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al.com Auburn NFL roundup: Jalen Hurts praises Jack Driscoll Updated: Nov. 27, 2023, 1:26 a.m.|Published: Nov. 27, 2023, 12:48 a.m. 7–9 minutes The Philadelphia Eagles found out Lane Johnson had a sore groin on Sunday morning. After working out the four-time Pro Bowl and two-time first-team All-Pro on the field before Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, the team decided Johnson couldn’t play. That meant the Eagles defeated the Bills 37-34 in overtime with Jack Driscoll at right offensive tackle. State NFL roundup: Eagles get big play from former Samford star Alabama NFL roundup: Amari Cooper, Derrick Henry hit 9,000 on same Sunday Auburn NFL roundup: Jack Driscoll earns Jalen Hurts’ praise “Lane’s one of the best players in the NFL,” Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that Lane Johnson is one of the best players in the world. But we have a ton of confidence in Jack Driscoll. I haven’t seen the tape, but I have a feeling he played an outstanding game because of just how the game was going and the rush and all those different things.” Since joining the Eagles from Auburn in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Driscoll has started 17 games while playing tackle and guard for injured regulars. This season, Driscoll entered Sunday having played 67 offensive snaps in Philadelphia’s 10 games, with 61 coming when Johnson got hurt in the Eagles’ only loss – a 20-14 setback against the New York Jets on Oct. 15. Driscoll did not fare well in that game. “We obviously did a lot of our plan looking at how we were going to help him, what we could do starting off a little bit early in the game to do some of those things,” Sirianni said of plans to give Driscoll some tight-end help on Sunday. “But then he settled in, and he played a really good game. We felt like as the game grew on – and that was our plan, to see how the game was going – we continued to gain more and more confidence in Jack’s ability to stop this rush, and I thought – again, it’s hard for me to say exactly how he played without watching the tape, but it seemed like he played a really good game. And, again, big contribution by Jack Driscoll.” Philadelphia rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit, sent the game into overtime on a field goal with 20 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter and drove for a touchdown after Buffalo had opened overtime with a field goal. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts ended the game with a 12-yard touchdown run after he’d gotten Philadelphia back in the game with three second-half touchdown passes. “Jack stepped in and played a hell of a game,” Hurts said. “Played a hell of a game being put on the spot. And this isn’t the first time that this has happened. This happened in 2021 versus the Chiefs, and he came in and played a great game as well. And so it’s being ready and having an opportunity. And I know as a competitor, Jack was ready for that opportunity after how that Jets game went, and he played a hell of a game this time around.” Driscoll was among the 15 former Auburn players who got on the field on the 12th Sunday of the NFL’s 104th season. In the other Sunday games: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Cincinnati Bengals 10 · Steelers nose tackle Montravius Adams was designated as a game-day inactive. An ankle injury kept Adams sidelined for a third consecutive game. · Bengals wide receiver Shedrick Jackson (Hoover) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play. Jacksonville Jaguars 24, Houston Texans 21 · Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby had a 6-yard run. · Jaguars defensive lineman Angelo Blackson made one tackle. · Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas (Lee-Montgomery) did not record any stats. · Jaguars wide receiver Seth Williams (Paul Bryant) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play. · Texans offensive tackle Kilian Zierer is on injured reserve and not eligible to play. Indianapolis Colts 27, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 · Buccaneers linebacker K.J. Britt (Oxford) did not record any stats. · Carlton Davis started at cornerback for the Buccaneers. Davis reached a career high with 10 tackles to tie for the team lead, intercepted one pass and broke up another. Davis’ first interception of the season was the eighth of his career. Davis picked off Indianapolis quarterback Gardner Minshew, and a 3-yard return put Tampa Bay at the Colts 16-yard line. The Buccaneers scored a touchdown three snaps later to cut Indianapolis’ lead to 17-10 with 5:08 left in the first half. · Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean was designated as a game-day inactive. An ankle injury kept Dean out of the lineup. · Braden Smith started at right offensive tackle for Colts. New York Giants 10, New England Patriots 7 · Jonathan Jones started at left cornerback for the Patriots. Jones made three tackles. · Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton caught two passes for 16 yards. Tennessee Titans 17, Carolina Panthers 10 · Derrick Brown started at defensive end for the Panthers. Brown made five tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up one pass. · Titans defensive tackle Marlon Davidson (Greenville) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play. · Panthers outside linebacker Eku Leota did not record any stats. · Titans cornerback Roger McCreary (Williamson) made four tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up one pass. · Titans quarterback Malik Willis was designated as a game-day inactive. · Panthers linebacker Chandler Wooten is on injured reserve and not eligible to play. Los Angeles Rams 37, Arizona Cardinals 14 · Cardinals inside linebacker Owen Pappoe made one tackle. Denver Broncos 29, Cleveland Browns 12 · Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham dressed for the game but did not play. Kansas City Chiefs 31, Las Vegas Raiders 17 · Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson was wide right on a 30-yard field-goal attempt before connecting from 34 yards. He also kicked two extra points. Carlson entered the game 97-of-100 on field-goal attempts inside 40 yards in his career. · Chiefs offensive tackle Prince Tega Wanogho (Edgewood Academy) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play. Baltimore Ravens 20, Los Angeles Chargers 10 · Chargers long snapper Josh Harris handled the snaps on three punts, one field goal and one extra point. · Ravens guard Tashawn Manning is on the practice squad and not eligible to play. Week 12 started on Thursday, when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Detroit Lions 29-22, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Commanders 45-10 and San Francisco 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 31-13, and continued on Friday, when the Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 34-13. Week 12 concludes on Monday, when the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. ABC and ESPN will televise the game. FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AmarkG1.

