Big bad Bert. Curly Bert. Automatic Auburn. Whatever nickname you give him, junior kicker Bert Auburn outshined all of the seniors on senior night.
Auburn showed up to the game against Texas Tech in a Christmas suit. He set a new career high with five kicks made and set two school records.
“Me and Ryan Sanborn, we’re thinking, you know, it’s senior night, it’s the day after Thanksgiving, so we kind of figured that starts Christmas,” Auburn said. “We went on Amazon for Christmas suits and we both got ours for like 50 bucks.”
In Texas’ final Big 12 home game before it moves to the Southeastern Conference, one player had a historic night. With his first field goal, Auburn tied the school record for most consecutive field goals and field goals made in a season.
With his second kick of the night, he broke both records. The previous record for most consecutive field goals was 15. He broke the record with his 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th field goals made.
“It’s crazy just to look back on,” Auburn said. “You look at all the records and to see your name up there with some of the greatest to ever do it is so unreal.”
His second record was for field goals made in a single season, with the previous being 24. Auburn now has 28. He also broke the record for most points scored in a game with 18, finishing the game with 24 points.
“Phenomenal,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Five for five on field goals. I mean, the guy’s hit 19 in a row. He’s got ice in his veins.”
Throughout the season, Sarkisian has emphasized the importance of winning in versatile ways. Texas’ special teams unit dominated against Texas Tech in all three phases of the game: kicking, returning and defense.
“I thought our special teams was lights out tonight,” Sarkisian said. “That punt unit that (Tech has) I think only had 39 return yards. We were able to block a punt and create some explosive returns. Obviously, we got the big kick return from Keilan Robinson to really spark us to start the second half.”
In the second quarter, sophomore defensive back Michael Taaffe blocked a punt that set up Auburn’s second field goal of the night. Taaffe has shined this season on defense and special teams with three interceptions and two blocked punts.
To start the second half, senior running back Keilan Robinson returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. On senior night, Robinson scored his first two touchdowns of the season. Robinson transferred to Texas from Alabama when Sarkisian was named the head coach.
“It was a really cool moment that I got to have with him on the field when they announced him,” Sarkisian said. “And then for him to have that return. It was like wow, talk about like a storybook ending. Transferring schools, coming in, waiting his turn. To have a couple touchdowns tonight in his last game at DKR means a lot to me because I know how much he meant to me, especially in year one.”
Texas’s special team dominance led to offensive dominance with Texas starting at an average field position of midfield. Sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers finished the game with 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Robinson was not the only senior to score on senior day, as linebacker Jett Bush put Texas up 50-7, snagging a pick six off a Texas Tech wide receiver’s foot.
At the end of the third quarter, freshman quarterback Arch Manning made his debut. Manning completed one pass for 17 yards and ran for 17 yards and led Texas on one touchdown drive, with freshman running back Tre Wisner scoring the game’s final touchdown.
With the win, Texas improved to 11-1, 8-1 in conference play and clinched its spot in the Big 12 Championship game.
