aubiefifty

man i wanted ol nap so bad and now i am so glad we did not get him. i think the sun shined on us the day we turned him down.

al.com NCAA investigating Florida Gators football Updated: Jan. 19, 2024, 5:17 p.m.|Published: Jan. 19, 2024, 4:34 p.m. 2–3 minutes Florida head coach Billy Napier, right, talks with quarterback Graham Mertz during a timeout in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)AP The Tampa Bay Times is reporting the NCAA is investigating the Florida Gators football program. The NCAA investigation involves the recruitment of quarterback Jaden Rashada, Brett McMurphy reports. Rashada signed with Florida but was released from his letter of intent and is at Arizona State. The investigation has been ongoing since the summer, perhaps longer. According to the report, on June 9, the NCAA sent Florida President Ben Sasse a notice of inquiry. It took nearly three months for The Tampa Bay Times’ request for the letter to be honored after, per The Times, the news outlets legal counsel got involved. “We have been and will continue to cooperate with the NCAA,” Gators spokesperson Steve McClain said, per The Times. “We hold ourselves to high standards of excellence and integrity on and off the field. Because we follow NCAA policies about maintaining confidentiality, we are unable to offer additional comments.” The NCAA hit the Gators with one year of probation in 2020 for recruiting violations under then-coach Dan Mullen. Check out the full report 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link

auburnwire.usatoday.com Derrick Brown named to 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Brian Hauch ~2 minutes Former Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown has been named to the 2024 Pro Bowl games as a replacement for Aaron Donald. Brown is coming off his best season as a professional for the Carolina Panthers, shining as a bright spot for an otherwise rough season in Charlotte. The 25-year-old set the record for tackles by a defensive tackle in 2023, recording 103 total tackles en route to breaking Christian Wilkins’ 2022 record of 98 tackles. While the record was certainly aided by the extra regular season game, Brown’s dominance shouldn’t be understated. Auburn’s former captain is set to join New York Giants tackle Dexter Lawrence and San Francisco 49ers tackle Javon Hargrave, as the three interior defensive linemen on Eli Manning’s NFC Pro Bowl roster. Hargrave would join Aaron Donald as an opt-out if his 49ers make it to the Super Bowl. Brown is the first Auburn alumni to receive a Pro Bowl invite since long snapper Josh Harris played for the NFC in 2022. The former first-round pick is the first defensive player from Auburn to make the All-Star game since Dee Ford in 2019. The Pro Bowl games kick off in Orlando, Florida on February 1 and continue throughout the week, ending on February 4 with a “Flag Football Showdown.” We’ll see if Brown can help the NFC take home the crown for the second year in a row. 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 Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Auburn Football Auburn Likely to Struggle in 2024 😬 SEC Part I: Auburn, Texas A&M 3 of 6 Auburn QB Payton ThorneCarly Mackler/Getty Images Auburn's first season under head coach Hugh Freeze didn't move the needle much. The Tigers finished 6-7, including losses to every ranked team they faced in Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama. There was also the 31-10 home loss to New Mexico State, giving the Aggies a first-ever win over an SEC team. Capped off with a 31-13 loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl, it was an underwhelming start to the Freeze era. Texas A&M didn't have a losing season, finishing 7-6, but it decided to move on from Jimbo Fisher after all, even with his monstrous $76 million buyout. Now, the Aggies start a new era under Mike Elko, who spent the last two seasons at Duke. Why to be optimistic for Auburn in 2024: Barring any changes between now and National Signing Day, the Tigers look on track to sign a Top-10 recruiting class for the first time since 2020. 5-star wide receivers Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson could see playing time immediately, and starting quarterback Payton Thorne returns. Why not to be: Backup quarterback Robby Ashford has committed to South Carolina. Thorne's 16:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio needs to improve if Auburn wants to finish above .500 next year. Plus, its road schedule looks particularly tough, including games at Georgia, Missouri, Kentucky and Alabama. Why to be optimistic for Texas A&M in 2024: The Mike Elko effect. He led the Blue Devils to a first-ever nine-win season in school history in 2022. Don't be surprised if he exceeds expectations at College Station in Year One, especially with his current No. 1-ranked transfer portal class. He also has familiarity with TAMU after his time as the Aggies' defensive coordinator from 2018-21. Why not to be: It's hard for most coaches to win big in the SEC, especially in their first season in the conference.