al.com How has Hugh Freeze's vision for Auburn changed after Saturday's narrow loss to Alabama? Published: Nov. 26, 2023, 7:00 a.m. 6–7 minutes Folks in turquoise polo shirts made their way onto the sidelines of Jordan-Hare Stadium with around four minutes to play in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against No. 8 Alabama. It was like déjà vu as the same thing happened in the final minutes of Auburn’s game against the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Sept. 30. Those folks in the turquoise polo shirts make up the stadium security staff at Auburn. And with the prospect of a field rush continuing to mount as the Tigers led the Crimson Tide with under a minute to play, the reserves of turquoise-polo wearing staff members were called on. Had Auburn won the football game, the plan wasn’t to prevent fans from storming the field. Everyone knew that wasn’t an option. But Auburn wanted to be sure it had its turquoise-clad troops ready to help make the chaos as safe and organized as possible. However, just like on Sept. 30 when the Bulldogs were in town, Auburn fans had the opportunity snatched out from under their feet as Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe heaved a 31-yard game-winning touchdown to Isaiah Bond. “We have the best fans in the country, and that atmosphere tonight is off the charts, best I’ve ever been a part of,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said following the narrow loss. “Just wish we were out there celebrating right now together.” Instead, for the second time this season, Freeze was left with the task of consoling his team after losing another one-possession ball game to a top-10 opponent – something that’s easier said than done, Freeze admits. “I don’t think any coach has the words,” Freeze said. “You tell them you love them, that we’ll learn from it and get through it, but it’s going to hurt. There’s no way around it and you’re going to have to walk through the hurt.” Meanwhile, the Auburn fans who had made their way inside Jordan-Hare Stadium for this year’s rendition of the Iron Bowl were left heading towards the exits instead of the turf of Pat Dye Field. And as similar as the endings of Auburn’s games against Georgia and Alabama appeared from the outside, they were much different on the inside. The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry against the Bulldogs is an important game to the Auburn contingent. But it’s not the Iron Bowl. “I don’t feel similar. This is totally different,” said Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod. “This right here is war. You know? One of the oldest rivalries, best rivalries in the country. Like I said, I’m a transfer. I know that. When you lose, it’s the worst feeling, especially like that. So it’s nothing to compare to them. It’s deeper.” Saturday’s 27-24 loss to Alabama stung. It stung bad. Freeze said it. Some of Auburn’s players said it, too. Other’s showed it. And while Freeze and his team don’t suit up to play horseshoes or hand grenades, does it mean there’s nothing to take away from a pair of narrow losses to the two teams who will battle in the SEC Championship – and likely a spot in the College Football Playoff – next weekend? “If you isolate it to those two games, you feel like you’ve done some good things,” Freeze said. Pushing the No. 1 team in the country to the brink before the month of October in Year No. 1 of a rebuild is remarkable — especially considering the Tigers lost to the then-second-ranked Bulldogs 42-10 in Athens last fall. Meanwhile, keeping your in-state rival, which happens to be a potential playoff contender, on the ropes for more than 59 minutes of a 60-minute football game is something to hang your hat on — especially after losing 49-27 in Tuscaloosa in 2022. All of that points to progress. But Freeze isn’t new to this profession. He knows he’s not coaching horseshoes or hand grenades. He’s coaching college football in the SEC. “We get judged in this game on wins and losses,” Freeze said. “We all know that when we get signed up for it.” By that logic, the opportunity for Freeze and the Tigers to add a win to Year 1 of the rebuild is still on the table after Auburn obtained bowl eligibility three weeks ago with a dominating performance against Arkansas. And that’s right on par with Freeze’s goals for his first year on The Plains. “I really didn’t have a vision for this year, other than to try to get us to a bowl game and improve us from week to week,” Freeze said Saturday night. However, after hanging around with two of the “golden standards” of college football this season — in Year No. 1 of a ground-up rebuild — Freeze and the Tigers are adopting a new vison. And it’s a bit loftier than simply becoming bowl eligible. “We’re gonna be one of the elite programs in the country,” Freeze said of the vision of Auburn football after Saturday’s loss to Alabama. For that to be the case, Freeze knows it will have to be a mixed bags of on-field results and success on the recruiting trail. “It’s a combination,” Freeze said. “You’ve got to coach to a certain standard, and you’ve got to recruit somewhere close to level par to the way those guys and some others in this league are.” Should those things happen, it’ll only be a matter of time until the folks in the turquoise polo shirts will not only be called upon as a precaution, but expected to spring into action. One can only hope that they’ll be ready. Whenever that time comes, Auburn’s fans will be ready — just like they were twice this season. 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.

