How quarterback Sean White saved Auburn's season and playoff hopes in win over Vandy

Published Nov. 15, 2016 3:16 p.m. ET

Aaron Torres

Only time will tell what the 2016 season ultimately holds for the Auburn Tigers. We’ll find out soon whether their next two games can set up a potential winner-takes-the-SEC-West Iron Bowl with Alabama, or if they can somehow shock the Tide and win the SEC West. Maybe even make the playoff.

But if the Tigers do any of that, if they win the division or the conference or make it to the playoff, they can look back on Saturday’s 23-16 win over Vanderbilt as the turning point. And they can thank one player above all others for making it happen.

That player is Sean White, and frankly, there’s no other way to put it: The sophomore quarterback saved Auburn’s season on Saturday. Without him, a loss to Vandy seemed imminent, and the Tigers would have been playing for nothing more than bowl positioning for the final three games of the season. Instead, they won. And now division, conference and yes, even national titles are still in play for the Tigers.

For those who didn't see the start of the game, White began on the bench with an undisclosed injury and Vanderbilt – a solid team that is better than their 4-5 record would indicate – played their best half of football this season. The 'Dores put up enough offense to take a lead (and left more points on the field with a couple miscues), and on defense, stuffed the box and forced back-up Jonathan Franklin III – a gifted runner but limited passer – to beat them with his arm. Through one half, the plan worked to perfection. The Tigers had nine total yards passing, and Vanderbilt had a 13-10 lead.

But then, like some awful sports movie, White emerged from the tunnel, stepped into the huddle, and Auburn was a completely different team. He led them on a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive on their first possession of the second half, completing 5-5 passes and tossing a touchdown to Darius Slayton to give Auburn a 17-13 lead.

From there he stayed in and did enough to get them in field goal range twice, which resulted in the 23-16 final. Others certainly deserve credit for the win; Kamryn Pettway tallied 173 yards on the ground, becoming the first Auburn back since Bo Jackson to rush for over 150 yards four straight games. And the defense limited Vanderbilt to just one second half field goal.

But the game was mainly about White, who saved the season with his arm and now entering the final three games of the year, Auburn has SO much to play for.

Assuming they can get by hated rival Georgia next week (and FCS school Alabama A&M the week after), it will set up another Iron Bowl with insanely high stakes. If Alabama beats LSU tonight (or Mississippi State next week), it would mean that the battle between Auburn and Alabama would again have winner-takes-the-West stakes, no different than when these two teams got together in 2013. That game ended in the famous “Kick Six” play, and let’s be honest, with the history between these two schools, would anybody be surprised if -- with so much on the line -- something crazy happened again?

Obviously it’s way too early to start projecting that game but let’s remember that Auburn could be entering it as the proverbial “red-hot team no one wants to play” in the midst of a seven-game win streak since starting the year 1-2. They have also given Alabama fits in the past. They beat the Tide in 2013 and put up over 600 yards in a near-upset in 2014 as well.

Auburn isn’t afraid of Alabama and that could make for an extra-juicy matchup between the two schools this season.

We’ll find out soon enough exactly what the stakes are.

But if those two teams are playing for an SEC West title in the final week of the season, they can point back to Saturday’s win.

And thank Sean White for getting them there.