Auburn vs. San Jose St. (chat)

The Tigers are taking on San Jose State at home inside Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, and early on in this one, San Jose State got a score on that awful Auburn defense.

Keep it simple stupid. This time the Tigers put it in Barber’s hands. After the game, Malzahn came up with a new definition of what his “balanced” offense can be identified by. “Much needed”, Malzahn said. Auburn’s average starting position was around midfield. The sophomore once again proved him correct with another career performance.

Barber is satisfied with reaching the end zone five times this game.

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. The Tigers’ workhorse ran for most of his 147 yards in the second half and came up one TD shy of Carnell Williams’ school single-game record for rushing touchdowns set against Mississippi State in 2003. They’d failed to score a touchdown in last week’s loss to Mississippi State, but Barber emphatically ended that drought.

Barber rushed for five touchdowns, including a decisive 36-yarder, and Auburn beat San Jose State 35-21 Saturday to snap a two-game losing streak.

“Our focus is on us getting better and us getting a victory, and that’s what we’re focused on”, Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said.

“We do what we have to do to win, and that’s just the way it was today”, he said. We had a few short fields that had something to do with that, too. “I felt that the keys to the game were that the defense forced four turnovers and gave the offense a few short fields”.

Auburn quarterback Sean White (13) catches the ball before an NCAA college football game against San Jose State, Saturday, October 3, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. The Spartans finished with 406 yards.

By that time, thousands of Auburn fans had already hit the exits.

“There were a few critical errors that really cost us in this game that were tough”, said head coach Ron Caragher.

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.