Auburn also found a new quarterback.
Freshman quarterback Kodi Burns threw for a touchdown and scored on a 7-yard run in overtime to lead Auburn to a 23-20 victory over Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
After Mark Buchholz kicked a 25-yard field goal on Clemson’s opening possession of overtime, Burns scored on a spinning run on a third-and-3 play.
Auburn’s starting quarterback, Brandon Cox, ran for a first down on a fourth-and-1 play from the 16 to keep Auburn’s overtime possession alive.
Cullen Harper was only 12-for-29 passing for 91 yards as Clemson was held to 11 first downs and 276 yards in regulation.
Burns and Cox rotated at quarterback as Auburn played its first game in the spread offense installed by new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, who was hired after the regular season.
Burns threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Mario Fannin for his only completion of the game and had 13 carries for 69 yards, including the winning run.
No. 22 Auburn (9-4) denied No. 15 Clemson (9-4) its first 10-win season since 1990.
C.J. Spiller had eight carries for 112 yards for Clemson, including an 83-yard touchdown run, but Cullen Harper was only 14-of-33 passing for 104 yards. Clemson held Auburn to 12 first downs.
Spiller’s long run was the only offensive highlight of the first half for Clemson.
On a second-down play from the Clemson 17 early in the second quarter, Spiller appeared to be stopped at the line by Auburn’s Josh Thompson and Quentin Groves. But Spiller bounced out to his left, turned the corner and suddenly had open field down the Clemson sideline. Spiller stayed a step ahead of Auburn cornerback Jonathan Wilhite in the race to the end zone.
Auburn opened the second half with a 10-play, 78-yard touchdown drive. Burns ran for 12 yards on a third-and-2 play early in the drive, and he added a 5-yard run three plays later.
A 20-yard run by Spiller helped set up a 22-yard field goal by Mark Buchholz on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 10-10 tie.
The tie held until the first turnover of the game.
A pass by Cox was deflected by cornerback Crezdon Butler and intercepted by defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson at the Auburn 32.
Clemson took advantage. Harper passed to Aaron Kelly for 27 yards to the 4. Davis scored on a fourth-down plunge from the 1 to give Clemson a 17-10 lead.
The lead didn’t last long, as Auburn answered with a 70-yard touchdown drive, with Cox and Burns again alternating snaps. Cox ran for 8 yards on a third-and-6 play and passed to Robert Dunn for 18 yards on another third-down play. Burns ran for 15 yards to the 1, setting up a touchdown run by Ben Tate on the next play for a 17-17 tie with 8:27 left.