si.com Five-Star Quarterback Sets Visit With Auburn Tigers Lance Dawe ~2 minutes Auburn is in contention to land one of the nation's best quarterbacks. In this story: Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are set to host one of the nation's best quarterbacks. Auburn has been on the rise in the recruiting rankings ever since head coach Hugh Freeze took over the program in 2022. The Tigers currently have the No. 8 class in the 2024 cycle and the No. 4 class for 2025. For the first time in five years, Freeze brought a 5-star prospect to Auburn. He actually brough two - receivers Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson form an insane duo at the top of Auburn's 2024 cycle. Now, they're going to have a chance with another 5-star, this time for the 2025 class. Julian Lewis, the nation's No. 2 quarterback, has set an official visit with Auburn, per On3. Lewis, the No. 9 prospect nationally, comes from Carrollton High School (GA) and just recently reclassified from the 2026 class to 2025. “Since I was 7 years old one of my goals has been to play D1 football," Lewis told On3. "Through hard work and sacrifice that goal has become a reality. I have been blessed to have 2 good seasons under Coach Joey King and I have confidence that after this coming season I will be ready to compete at the next level. So after praying and talking with my family, coaches and trainers I will be reclassifying to the class of 2025.” Lewis will be visiting Auburn on January 20th before taking visits to Colorado on January 27th and Georgia on February 3rd. He is currently committed to Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans. The Tigers are bringing in 4-star quarterback Walker White from their 2024 recruiting class. Landing Lewis would make for an extremely loaded QB room heading into 2025.

247sports.com Jason Caldwells Friday Auburn mailbag column Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes Talking Auburn football, Auburn basketball, Auburn baseball and more. Never4ua: Jason, as a 20+ year ITAT member, I honestly can't remember a time when you weren't here with us doing a great job. You've been a rock around here for so long. How did you originally get started with ITAT? Also do you get to see and talk to Mark fairly regularly still these days? I was living in Tampa and came back to Auburn and started working with another site (Alliance Sports) doing recruiting. We started working with ITAT and that’s when I started working for Mark. I had been getting the magazine since the initial issue, so it was something I had been preparing for but just didn’t know it. Couldn’t have had a better mentor in the business and I’m thankful everyday for what he taught me. We still talk about once a week and they are doing great. AUtigeritaville: With Derrick Nix as WR coach and OC, Austin Kent as the QB coach, and presumably Coach Freeze calling plays on gameday, i cannot help but get "Nallsminger" vibes and re-live the dysfunction of 2003. What do you think are the key differences of that year and what we may get this year that could alleviate my anxiety? In 2003 you had two coaches that were asked to run someone else’s offense. It’s an entirely different situation than what Auburn has now, not even in the same world. Hugh Nall and Steve Ensminger were asked to keep running Bobby Petrino’s offense. This is Hugh Freeze’s offense and one that Nix and Kent Austin have both already worked with him together at Ole Miss. Completely different scenario. To read this full article and more, subscribe now — SALE: 60% off first year Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer. Join at 60% off Annual Already a subscriber? Login Scouting reports: What Auburn's gained in the transfer portal so far Auburn's picked up nine players in the portal after the first transfer window Auburn certainly didn't need to hit the portal as hard this season as it did in the whirlwind after Hugh Freeze took over last year, but the Tigers still hope they've added a few impact players from the transfer ranks over the past few weeks. As the Tigers move through winter workouts this month before spring practice a couple months out, they've landed nine transfers so far, addressing a number of roster needs. To provide an expert's insight on all nine players, each 247Sports site that previously covered Auburn's new transfers offered a scouting report. Let's take a look at what Auburn has gained in the portal thus far — and what areas the Tigers may need to address after spring practice. There's still the caveat that players who dealt with a recent coaching change — Alabama, Washington, Arizona, San Jose State, and potentially Michigan if Jim Harbaugh heads to the NFL — will have the portal open for 30 days after their respective coach leaves. Of course, those transfers would be eligible to participate in spring practices, but Auburn, or any other program, could get them on board at any point. While Auburn began its spring semester Jan. 10, the last day to add classes was Wednesday, so Auburn was able to get all nine transfers processed before that date, and they will be eligible to go through spring practice. To read this full article and more, subscribe now — SALE: 60% off first year Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer. Join at 60% off Annual Already a subscriber? Login