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn football: End-of-season stock report Glenn Sattell | 20 hours ago 4–5 minutes It could have been better than a 6-6 season; there were opportunities for it. But considering back-to-back losing seasons under the previous coach, it wasn’t a bad 1st year for head coach Hugh Freeze on The Plains. A pair of 3-game win streaks accounted for the win total — one to start the season, and another toward the end that added to the win total, a trio of SEC victories. Then a couple of losses to close out the season left the Tigers with a .500 record but still qualifying for a bowl game. The destination won’t be known until next Sunday, when the official announcement is made. Meanwhile, we take a look at the end-of-season stock report. Most improved: LB Eugene Asante The Tigers’ junior linebacker has blossomed in 2023 after 3 seasons at North Carolina. He led Auburn’s defense, recording nearly twice as many tackles as anyone else on the team. His 12 tackles at California were a career high, and he scored his 1st career touchdown on a 67-yard scoop-and-score in the 4th quarter at Texas A&M. In 37 games at North Carolina, Asante recorded 62 tackles. He equaled that number through 8 games this season at Auburn, with double-digit tackles in 3 of those games. Asante became 1st Auburn player to tally at least 12 tackles plus a sack in the same game since Zakoby McClain had 14 tackles and 2 sacks vs. Ole Miss in 2021. Biggest surprise: Lack of passing game Nobody expected the Tigers to lead the conference in passing, but who could have foreseen them finishing last? Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne came to Auburn having thrown for 3,232 yards and 27 TDs in 2021 and 2,679 yards and 19 TDs last season. So throwing for fewer than 2,000 yards this season was a surprise. But that’s what happened, and the offense suffered for it. But it was a team effort that kept Auburn’s passing game to a minimum. Lack of protection from the offensive line coupled with a group of receivers who collectively had problems gaining separation. And of course, Thorne had his problems with accuracy as well. Best win: 27-13 over Mississippi State The big SEC victory on Oct. 28 snapped a 4-game losing streak and got the Tigers back on the winning track. It ignited a 3-game conference win streak and gave Auburn some momentum at a time when it was reeling. It was also the coming-out party for RB Jarquez Hunter, who rushed for 144 yards, the first of 3 consecutive 100-yard games for the talented back. And while Hunter was leading the ground game, Thorne got the passing game going with 230 yards through the air on 20 completions in 26 attempts and 3 TDs. Asante led the defensive charges with 10 tackles, and Alex McPherson added a pair of field goals. Worst loss: 31-10 to New Mexico State The lopsided defeat to the C-USA team on Nov. 18 was a total embarrassment and completely inexplicable coming on the heels of a 3-game SEC win streak. Auburn was outplayed in all phases of the game and managed just 214 yards of total offense. “(That was) about as disappointing as I’ve ever been in coaching with Saturday’s effort,” said Freeze. “It was an embarrassment, too. It can’t happen like that. It starts with me. I have to get our coaches and our players ready to play, and I obviously missed the mark tremendously. It’s frustrating and sickening to watch.” New Mexico State scored on the opening possession and never trailed. The Tigers tied the game, 7-7, on a 32-yard TD pass from Thorne to Rivaldo Fairweather. But the Aggies scored the next 17 points to pull away. Play of the Year: West Coast pick When D.J. James picked off a California pass in the end zone in the waning seconds of the Sept. 9 game, it preserved a critical and impressive 14-10 road victory over the Bears in Berkeley. It was an important victory for a team traveling more than halfway across the country with a new head coach and still searching for an identity. Earlier in the 4th quarter, the Tigers erased a 10-7 deficit. With 6:31 remaining, Thorne threw 5 yards to Fairweather for the go-ahead score, and James’ late-game heroics made it stand.

