'You get tired of the silver linings': Auburn players reflect on 27-21 loss to Oklahoma

Auburn did a lot of good things against Oklahoma. The defense was good, the offense moved the ball and Payton Thorne had one of his best games in an Auburn jersey.

After a 27-21 loss, Thorne wasn't particularly interested in talking about the positives.

“After a while you get tired of the silver lining,” Thorne said. “You get tired of it after a while, it’s time to win and we didn’t do that today.”

Thorne's 338 passing yards were the most he has had since the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, when he was Michigan State's quarterback and Bryan Harsin was finishing his first season as Auburn's head coach.

For three quarters it was the best performance of his Auburn career, but most people only remember the pick-six he threw that gave Oklahoma the lead late in the fourth quarter.

“I thought we played well enough to win for the most part today,” Thorne said after the game. “Unhappy ending.”

When asked about his message to the team in the locker room, Thorne said he had nothing to say, adding that the players “didn't necessarily want to hear it so soon.”

Senior tight end and captain Luke Deal felt similarly about dealing with emotions in the immediate aftermath of such a loss.

“Honestly, it usually takes me a day,” Deal said when asked about dealing with tough losses. “It should mean something to you when you lose like that, a game you should win, a game you prepare so hard for. Your boys fight so hard it should hurt you afterwards. After one day, it’s time to turn things around and some of these young people need to understand that.”

For Auburn BUCK linebacker Jalen McLeod, the message he described was simple.

“We have to find a way to win. This is it,” McLeod said.

At the start of the fourth quarter, it looked like McLeod had made the game-winning play.

A relatively lifeless Oklahoma offense opted to go for it on fourth-and-10, but McLeod decisively stopped the attempt and sacked quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.

Unfortunately for Auburn, that wasn't the case and another largely impressive performance from the defense was wasted.

“It hurts because you’re out there fighting with your brothers,” defensive end Keldric Faulk said of the game. “It's only when the game gets in your way so quickly that it really puts a strain on you. really on the team.”

Auburn now leaves behind a five-game homestand that had hoped to remain undefeated at 2-3 and is limping into three straight road games against Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky.

“How we pick up the momentum is (Georgia) calling us their homecoming guys. So that’s enough motivation,” Faulk said. “We have to develop our own momentum throughout the week and then come Saturday they will get everything we have.”

Peter Rauterkus reports on Auburn Sports AL.com. You can follow him on X below @peter_rauterkus or send him an email at [email protected]M