How Auburn basketball is preparing for the return of Allen, Wes Flanigan Published: Jan. 20, 2024, 6:02 a.m. 5–6 minutes Allen Flanigan (22) during the game between the South Florida Bulls and the Auburn Tigers at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL on Friday, Nov 11, 2022. Zach Bland/Auburn TigersZach Bland/Auburn Tigers Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl isn’t sure how students are going to react when two former Tigers return to Neville Arena on Saturday night. His urge to the crowd: remember that Allen and Wes Flanigan are both Auburn graduates, and Auburn men. “Well the biggest thing that I’ve said, and it’s really the only thing I’ve said about it, is just that I hope that our students remember that those guys both graduated from Auburn,” Pearl said during a Friday press conference. “They’re both Auburn men, and to take that into consideration. Because I’d rather have them treated as Auburn men — and opponents — than any animosity about the transfer.” No. 13 Auburn will host No. 22 Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. It will be the first time the Flanigan father and son duo return to their alma mater since leaving last offseason. Wes Flanigan was hired to join new Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard’s staff last April. Flanigan had previously been a Beard assistant, but had been on Pearl’s staff since 2018. Allen Flanigan followed soon after. “It wasn’t as difficult as you would think,” Flanigan said of his transfer at SEC basketball media days in October. “At Ole Miss, I’m closer to home. It’s two hours to the house in Little Rock. At Auburn, it was 8 hours. So I was farther away from a lot of people that I miss and love dearly in my family back home. I’m even closer.” As a player at Auburn in the 1990s, Wes Flanigan scored more than 1,000 points. Allen Flanigan averaged double-digit points per game for a season twice during his four years at Auburn. Now at Ole Miss still playing for his father, Allen Flanigan is off to the best season of his career. He is averaging 16.5 points per game on an Ole Miss team that has been one of the biggest surprises in the country this season. Saturday’s matchup will be the first time Auburn and Ole Miss will ever play while both being ranked in the top 25. “Wes Flanigan is a huge, huge addition to our staff,” Beard said during his press conference at SEC basketball media days. “Before I start talking about basketball, he’s one of my best friends in life. What we built together and experienced at Little Rock was special. Our friendship, pulling for him in Auburn with Coach Pearl, Wes has been a dear friend.” How much bad blood lingers from the departures may be evident in concise press conference answers from Pearl containing several long pauses to collect his thoughts. He had praise for the improvement Allen Flanigan has made this season and noted how a rule change in how officials call block versus charge fouls have been benefitted his former guard’s game. Some of Allen Flanigan’s former Auburn teammates have kept in touch with him since he left. “We usually keep basketball out of it for the most part,” Auburn forward Chris Moore said. “We’re more of a family and brotherhood and friends than just opponents. We joke around from time to time, but for the most part it’s just brotherly love conversations.” Moore said he and Allen Flanigan have known each other since they were kids, both growing up in Arkansas. He is one of the few Auburn players to have been Flanigan’s opponent before. Forward Chaney Johnson played against Flanigan and Auburn last year as a member of the Alabama-Huntsville team. Both Moore and forward Jaylin Williams expect the game to be chippy. That’s the nature of facing your former coach and former teammate. But at least publicly, Auburn players haven’t expressed any ill will. “It’ll be good to see Al,” Williams said. “I haven’t seen him and Coach Flan in a while. Coach Flan is one of the ones that really helped me to get here to Auburn. So I’m thankful for him to give the opportunity to coach me here. But it’ll be fun. A little chippy. A little talk. But at the end of the day, that’s still my brother and that’s how it’s going to be.” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

i hope you folks are warm. i feel like a dang popsicle.