si.com Five stock risers from Auburn's loss to Alabama Andrew Stefaniak ~3 minutes These five players raised their stock after the loss to Alabama. In this story: Alabama Crimson Tide Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers gave everything they had against the Alabama Crimson Tide but lost a heartbreaker in the Iron Bowl. Although the game didn't go the way many would have hoped, losing in that painful of a way, there were a handful of Tigers who played well in this matchup. Let's take a look at five players who raised their stock in a painful Iron Bowl loss. Ja'Varrius Johnson Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Ja'Varrius was the offense for Auburn, as he had two touchdowns in this game, one rushing and one receiving. Johnson looked like a true wide receiver one for the Tigers with 88 total yards in this game. He has gotten more involved these last few weeks, and it is paying off for this Auburn offense. Damari Alston Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Damari Alston carried the football ten times in this game for 85 yards and a touchdown. Alston and Jarquez Hunter looked like a true one-two punch, which, assuming Hunter is back next season, will be a big part of Auburn's 2024 team. Heading into this season, we didn't know what Alston's role would look like, but it has been large, and he has looked good when healthy. Marcus Harris Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Marcus Harris continues to play excellent football for the Auburn Tigers, as he had two tackles in this game, including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Harris has become a player who is on the stock risers' article almost every week and has made himself a ton of money this season. He could be a day-two pick in the NFL Draft. Jalen McLeod Jalen McLeod had a big game for the Tigers, causing havoc all game long. McLeod had eight tackles and a tackle for loss. The Appalachian State transfer was the highest-graded player on defense, with a 74.5. It's scary to think what McLeod will do in his second season on the Plains, assuming he does come back. Connor Lew (Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics) Ever since Conner Lew took over, he has been really good for the Auburn Tigers as a true freshman. Lew graded out well in this game at a 71.1. This was the third-best offensive grade behind only Johnson and Alston. It's really scary to think how good Lew is going to be in the future for Hugh Freeze's squad. Lew will be an NFL player someday.

al.com How has Hugh Freeze's vision for Auburn changed after Saturday's narrow loss to Alabama? Published: Nov. 26, 2023, 7:00 a.m. 6–7 minutes Folks in turquoise polo shirts made their way onto the sidelines of Jordan-Hare Stadium with around four minutes to play in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against No. 8 Alabama. It was like déjà vu as the same thing happened in the final minutes of Auburn’s game against the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Sept. 30. Those folks in the turquoise polo shirts make up the stadium security staff at Auburn. And with the prospect of a field rush continuing to mount as the Tigers led the Crimson Tide with under a minute to play, the reserves of turquoise-polo wearing staff members were called on. Had Auburn won the football game, the plan wasn’t to prevent fans from storming the field. Everyone knew that wasn’t an option. But Auburn wanted to be sure it had its turquoise-clad troops ready to help make the chaos as safe and organized as possible. However, just like on Sept. 30 when the Bulldogs were in town, Auburn fans had the opportunity snatched out from under their feet as Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe heaved a 31-yard game-winning touchdown to Isaiah Bond. “We have the best fans in the country, and that atmosphere tonight is off the charts, best I’ve ever been a part of,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said following the narrow loss. “Just wish we were out there celebrating right now together.” Instead, for the second time this season, Freeze was left with the task of consoling his team after losing another one-possession ball game to a top-10 opponent – something that’s easier said than done, Freeze admits. “I don’t think any coach has the words,” Freeze said. “You tell them you love them, that we’ll learn from it and get through it, but it’s going to hurt. There’s no way around it and you’re going to have to walk through the hurt.” Meanwhile, the Auburn fans who had made their way inside Jordan-Hare Stadium for this year’s rendition of the Iron Bowl were left heading towards the exits instead of the turf of Pat Dye Field. And as similar as the endings of Auburn’s games against Georgia and Alabama appeared from the outside, they were much different on the inside. The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry against the Bulldogs is an important game to the Auburn contingent. But it’s not the Iron Bowl. “I don’t feel similar. This is totally different,” said Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod. “This right here is war. You know? One of the oldest rivalries, best rivalries in the country. Like I said, I’m a transfer. I know that. When you lose, it’s the worst feeling, especially like that. So it’s nothing