Auburn football’s win over Vanderbilt on Saturday may not have happened without a key special teams play.
Auburn’s Omar Mabson blocked a punt from Vanderbilt’s Tyler Ebel in the 2nd quarter of Auburn’s 21-15 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Cade Carlson recovered the blocked punt at the Vanderbilt 10-yard line and waltzed into the end zone to extend Auburn’s lead to 14-3 with 8:56 to go until halftime.
The “scoop and score” turned out to mean much more to the Tigers as Vanderbilt went on to outscore Auburn 12-7 after the mishap. Carlson broke down the play and shared his thoughts on the score following the game.
“Omar (Mabson) came through; he made the play. All credit to him, man. He just, he put the ball in the right spot, and I just happened to be there,” Carlson said Saturday. “But such a surreal moment being able to score in that stadium, and you just dream of things like that growing up playing football.”
Plays like the one Mabson and Carlson made on Saturday are unique and rare, but Carlson says that the execution is the by-product of solid preparation. Carlson credits his coaches for giving him the confidence to make such a special play.
“We came into the game being confident. We knew we were going to make some big plays in that unit, whether it be, you know, in the return game or blocking it. And then they came out in the look we wanted. And we went out there; it was great execution,” Carlson said.
The block and score was one of three crucial special teams plays that worked in Auburn’s favor on Saturday. One possession before the score, Ebel’s fake punt pass fell incomplete, and Vanderbilt kicker Brock Taylor missed a 48-yard field goal attempt in the final minute of the first half.
Vanderbilt had several chances to beat the home-standing Tigers on Saturday, but several special teams wins played a factor in the outcome.
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