Derrick Nix named new Auburn OC, running backs coach Nix was on all five of Freeze’s assistant staffs at Ole Miss Hugh Freeze has checked off a couple offensive coaching needs with an old friend from his Ole Miss days and a familiar name in the State of Alabama with Derrick Nix expected to be named as Auburn's new offensive coordinator, Auburn Undercover was informed Wednesday morning. Nix will also coach running backs, which became a vacancy for the Tigers when Cadillac Williams stepped down from the staff last Thursday. “I’m really excited to reunite with Derrick here at Auburn,” Freeze said. “He is an outstanding recruiter and coach who has nearly two decades of experience in the Southeastern Conference. Derrick knows the level of excellence required to be successful in this league and I know he’s looking forward to the opportunity to help develop a winning program at Auburn.” The Ole Miss wide receivers coach was considered by Freeze as an offensive coordinator candidate last year and is now set to join Auburn's offensive staff for the 2024 season. Nix was on all five of Freeze’s assistant staffs with the Rebels, serving as running backs coach. He’s been on staff at Ole Miss since 2008 and has obviously helped contribute to a number of prolific offensive seasons, both under Freeze and Lane Kiffin. Nix coached running backs for the Rebels from 2008-19 and wide receivers since 2020. He added assistant head coach to his title in 2022. “I’m very excited for this opportunity at Auburn and to get back on staff with Coach Freeze,” Nix said. “Having worked with him before, I have a strong understanding of what he wants offensively as well as culture wise. Fundamentally, we want to be a fast, physical and fearless offensive scoring unit. I’m also looking forward to rejoining Coach Austin after working with him at Ole Miss for two years. Growing up in the state of Alabama, I understand what Auburn is about. I have vivid memories as a kid following the likes of Bo Jackson, Stan White and the undefeated team in 1993. I’m excited to be a part of the rich tradition of Auburn football and can’t wait to get started.” The Alabama native grew up in Atalla and was a standout running back at Etowah High School and played in the same backfield as Williams for one season. Nix went on to play running back at Southern Miss, then spent time at his alma mater as an assistant, followed by one year in a quality control role with the Atlanta Falcons before being hired at Ole Miss in 2008. In addition to Nix joining the staff, Auburn is also expected to make another move with Kent Austin coaching the quarterbacks for the Tigers after he served as a "special assistant to the head coach" this past season in an off-the-field role for Auburn's offense. Austin has been on staff under Freeze since 2019, when he was hired as Liberty’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He then came with Freeze to Auburn as a special assistant to the head coach, serving as an assistant QB coach to Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, who was fired earlier this month. A standout quarterback at Ole Miss in the early 1980's before a long career in the CFL, Austin has coached in Canada as both a coordinator and a head coach. He's also spent time as the OC at Ole Miss and the head coach at Cornell from 2010-2012. Freeze fired offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery earlier this month after one season. The second-year Auburn head coach is expected to call his own plays in 2024.