to compare to them. It’s deeper.” Saturday’s 27-24 loss to Alabama stung. It stung bad. Freeze said it. Some of Auburn’s players said it, too. Other’s showed it. And while Freeze and his team don’t suit up to play horseshoes or hand grenades, does it mean there’s nothing to take away from a pair of narrow losses to the two teams who will battle in the SEC Championship – and likely a spot in the College Football Playoff – next weekend? “If you isolate it to those two games, you feel like you’ve done some good things,” Freeze said. Pushing the No. 1 team in the country to the brink before the month of October in Year No. 1 of a rebuild is remarkable — especially considering the Tigers lost to the then-second-ranked Bulldogs 42-10 in Athens last fall. Meanwhile, keeping your in-state rival, which happens to be a potential playoff contender, on the ropes for more than 59 minutes of a 60-minute football game is something to hang your hat on — especially after losing 49-27 in Tuscaloosa in 2022. All of that points to progress. But Freeze isn’t new to this profession. He knows he’s not coaching horseshoes or hand grenades. He’s coaching college football in the SEC. “We get judged in this game on wins and losses,” Freeze said. “We all know that when we get signed up for it.” By that logic, the opportunity for Freeze and the Tigers to add a win to Year 1 of the rebuild is still on the table after Auburn obtained bowl eligibility three weeks ago with a dominating performance against Arkansas. And that’s right on par with Freeze’s goals for his first year on The Plains. “I really didn’t have a vision for this year, other than to try to get us to a bowl game and improve us from week to week,” Freeze said Saturday night. However, after hanging around with two of the “golden standards” of college football this season — in Year No. 1 of a ground-up rebuild — Freeze and the Tigers are adopting a new vison. And it’s a bit loftier than simply becoming bowl eligible. “We’re gonna be one of the elite programs in the country,” Freeze said of the vision of Auburn football after Saturday’s loss to Alabama. For that to be the case, Freeze knows it will have to be a mixed bags of on-field results and success on the recruiting trail. “It’s a combination,” Freeze said. “You’ve got to coach to a certain standard, and you’ve got to recruit somewhere close to level par to the way those guys and some others in this league are.” Should those things happen, it’ll only be a matter of time until the folks in the turquoise polo shirts will not only be called upon as a precaution, but expected to spring into action. One can only hope that they’ll be ready. Whenever that time comes, Auburn’s fans will be ready — just like they were twice this season. 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.

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Sunday reflections from Auburn and beyond Phillip Marshall 9–12 minutes Joy turns to disbelief for Auburn team, fans A different kind of pain for Auburn I saw Van Tiffin’s 52-yard field goal in 1985. I saw Robert McGinty miss a field goal that would have been the game-winner in 1984. I saw last-minute Alabama drives to win in 1996 and 2009. I saw the 97-yard Alabama drive to tie the game in 2021. All were massively disappointing for Auburn players and Auburn people in general. I have seen the other side, too. I saw two Bill Newton block two punts and two David Langner touchdowns in 1972. I saw Lawyer Tillman’s reverse in 1986. I saw Pat Nix to Frank Sanders in 1993. I saw Auburn wipe out a 24-0 lead at Bryant-Denny Stadium. I saw Chris Davis sprint into history in 2013. I saw a penalty end the game in Auburn’s 2019 victory. There is a different kind of pain that comes from losing the Iron Bowl. And it is most excruciating for teams that lose when the game was there to be won. There was something different about Auburn’s 27-24 loss to Alabama at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. This time, the Tigers lost a game that seemed they surely had won. It would have been such a statement for first-year coach Hugh Freeze and his players, such a statement for the fans who created a winning environment. And in a matter of seconds, it went away. Alabama’s game-winning 31-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe to Isiah Bond raised questions. With eight defenders in the end zone, why didn’t D.J. James have any help in defending Isaiah Bond? Why did Auburn have only two pass rushers, giving Milrose so much time? Did Bond push off? Why was Koy Moore instead of Keionte back to return the pivotal punt? Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said he had no problem with the defensive call. And for sure, the ball was in the air long enough for James to have had some help from his friends. Auburn had a terrific plan, and players did almost everything they had to do to win the game. But in the end, like so many teams in those heart-stopping finishes, they came up one play short. Hope for a brighter future In some ways, this Auburn season reminds of Pat Dye’s first season. The 1981 Tigers lost to Wake Forest as the result of a fumbled kickoff return, lost at Tennessee on a fumble at the goal line in the final minute and lost to Mississippi State after an illegal snap on fourth down. “We probably should have won eight games,” Dye once told me, “but that really might not have been good for us. We might have thought we were further along than we were.” This Auburn team fought No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama to the bitter end. Same for No. 12 Ole Miss. A 6-6 record is never a reason for an Auburn celebration, but this team will back in a bowl after missing out last season. There are no moral victories, and this certainly was not one. But it offers something valuable: Hope for a brighter future. “We're going to be one of the elite programs in the country,” Freeze said. Why change punt returners? The question of the day is why Kory Moore was back to return the fateful punt. Both were 0 as their jersey number, and Freeze said he thought it was Scott. Special teams coordinator Tanner Burns would make that substitution. Surely, there was a reason. Regardless, Moore was the No. 1 punt returner while Scott was hurt earlier in the season. Moore slipped on the grass as the ball came down. He had no chance to get out of the way and let it roll. Still, the ball hit him in the hands. Favorites have close calls in rivalry games No. 8 Alabama, No. 1 Georgia, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Washington and No. 5 Florida State all won rivalry games Saturday. And all of them were uncomfortably close. But when all was said and done, only No. 3 Ohio State was a loser among the top nine. No. 10 Louisville lost to Kentucky. More than any year I can remember, much remains to be decided in conference championship games next Saturday. Stoops apparently out of Texas A&M search According to earlier reports, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops had emerged as a top candidate at Texas A&M. Now, Bruce Feldman of the Athletic, says he is no longer in the mix. Would the Aggies really go after Ohio State coach Ryan Day, as some have speculated? Would he really be interested? An interesting statistic on Day as a head coach: He is 0-3 against Michigan and 40-0 against the rest of the Big Ten. Northwestern finishes in style Northwestern, left for dead after head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired in a scandal last summer, beat Illinois on Saturday to finish the regular season 7-5. Former interim head coach David Braun, now the head coach, took over a team that was 1-11 last season, losing its last 11 games. He should be national Coach of the Year as far as I’m concerned. Cal becomes bowl eligible Cal, which Auburn beat 14-10 in the season’s second game, won 33-7 at UCLA on Saturday night. With that victory, the Bears finished 6-6 and bowl eligible. New Mexico State, who put a hit on Auburn’s season last week, beat Jacksonville State 24-21 on a last-second field goal. I actually thought Jacksonville State would win that game. What happened at Jordan-Hare Stadium that day had much more to do with Auburn than it did with New Mexico State. Auburn’s possible bowl destinations Auburn is likely to be invited to one of the following bowls: Texas Bowl (Houston), Liberty Bowl (Memphis), Belk Bowl (Charlotte) or the Music City Bowl (Nashville). The Gator Bowl (Jacksonville) could be an outside possibility. With nine eligible teams and three likely to be in the playoff or New Year’s Six bowls, the SEC will not be able to provide teams to the Birmingham Bowl or Gasparilla Bowl. Until next time …

si.com COLUMN: Pat yourself on the back, Auburn Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes It stings, bad. But there is a lot for the Auburn Tigers to hang their hats on after that performance. Auburn fell to Alabama in one of the most heartbreaking ways imaginable. Auburn had this game won it felt like, then it slipped away. Tough losses hurt. That does not even need to be said. That has been a recurring theme for Auburn this season. Georgia and Ole Miss were other games that Auburn had a chance to win this season but could not quite close the deal. As big as those games are, it's not the Iron Bowl. Auburn came into this game off a shocking loss to New Mexico State that shattered the momentum it had put together with three straight wins. Alabama came into this game as a winner of its last nine games and ranked No. 8 in the country. You would never have been able to tell by the crowd, however. Jordan-Hare Stadium was packed. The student section gates opened two and a half hours before kickoff and it was spilling over less than 20 minutes later. The rest of the stadium was no different. The noise was deafening. Everyone was into the game. The team was surely able to feed off of the energy created by the Auburn faithful. Alabama is better than Auburn in just about every way. The greatest coach in the game and a team loaded with NFL talent. It took that team scoring a miracle touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 31 to finish off an undermanned Auburn team. This loss hurts if you're an Auburn fan, but the future is undeniably bright. The Tigers have seen a boost in nearly every area, most notably recruiting, since Hugh Freeze took over as the program's head coach. Auburn still has a chance to finish this season with a winning record, something it has not done since 2020. Is that a good season in Auburn standards? Absolutely not. But progress is progress. Auburn is in good shape moving forward.

