Auburn Players Reflect on Electric Field Storming After Quadruple-Overtime Win Over Texas A&M
They finally did it.
When Marcel Reed’s pass slipped through Amari Daniels’ hands in quadruple overtime, sealing Auburn’s thrilling 43-41 victory over Texas A&M, the eruption at Jordan-Hare Stadium was seismic. Thousands of fans flooded the field, unleashing years of pent-up celebration in a moment of sheer euphoria.
It was Auburn's first field storming since the unforgettable 2019 Iron Bowl victory over Alabama and marked the program’s first ranked win since a 31-20 triumph over No. 10 Ole Miss in 2021. For the seniors, it was a storybook ending to their home careers, and for many younger players, their first taste of such a spectacle.
“That was the first time I got to experience that,” quarterback Payton Thorne said. “Last year, we were one play away from probably a field storming, so that was tough. To finish this one the right way, it’s something to look back on when you’re stinking 90 years old.”
Thorne was instrumental in the victory, orchestrating a 15-play, 74-yard drive to set up a game-tying field goal that pushed the game into overtime. He finished with 301 passing yards and two touchdowns, cementing his legacy in Auburn lore.
For senior running back Jarquez Hunter, the win was even sweeter as it capped off his entire career at Auburn. Hunter delivered an outstanding performance, rushing for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
“I was hoping we’d win so I could get my first experience of rushing the field,” Hunter said. “It was such an exciting experience with all the fans cheering us on.”
Senior Buck linebacker Jalen McLeod, who was on the field for the game’s final play, admitted feeling a moment of panic during the chaotic aftermath. “He dropped it, and I was like, ‘Oh man,’” McLeod recalled. “So I went to the sideline and started talking trash. That was the first instance.”
Freshman wide receiver Cam Coleman described the moment as a surreal introduction to the heights of college football. Coleman, who set a new season high with 128 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns, was in awe of the celebration.
“Before you know it, I looked around and we’re getting swarmed,” Coleman said. “I see Dre getting tossed up in the air, and I’m like, ‘Man, this is crazy. This is college right here.’”
The victory not only ended Auburn’s home schedule on a high note but also served as a symbol of resilience for a program seeking to reestablish its prominence. It was a night Auburn fans and players alike will cherish for years to come.
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