Evaluating new Auburn OC RBs coach Derrick Nix as a recruiter Christian Clemente 7–8 minutes Taking a look at some of Derrick Nix's biggest recruiting wins. Auburn has its new offensive coordinator, with Derrick Nix making the jump from Ole Miss. Serving as the running backs coach and most recently the wide receivers coach for the Rebels, Nix is expected to serve as Auburn's running backs coach along with his title as offensive coordinator. Nix also arrives as an important recruiter for the Auburn staff. Originally from Atallia, Alabama, Nix has made his money in the state of Mississippi as a recruiter. He played college football at Southern Miss. Most of his recruiting wins have come in the Magnolia State, a place where Hugh Freeze and his staff have already tried to tap into. Evaluating the biggest recruiting wins for Nix on the trail: LB Suntarine Perkins Ranking: 5-star, No. 14 overall, No. 1 LB, No. 1 MS From: Raleigh, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary (only coach listed) Other schools involved: Alabama RB Jerrion Ealy Ranking: 5-star, No. 29 overall, No. 3 RB, No. 3 MS From: Jackson Prep, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary Other schools involved: Alabama, Clemson, Mississippi State S Tony Conner Ranking: 5-star, No. 33 overall, No. 5 S, No. 2 MS From: South Panola, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary Other schools involved: Alabama, Mississippi State OL Rod Taylor Ranking: No. 47 overall, No. 2 OG, No. 1 MS From: Callaway, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary Other schools involved: LSU WR Ayden Williams Ranking: No. 89 overall, No. 16 WR, No. 2 MS From: Ridgeland, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary (only coach listed) Other schools involved: Georgia, LSU, South Carolina RB Eric Swinney Ranking: No. 121 overall, No. 14 RB, No. 14 GA From: Sandy Creek, Georgia Recruiter: Secondary Other schools involved: Florida State, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee DL Zxavian Harris Ranking: No. 136 overall, No. 20 DL, No. 4 MS From: Germantown, Mississippi Recruiter: Secondary Other schools involved: N/A RB Kailo Moore Ranking: No. 150 overall, No. 7 RB, No. 3 MS From: West Bolivar Dist, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary (only coach listed) Other schools involved: Mississippi State WR Vincent Sanders Ranking: No. 174 overall, No. 23 WR, No. 3 MS From: Noxubee County, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary (only coach listed) Other schools involved: N/A WR Bralon Brown Ranking: No. 179 overall, No. 31 WR, No. 26 FL From: St. Thomas Aquinas, Florida Recruiter: Secondary Other schools involved: N/A DT Breeland Speaks Ranking: No. 195 overall, No. 17 DL, No. 4 MS From: Callaway, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary Other schools involved: Arkansas, LSU WDE Carlos Thompson Ranking: No. 206 overall, No. 13 WDE, No. 5 MS From: Simmons, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary (only coach listed) Other schools involved: N/A WR Jonathan Mingo Ranking: No. 216 overall, No. 32 WR, No. 12 MS From: Brandon, Mississippi Recruiter: Primary Other schools involved: Georgia, Mississippi State RB Jordan Wilkins Ranking: No. 223 overall, No. 10 RB, No. 6 TN From: St. Benedict at Auburndale, Tennessee Recruiter: Secondary Other schools involved: Auburn, Vanderbilt RB D'Vaugn Pennamon Ranking: No. 237 overall, No. 6 RB, No. 36 TX From: Manvel, Texas Recruiter: Secondary Other schools involved: Alabama, Arkansas, Cal, Texas A&M RB Mark Dodson Ranking: No. 230 overall, No. 17 RB, No. 7 TN From: Whitehaven, Tennessee Recruiter: Primary Other schools involved: N/A