sorry for the interruption folks i tried to delete an article and got the whole thread.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Instant Analysis: Alabama stuns Auburn in another wild Jordan-Hare classic Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes There was magic in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, but the dust ran out before the clock struck midnight. The Auburn Tigers were at a low point following a 14-point loss to New Mexico State just a week ago and were looking to climb out of it with an upset win over No. 8 Alabama. The Tigers played tight with Alabama through the first half and used momentum to stay ahead of the Crimson Tide for most of the second half. However, Alabama delivered the final blow to escape the Plains with a 27-24 win on Saturday evening. Alabama faced a 4th down and goal situation from the Auburn 31 yard line with less than one minute remaining in the game. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe launched a desperation throw which ultimately connected with receiver Isaiah Bond in the back corner of the end zone for the late score and the victory with 0:32 remaining in the contest. The Tigers jumped ahead, 21-20, with 6:36 to go in the 3rd quarter, and extended its lead to 24-20 on an Alex McPherson field goal with 10:15 remaining in the final quarter. Alabama’s final scoring drive began with 4:48 to go in the quarter, and managed to hold Auburn out of the end zone on their final three plays. Auburn and Alabama ended the first quarter with a 7-7 tie. The Crimson Tide struck first on its first possession when Roydell Williams scored from two yards away to cap an eight-play drive that covered 69 yards and push Alabama ahead, 7-0 with 10:53 in the quarter. After trading possessions, Auburn’s Damari Alston struck gold by scampering into the end zone for a four-yard score with 5:00 remaining. Rushing was the name of the game for Auburn in the 1st quarter, as all 74 yards were produced on the ground. Jarquez Hunter led the charge with 58 yards, followed by Alston’s 15 yards. Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne was 0-for-3 passing in the 1st quarter. Both teams traded jabs in the 2nd quarter, with Alabama coming away with a 17-14 lead. The Crimson Tide broke the 7-7 tie with a Will Reichard 32-yard field goal in the opening seconds of the quarter. Both teams traded possessions before Auburn grabbed its first lead of the game on a 12-yard reverse play from Ja’varrius Johnson with 2:24 remaining in the half. The lead was shortlived as Alabama answered on its next possession with a 68-yard pass from quarterback Jalen Milroe to receiver Jermaine Burton on the third play of its next possession. Momentum began tipping toward Auburn in the 3rd quarter, as they were able to take a 21-20 lead into the final stanza. The Tigers were able to take the lead by limiting Alabama to three points despite being outgained, 137-115 in the yards department. Reichard nailed his second field goal of the day with 9:12 remaining in the quarter to extend Alabama’s lead to 20-14. Auburn followed with a score just two-and-a-half minutes later on a connection between Thorne and Johnson that went for a 27-yard touchdown. The successful extra point pushed the Tigers back in front, 21-20. Auburn finishes the regular season with a 6-6 record and will await their bowl destination which will be revealed on Sunday, December 3. 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__

al.com 3 takeaways from Auburn’s loss in the Iron Bowl against Alabama Published: Nov. 25, 2023, 6:03 p.m. 4–5 minutes The Iron Bowl Trailer: Alabama vs. Auburn 2023 The Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium is always weird, wacky and wild. Saturday was no exception in Auburn’s 27-24 loss to Alabama. This was Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze’s first Iron Bowl and for someone who had been hired in part because of his history beating Nick Saban twice while at Ole Miss, yet again pushed the legendary Alabama coach. Here are three takeaway’s from Auburn’s 27-24 loss in the Iron Bowl. Auburn’s best shot at an upset is to play ugly. That’s just what it did. In many ways, Auburn’s game plan offensively seemed to resemble the Georgia game. Auburn wanted to keep the ball on the ground and bleed time off the clock. After Auburn’s defense was left on the field way too long in last week’s loss to New Mexico State, Freeze tried to keep Alabama’s offense off the field with his own offense. That meant Auburn had to establish a running game. And it did. Auburn rushed for more than 180 yards in the first half including a 42-yard rush from Jarquez Hunter and a 56-yard rush from Damari Alston — both of which set up touchdowns. In the first half, Payton Thorne completed only two of his 10 passes. Auburn kept itself in this game on the ground with 22 running plays to the 10 throws. Between the third and fourth quarter, Auburn had an eight-plus minute drive that only ended in a field goal, but further went to Auburn’s goal of not letting Jalen Milroe touch the ball as much as possible. That’s how Auburn kept itself in the Georgia game and the Ole Miss game too. Auburn’s offense didn’t play overly well in either of those games, but it did enough on the ground to make for a weird, low