Tigers of the Game from Auburn's 44-39 loss to Florida on Saturday

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Auburn football dropped its first SEC game on Saturday, but not from lack of trying.

The Tigers got off to a horrendous start, posting -3 yards of offense in the first quarter of their SEC opener with Florida before storming back to tie the Gators at 17-17 late in the first half. Auburn then fought back from multiple 17-point deficits in the second half by scoring two touchdowns over the final six minutes to ultimately lose to the visiting Gators, 44-39.

One of the players who refused to quit was linebacker Elijah Melendez, who led the team in tackles with 11, three for a loss. The loss is disappointing to Melendez, but he is ready to correct his mistakes and put this loss behind him.

"We're just gonna learn from our mistakes and just make corrections for sure," Melendez said postgame. "I'll have to look at the film to see what happened, and we will have meetings tomorrow and make corrections. We will really know more tomorrow."

Who else stood out on Saturday? Here is a look at which players caught the eyes of our Auburn Wire staff, as well as Auburn fans, on Saturday. Here are the "Tigers of the Game" from Auburn football's 44-39 loss to Florida in Week 3.

Taylor Jones: Elijah Melendez

Many players have stepped up this season, but the one constant has been Elijah Melendez. Melendez was once again Auburn's leading tackler, making 11 stops against Florida; 10 were solo tackles, and three were for a loss. Melendez, a three-star signee from high school, continues to make a case for being Auburn's defensive MVP this season.

Phillip Jordan: Keshaun Singleton

Singleton had his best game in an Auburn uniform on Saturday by hauling in seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. Singleton was Byrum Brown's top target last season at USF and is proving to be just as reliable in Auburn.

Jac Myrick: Wilson Zierer

Freshman Wilson Zierer got his first start on Saturday on the Tigers' offensive line. He has earned the respect of fellow lineman Cole Best, who said postgame that he is excited to see him grow as a college athlete.

Fan vote: Byrum Brown

Auburn fans have spoken, and their pick for "Tiger of the Game" is quarterback Byrum Brown. Brown received 45% of the vote, beating out teammates Chas Nimrod, Keshaun Singleton, and Elijah Melendez. To have a say in who wins next week's "Tiger of the Game" head over to Auburn Wire's X account following every game to cast your vote.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Tigers of the Game from Auburn's 44-39 loss to Florida on Saturday

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