In his first game as Auburn’s interim head football coach, D. J. Durkin led the Tigers to a one-score loss to Vanderbilt in overtime. While the result was a promising start to his tenure, the former defensive coordinator is not satisfied with it.
Durkin recognizes the progress his team showed but knows Auburn football fans do not tune in to watch close losses. “This is Auburn, we didn’t come here to make the game close or fight to the end,” Durkin said after the game. “We came here to win championships, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re building a program to win championships.”
The 47-year-old coach also praised his team’s character. “There is some character in that room. These guys, every coach in the country is calling this team, trying to drag them into the portal going other directions, and those guys, they stuck together for one another.
“No moral victories; we’re not happy about it. We’re gonna win these games, though. You gotta take steps, and that’s what we’re going to do. But these guys competed; they competed for one another. They fought to the end, and the other team just made more plays than we did. Credit to them.”
This game marked Durkin’s first as a head coach since his unceremonious release from Maryland in 2018. His overall head coaching record now stands at 11-16, including his two interim stints.
Despite the overtime loss, Auburn managed to put up 38 points—their most since scoring 42 against Ball State in Week 2. Much of the Tigers’ offensive success came through quarterback Ashton Daniels, who threw for a season-high 353 passing yards, the most of any Auburn quarterback in 2025.
Still, the loss was Auburn’s second consecutive defeat and their sixth loss in the last seven games. The Tigers fell to 4-6 overall and 1-6 in SEC play, marking their second overtime loss within the conference this season.
Auburn now has a bye in Week 12 before returning to the field for its final two games of the 2025 college football season. The Tigers will face Mercer in Week 13, then close out the year hosting Alabama in the annual Iron Bowl.
https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/auburn-football-news-dj-durkin-hopeful-message-war-eagle-nation-loss-vanderbilt
