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Paxton Lynch off the mark in Memphis' bowl loss to Auburn

If Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch played his final college game on Wednesday, it certainly didn't play out the way he had envisioned it.



Memphis fell to Auburn, 31-10, in the Birmingham Bowl and Lynch struggled to get anything going, completing 17 of 37 passes for 108 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Lynch, a junior, has not yet revealed whether he will apply for early entry into the 2016 NFL Draft. After the game, Lynch said he would discuss his impending draft decision with his family and coaches before making a final call. Underclassmen have until a Jan. 18 deadline to apply for early draft entry.

Former Oakland Raiders scout Bruce Kebric recently said Lynch is his top-rated QB prospect in college football, ahead of Cal's Jared Goff, whom Kebric views as a top-five pick. Goff was dominant on Tuesday, throwing 6 touchdown passes in a win over Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl. He, too, has yet to announce his intentions for 2016.



Lynch threw for a school-record 3,778 yards and 28 touchdowns this season, including the 384 yards and 3 TDs he threw for in a 37-24 win over Ole Miss on Oct. 17. Scouts will likely take a closer look at the Ole Miss and Auburn games, in which Lynch faced highly respected Power Five competition, than the others when they review his tape from the 2015 season, and they'll find a mixed bag.

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