading up to the season opener against Louisville in the Georgia Dome a month ago, eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the fourth game this season.

“This is something that I’ve been waiting on”, said Barber. So when San Jose State scored on Saturday to tie the game 7-7, Tigers fans obviously decided the extra point ball needed to be removed from play.

The Spartans do have the benefit, as coach Ron Caragher said, of having “been there, done that” at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

San Jose State outgained Auburn in total yards 406-342, but the Spartans were eventually ground down behind a flurry of turnovers and a relentless Tiger running attack spearheaded by Barber’s 147 yards and five scores. One week after going for 300 rushing yards against Fresno State, Ervin would finish with 160 yards Saturday. Gray found Tyler Winston right inside the pylon for the 18-yard score. But the Spartans coughed the ball up four times, three coming in the first half, and the mistakes were too much to overcome.

Auburn will now have 11 days to prepare for its return to SEC play as they travel to Kentucky for a Thursday night matchup on ESPN on October 15.