Observations: South Carolina 21, Auburn 17

For the second straight week, Auburn started hot against a weaker team, faltered toward the middle and did not have an offensive answer late.

(Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics)

It happened again.

Auburn football was up by double-digits early against an SEC team that clearly didn’t have as much talent. And then, when the end of the second quarter turned, it felt like the Tigers were going to be held in check yet again for another frustrating loss.

They didn’t quit and still had a chance late to potentially get a game-winning touchdown drive, but a tough break on a special teams play killed off any chance of that.

The moral of the story, though? Don’t put the game in the hands of the referees when you had chances to avoid that.

“Disappointed with the result of the game, and certainly the finish of it,” Bryan Harsin said. “So, we had our opportunities as the game went on not to be in that position, with still hopefully a chance at the end of the game to be able to go score, put a drive together that can win it. We didn’t get that opportunity. It comes down to little things in the game and not putting ourselves in that position.”

Aubu…