247sports.com How The Closer Keionte Scott became an important piece in Auburn recruiting Christian Clemente 5–6 minutes When Hugh Freeze and Jake Thornton arrived in Auburn a short 13 months ago, the offensive line needed a serious overhaul after Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin combined to sign just 11 players from the high school ranks in the previous five years with only one true tackle in Colby Smith. Starting in 2018, Auburn signed Kam Stutts and Jalil Irvin. In 2019 Auburn it was Keiondre Jones, Justin Osborne and Kamaar Bell. The following year in 2020, the Tigers signed Avery Jernigan, Tate Johnson and Jeremiah Wright. The next year Auburn signed Colby Smith and Garner Langlo. In 2022, E.J. Harris was the only offensive line addition. With Stutts and Irvin moving on from last season along with one-year transfers Gunner Britton and Avery Jones, Auburn heads into the spring in much better shape thanks to the additions of three new tackles during the early signing period that are all on campus. When you look at the offensive line, you have to start at center where sophomore Connor Lew returns following a strong first season with the Tigers when he earned freshman all-american honors by both 247Sports and ProFootball Focus. Lew started the final six games for the Tigers and cemented himself as one of the top young offensive linemen in the country. Also at center for the Tigers are expected to be veteran Tate Johnson and redshirt freshman Bradyn Joiner. Johnson has experience at the position and has played well in his time on the field. Joiner was a player that improved throughout his first season and will have a shot to get into the rotation with a strong spring. The guard position is one of the most interesting on the team because it likely includes last year’s starting left tackle Dillon Wade into the mix. With Auburn adding some much-needed help at tackle, Wade is expected to get a look inside at his natural position of guard. That could make this a position of strength for the Tigers with Jeremiah Wright and Jaden Muskrat both returning and capable of locking up a starting role themselves in the spring. Throw in sophomore E.J. Harris and Northwestern transfer Dylan Senda along with Tate Johnson and you have the potential to have a legitimate three-deep for the first time in more than a decade. That list for the spring doesn’t even include 4-star signee DeAndre Carter, who will be on campus at the end of May. Playing for one of the top programs in the country, Carter is a talented young lineman that will have an opportunity to make an early impact at the guard position when he gets to Auburn. Which brings us to offensive tackle, a sore spot for Auburn football for a long, long time. Last season showed some promise with Wade and Izavion Miller manning the starting jobs. While both of those players return, the plan all along has been to continue to recruit and eventually move Wade inside. That’s what is expected to happen this spring, but Wade could easily move back to tackle if needed. Now a year older and stronger, Miller should benefit greatly from an offseason in the weight room as he continues to develop on the field at right tackle. Also there at right tackle is redshirt freshman Clay Wedin, who has changed his body and should be much more prepared for life in the SEC after a season on the Plains. What is interesting is seeing how things will shake out at left tackle for the Tigers because of three newcomers and redshirt freshman Tyler Johnson. You have to start with Johnson because nobody on the roster made more of a jump in year one that he did. Listed at 6-6, 304 last year, Johnson is now around 315 and was impressive late in the season and bowl practices. He’ll go into the spring as one of the guys in serious consideration to be the starting left tackle, but for the first time in years there will be true competition. A massive 6-8, 345-pounder from Mississippi State, Percy Lewis transferred in this January and brings with him seven starts at left tackle for the Bulldogs while playing in all 12 games a season ago. One of Thornton’s top targets coming out of junior college before heading to Starkville, Lewis will be a player to watch this spring. Another newcomer is big Seth Wilfred from Snow College in Utah. Playing one season there after coming out of powerhouse Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, the 6-6, 305 Wilfred is a physical blocker that is just scratching the surface of his skills as an offensive lineman. With three years of eligibility remaining, he could be a building block of the future for the Tigers. The same is true of high school signee Favour Edwin. Coming from Nigeria as a basketball player, he’ll follow the same path as former Auburn and NFL player Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. by moving to football and playing offensive tackle. Looking more like a power forward when he visited Auburn over the summer, Edwin is now listed at 6-6, 300 but is closer to 320 already as he transforms his body following his first season of football. Spring practices are tentatively scheduled to begin the last week of February, a week before Auburn’s spring break. SUBSCRIBE to Auburnundercover

