Hugh Freeze said SEC wins don’t come easy, so he understood the magnitude of Auburn’s 27-13 win over Mississippi State on Saturday.

Shortly after the coach earned his first conference win of his Auburn career – and as soon as the on-field post-game interview was over – Freeze found his wife Jill and family for an embrace.

“They come to work every day,” Freeze said of his Tigers. Our first SEC win at Auburn. They don’t come easy in this league.”

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Payton Thorne passed for 230 yards and three first-half touchdowns, and Jarquez Hunter ran for a season-high 144 yards to lead Auburn to a 27-13 victory over Mississippi State. The Tigers snapped a four-game skid after racing to a 24-3 halftime lead, their biggest in an SEC game in four years. Thorne had his best game this season against an FBS team.

“It didn’t come easy in the second half, but I’m really proud of the way they prepared our coaches and players,” Freeze said. “Our fans are incredible. We have a huge home-field advantage here.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.