Wednesday’s college bowl game previews

The Auburn-Memphis bowl game would seem to have no real intrigue in terms of the actual outcome of the game, but it might be college football fans’ last chance to see Paxton Lynch as a member of a college roster.

The fourth quarter proved to be a game changer for Auburn as the team downed Memphis 31-10 in the Birmingham Bowl Wednesday.

The Auburn defense, which was the main weakness for the Tigers all year, held the Memphis offense to only 206 total yards and no touchdowns for the first time this season.

It doesn’t help Auburn that starting quarterback Sean White has been trying to overcome a knee injury since October and is questionable to play.

Auburn wasted an early 10-0 lead thanks to a disastrous offensive stretch that included three interceptions on four drives.

The game took shape as the battle of the interims in Auburn interim defensive coordinator Lance Thompson got the best of Memphis interim offensive coordinator (and interim head coach) Darrell Dickey.

QB MISMATCH: Lynch had seven first-half touchdown passes against SMU in the regular-season finale and 28 on the season, against just three interceptions. Mixing in the passing game, Auburn quickly moved inside the Memphis 10-yard line once again.

The Memphis offense (510 yards per game) will face a disappointing Auburn squad, one that scuffled this season defensively.

And while the quarterback position is still a major question mark for Auburn (7-6) moving forward, the win is a nice way to move into the offseason. Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch actually became a dark-horse candidate thanks to a season for the Memphis record books. He threw the touchdown pass and then he comes back and scores the touchdown. The junior running back finished the day with 25 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown. Johnson performance was much better in the final stages of conference play when he offered opposing defenses just one interception in the final four games of the Tigers schedule. Malzahn announced the hiring of LSU defensive coordinator Kevin Steele after the game.

Worth Noting, Part 2: Daniel Carlson kicked his 23rd field goal, setting a single-season Auburn record. It gives us momentum for the future. In full, Auburn emerged with the 31-10 victory. Ball, for what it’s worth, is already a senior and Auburn was, obviously, the last game of his career. Memphis defensive end Ricky Hunter grew up in Auburn…. Mississippi State has outscored opponents 96-34 in the fourth quarter of games this season.

There are a number of reasons to believe that the Memphis Tigers will be the more motivated team. It was Gus Malzahn’s first bowl victory as a head coach. Auburn outgained Memphis, 197-91, in the first half but the turnovers stunted its success.