apologies folks.........the bruce post game vandy presser has still not been posted on youtube. i have looked for two days.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn remains No. 4 team in KenPom rankings following win at Vanderbilt Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes The No. 11 Auburn Tigers have made their 10-game win streak seem effortless. The Tigers earned its 10th straight win, and its fourth win of the SEC slate, on Wednesday by defeating Vanderbilt in Nashville, 80-65. Auburn shot 46% from the field and connected on 81% of its free-throw attempts in the win. Vanderbilt was limited to 38% shooting and was out-rebounded, 39-30. How did Auburn’s win over Vanderbilt affect its KenPom ranking? The Tigers failed to gain ground, but that is not a bad thing. Auburn remains the SEC’s top team in the latest KenPom update and continues to have a top-10 offense and defense. Here’s a look at where Auburn stands in the latest KenPom update following the win over Vanderbilt on Wednesday. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports Auburn remains the SEC’s top team in the KenPom after its 80-65 win over Vanderbilt on Wednesday. Tennessee and Alabama join Auburn in the top 10 at No. 6 and No. 8 respectively. Auburn trails just Arizona, Purdue, and Houston for the No. 1 spot. Carly Mackler/Getty Images After the win over Vanderbilt, Auburn advances one spot in adjusted offensive efficiency from their win over Texas A&M last Saturday. The Tigers are projected to score 119.8 points per 100 possessions, which is third highest in the SEC behind Alabama (No. 1) and Kentucky (No. 4). Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports Like their offense, Auburn’s adjusted defensive efficiency also checks in at No. 9 following the win over Vanderbilt. KenPom suggests that Auburn allows 93.5 points per 100 opponent possessions. Tennessee, who ranks No. 2 in the latest update, is the only SEC team that ranks higher than Auburn in this category. Carly Mackler/Getty Images The Tigers’ defense has been spectacular at creating offensive opportunities. KenPom forecasts Auburn to gain 70.6 possessions per game according to the latest data. In the win over Vanderbilt, Auburn had 61 offensive possessions and scored on 36 of those. Carly Mackler/Getty Images Auburn’s schedule is filled with solid defensive teams, which pushes their strength of schedule ranking into the top 100. Auburn’s opponents are projected to score 106.4 points per 100 possessions and allow 103.6 points per 100 possessions. Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports Auburn hosts No. 22 Ole Miss on Saturday in what will be the start of a brutal three-game stretch that involves Ole Miss, Alabama, and Mississippi State. Here’s a look at where Ole Miss stands in the KenPom following its 89-80 loss to LSU on Wednesday. Overall: No. 70 Adjusted offensive efficiency: No. 46 (114.5) Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 124 (103.3) Adjusted tempo: No. 230 (67.3) Strength of schedule: No. 144

yardbarker.com Takeaways From Auburn Basketball's 80-65 Win Over Vanderbilt Lance Dawe ~2 minutes The Auburn Tigers continue to roll on. The Tigers (15-2, 4-0 SEC) ran past the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville on Wednesday night. Auburn simply outmatched the Commodores from the jump, and a 16-2 run in the first half helped Auburn solidify their lead for good. Here are takeaways from the victory. Another Perfect Night For Williams Jaylin Williams may legitimately be in contention for SEC Player of the Year. Williams scored 21 points on a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor while also grabbing eight rebounds and three assists. He's been a machine over these past ten games, averaging 15.8 points while shooting 69.9% from the floor. Broome has been the Tigers' most dominant force in the paint, but Williams may be Auburn's best all-around player right now. Vanderbilt Can't Distribute The Ball... Or Score Vandy isn't known for being able to grab assists in Jerry Stackhouse's offense, but the Tigers forced the Commodores score in isolation. VU could only muster four assists all game against their 11 turnovers. They shot 38% from the field, 22% from three, and were outperformed by Auburn in essentially every statistical category. Does Auburn's Lack Of Guard Scoring Matter? Aden Holloway, Denver Jones, Tre Donaldson and KD Johnson combined to score 20 of Auburn's 80 points. Everyone but Donaldson did so on inefficient shooting. Does the Tigers' lack of consistency in the backcourt matter? While they contribute in a variety of other ways, Auburn's four primary guards have not been great shooters this season.

