Auburn blocked its first punt since 2021 in Saturday’s 21-15 victory over Vanderbilt — and it may have saved the game for the Tigers.
The Tigers scooped the loose ball and scored on the play, a crucial touchdown where the two teams ended the night separated by six points.
“It was a point in the game where, offensively, we couldn’t get it going,” said head coach Alex Golesh. “We needed the spark. That was absolutely huge.”
Omar Mabson got his hand on the punt, which sent the ball rolling in the direction of the student section. Cade Carlson spotted it, locked on immediately and executed what the Tigers’ special teams unit practices in those situations.
“Ball behind the line of scrimmage, so we're taught scoop and score,” Carlson said. “I just locked in on the ball, and just was able to pick it up and run in the end zone.”
For someone like Carlson, who began his Auburn career as a walk-on, crossing the goal line and scoring a touchdown was a dream come true.
“Such a surreal moment being able to score in that stadium, man,” Carlson said. “You just dream of things like that growing up playing football. Shout out to the fans, they pack it out every weekend. So it was really just a dream come true, so it was awesome. Super cool moment.”
Carlson then made his way back to the sideline, greeted by the rest of the team after putting Auburn up two scores.
“Just everybody screaming, yelling, and I kind of blacked out, honestly,” Carlson said. “I don't really remember much, but super cool moment.”
Carlson’s touchdown is a culmination of the work he’s put into the program, according to running back Jeremiah Cobb.
“He’s worked his butt off to be on just the field in any way,” Cobb said. “It’s awesome to see him go and finish that. It’s awesome to see Omar go out there and hustle and block that. That just shows you how much everybody wants to win, even on special teams.”
Special teams was critical for Auburn in its win. Not just via the blocked punt, but also by making the stop on a fake punt attempt earlier in the second quarter.
“Don’t underscore the stop of the fake as well,” Golesh said. “That was absolutely huge to get the ball at midfield. Both of those plays were absolutely huge. If you can block a punt, I don’t what the percentages are analytically but it’s somewhere over 80 percent that you’ve got a chance to win the game.”
Auburn won the game, and with it, ended a five-game home SEC losing streak.
The Tigers will next travel to Tennessee for their first road game of the season. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CST.
