AUBURN — Auburn football fans will never forget where they were during last weekend's game-sealing pick-six to Oklahoma. Quarterback Payton Thorne threw the game's only interception in the final minutes, making Tigers fans question the decision going into that play.

Thorne addressed the media Tuesday afternoon, giving the step-by-step of what he saw before the 60-yard interception returned for a go-ahead score in a defeat that dropped Auburn to 2-3, 0-2 SEC.

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Thorne said Oklahoma brought pressure. The plan was a "quick, intermediate route" off a linebacker read.

"So, I look at the linebacker, I see him coming, go to find our choice route, he wins inside, I throw it to him," Thorne said. "My eyes can't go in two different directions. And so, when I checked to see that he was coming, I have to slide now to the left and I got to get that ball off and I throw it.

"Got hit, and I heard the crowd and so I was like, crap: I don't know what happened and obviously he had done a really good job. They had a good call and it was well-executed by those guys. I look back on the play, and I did what my plan was and what we had talked about in the week."

Thorne completed 66% of his passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns in his third start of 2024. After dealing with being benched earlier this season, Thorne talked about adapting to the different circumstances this year and turning the page to the midway point of the season.

"Obviously, you try to stay as consistent as you can with your preparation and your mindset, but that's not realistic all the time," Thorne said. "When you're in different situations, you're going to have different feelings and different emotions throughout that time, so I dealt with those things.

"But I did my best to learn from whatever situation it was. ... Like I said, I feel like I took a good mindset, tried my best to take a good mindset with it and take what I can learn from it. So, I feel good right now."

He added there is motivation going into a matchup with No. 5 Georgia in Athens, a place the where Tigers have not won since 2005. Thorne had 82 yards through the air and 92 rushing yards in last year's 27-20 defeat to the Bulldogs.

"I remember that game last year here at our place ... we had a chance in the fourth quarter," he said. "Unfortunately, wasn't able to come out on top. But they're a great team, a championship team who's done it before and have a lot of respect for them."

The Auburn-Georgia matchup is set for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Sanford Stadium.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football: Payton Thorne talks crucial pick-six against Oklahoma