yardbarker.com What did Bruce Pearl have to say after Auburn's win over Vanderbilt? Daniel Locke ~2 minutes The No. 13 Auburn Tigers took care of business against the Vanderbilt Commodores, picking up an 8-65 victory and their 10th straight win. What did Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl have to say after the game? "We obviously respected Vanderbilt," Pearl said. "We prepared well for them." Jaylin Williams led Auburn in scoring with 21 points and shot 100% from both the field and the free-throw line. Pearl talked about the success that he had. "He's 5-5 in the first half and doesn't say a word about getting him the ball," Pearl said. "He doesn't worry about his touches, he just plays the game the right way. We had something in for him today, he's shot the ball well at Vanderbilt." Auburn's defense was playing excellent towards the end of the first half and held Vanderbilt to 3-16 from the floor during that stretch. Pearl talked about what allowed Auburn to have that defensive success. "Vanderbilt is last in our league in assists," Pearl said. "They average 10, they only had four tonight. Coach (Jerry) Stackhouse does a great job of setting up some advantage-disadvantage situations but they make one-on-one plays." Dylan Cardwell set his career high with 12 points. Pearl talked about Cardwell's role in the game. "Dylan (Cardwell) is just a monster at the rim and did a great job of getting out of ball screen," Pearl said. "Defensively, he (Cardwell) doesn't take a possession off ever." Auburn will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts the Ole Miss Rebels. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT. The television broadcast can be found on SEC Network and the Auburn Sports Network broadcast can be streamed anywhere on the Auburn Athlet

si.com Former Tigers Quarterback Will Transfer To SEC Program Brian Smith 1–2 minutes Former Auburn signal-caller to play for conference foe In this story: Auburn Tigers The Auburn football team is moving forward without one of its quarterbacks, and a familiar SEC program will be the one to land him, per a report. The Tigers' passing game is a prime reason for offensive struggles in 2023. The hope is that Year 2 under Hugh Freeze will help the Auburn passing game. As for the former Tiger, Robby Ashford is going to Columbia, S.C. to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks. From the 2023 football season, here are the statistics for Ashford per the Auburn athletic department. In 2022, he went 14 of 27, 51.9%, 145 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Ashford is a tremendous athlete and also rushed 46 times for 247 yards, a 4.7 average, and 5 touchdowns. Ashford is originally from Hoover (Ala.) High School. He will have one year of eligibility with South Carolina.

si.com Fans Will Be Playing EA Sports College Football Video Game Again Brian Smith 2–3 minutes The popular video game is coming back! If you were once a fan of the EA Sports college football game, the same one that did not get released again after 2013 in large part because of Ed O'Bannon's lawsuit against the NCAA for the use of athlete's Name, Image, and Likeness, there's good news. Yes, EA Sports is going to be releasing a new game. College football fans will be able to use some of their favorite players and have a blast. There are not many details about the game yet, but here's someone who has some release information. According to David Waters, the host and creator of the Florida Gators podcast, the popular video game is indeed coming back. He's not the only person who is chiming in about the game's start date, but again, this would be the beginning stages of finding out information. Here's a follow-up post by Matt Brown, a writer for Extra Points, a publication covering stories off the gridiron. Here's the follow-up to what Waters has in the above X post. The exact date aside, here's where the fun begins. As someone who used to dominate in Madden as a kid, and before that, Tecmo Bowl was king with Auburn great Bo Jackson being the greatest individual video game athlete of all-time (oh, how my friends hated playing against me), consider the following two scenarios. While fantasy football is a blast, there's nothing like having friends over and having a football video game tournament. If an Auburn fan or any college football fan has not done it, even as an adult, it's a great time! Next, it's just good to get lost in a video game now and again just to have some fun. If it's for no more than an hour and just one time a week, the EA Sports College Football game will provide an avenue for people to get away from the stress of their lives. Nobody seems to know the exact date just yet, but EA Sports rebranding its College Football game and producing it will be great for college football fans.