ATLANTA – Jake Browning had two plays on the final drive against Auburn that summarized his hit-and-miss day against No. 9 Auburn on Saturday.

Trailing 21-16 with just over three minutes remaining, Browning corrected an earlier mistake throw that resulted in an interception and elected to scramble for 13 yards on 3rd and 11 inside Auburn territory.

What followed; an incompletion to wide receiver Aaron Fuller, a negative three yard run by Myles Gaskin, and consecutive sacks on third and fourth down to seal the loss for UW.

“We were moving the ball pretty well,” Browning said, when asked about the final drive after the game. “I think they kind of realized they couldn’t really cover us one-on-one at corner. So they started clouding and playing cover two, so started trying to hit some stuff over the middle.

“Got a couple big third downs. Kind of had too many negative plays. On the second to last one just got to throw the ball away to get an easier fourth down. But just trying to make too much happen I think.”

Browning started slow against the Tigers, completing just 3 of 9 pass attempts in the first quarter for 43 yards. He finished the game with 296 yards passing, one touchdown, one pick, and completed 18 of 32 attempts.

Breaking down the senior’s throws by quarter, Browning completed one less pass combined in the first and fourth quarter (six) than he did in the second quarter alone (seven). His 13-yard touchdown to redshirt junior wide receiver Quinten Pounds, a drive that took just four plays and only :40 seconds off the clock, also came in the second quarter just before halftime.

The score cut deficit to 15-13, and UW picked up where it left off to start the second half.

Neither team scored again until the fourth quarter. The Huskies took their first and only lead of the game on a 30-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Peyton Henry. With the 16-15 lead to start the fourth it meant UW couldn’t afford to make any mental errors the final 15 minutes.

“Auburn made some pretty good big chunk plays, and then our defense made them kick some field goals,” Petersen said. “We’re close. But that doesn’t count in a game like this.”

UW forced a three-and-out on the next Auburn drive, but so did the Tigers on the Huskies following series. With 9:49 remaining, Stidham guided his team down the field and two crucial throws before delivering the knockout blow.

Gus Malzahn said after the game that even though his team came away with the win in Atlanta, UW matched their reputation against Auburn and showed how good they can be.

“I was pleased. We ran the football, I think, for 147, threw for quite a few yards, too, against a very good defense” Malzahn said. “They were a top-10 defense last year, I think they had nine starters back, and they were as good as advertised.”

Huskies senior defensive lineman Jaylen Johnson agreed from the opposing angle.

“I think we’re both battling, and they just made some plays at the end. There wasn’t anything I could identify that they were better at than us,” Johnson said. “They just made some plays. I talked to those guys, and they came prepared. It was a great game from start to finish.”