scoring, physical game. That was Auburn’s best chance in this game, too. To leave itself within striking distance and just play funky and odd. Running the ball will do that. Auburn also gave Robby Ashford his first meaningful snaps in about a month. Just keep everybody on their toes a little bit. And like Freeze said after losses to Georgia and Ole Miss, by playing an odd game Auburn was just a few plays from winning. The same could be said tonight. But that’s also indicative of the distance Auburn still has to build. Finally, an Auburn wide receiver stepped up Maybe the biggest weakness of this team all year is an extreme lack of production from its wide receivers. No one came up as a go-to guy all year. Auburn tried to make Jay Fair that guy, tried to make Rivaldo Fairweather that guy. But no one really stepped up. In the Iron Bowl, Ja’Varrius Johnson stepped up. Johnson scored a touchdown in the first half on an end-around. He scored again the second half getting wide open for a 27-yard touchdown. That was after he caught a catch and run on a third down earlier in the drive and grabbed 37 yards. Auburn wanted to run the ball, and it did that heavily. But when it needed a pass play, Johnson came up huge. It was the first time Auburn had any semblance of a reliable target this season. Auburn’s defense again gave up a ton of yards, but didn’t break Another trend when Auburn has played the SEC’s elite teams: bend but don’t break. In many ways, Auburn’s defense bending but not breaking all season long has been a big reason Auburn’s offense has been able to hang around in some games where they are outmatched. It’s what happened again. Auburn’s defense gave up field goals in key second half moments, not touchdowns. A third quarter Will Reichard miss after Auburn got a stop would be a crucial moment in the game. This is how Auburn has kept itself in games all year. The defense kept the score low enough to allow Auburn’s offense enough chances to stay within striking distance. 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.

247sports.com Instant Impressions Alabama 27 Auburn 24 Nathan King 6–8 minutes Another home Iron Bowl, another heartbreaking finish for Auburn. The Tigers settled in defensively and gave themselves a chance with an offensive identity on the ground, but weren't able to stave off a late turnover on special teams and hold Alabama for one last stop, as Jalen Milroe threw a touchdown on fourth-and-31 with 32 seconds left in a 33-24 thrilling Auburn victory over its bitter rival. Here are Auburn Undercover's instant impressions from another wild installment of the Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium. MOORE’S MISTAKE BURIES AUBURN Auburn forced its second straight three-and-out to get the ball back leading 24-20 with under five minutes left. Until disaster struck. Koy Moore muffed the punt, falling to the ground as he attempted to field it, and all of a sudden, an Alabama offense that had just 3 points over its previous four drives was given a huge gift. Jihaad Campbell recovered at Auburn's 30-yard line, so Alabama still had a ways to go. Jalen Milroe moved the Tide closer, but a Marcus Harris sack created third-and-20 from the 29. Milroe — as he did so many times Saturday to the tune of 107 rushing yards — took off with a ton of open space out of the left side of the pocket, and collided with Nehemiah Pritchett at the 10-yard line — for a 19-yard pickup. Down by a full score, Nick Saban kept his offense on the field, and Jordan-Hare Stadium cranked up to 11. A toss to Roydell Williams gave Alabama first-and-goal, as the clock now became Auburn's enemy, too, ticking inside 2 minutes. But Auburn was given a huge gift when Alabama had a bad snap on second-and-goal, losing 18 yards and pushing Alabama with two plays to go 26 yards into the end zone. On third down, Milroe burned some time looking to pass, and eventually tossed into the end zone across the line of scrimmage for an even bigger loss, back to a fourth-and-goal at the 31. Auburn spread out, of course, and put several defensive backs in the end zone. Milroe danced more than 10 seconds off the clock before rifling into the far corner into the end zone. Isaiah Bond extended out of D.J. James' reach, and Alabama took the lead, as Auburn had no timeouts left. TIGERS’ DEFENSIVE RECOVERY PROVES KEY Auburn’s 14-10 lead right before halftime, after Ja’Varrius Johnson’s 12-yard run, lasted for approximately 24 seconds. Thanks to a busted coverage by Auburn, with D.J. James expected safety help, but Zion Puckett not supplying any, Milroe found Jermaine Burton wide open for a 68-yard touchdown to give Alabama the lead right back. And after the Tigers followed with a three-and-out, they appeared to potentially be in the danger zone. Alabama had the lead and the ball with 50 seconds left in the half, and were getting the ball back after halftime. But Auburn’s defense bowed up at the right time, and those two possessions yielded just 3 points. Alabama was held to a three-and-out at the end of the second quarter, then, despite a pair of third-down conversions, Auburn got a stop in the red zone out of halftime when James notched a pass breakup in the end zone on third-and-goal. Instead of a multi-score lead, Alabama was kept out of the end zone, and Auburn trailed only 20-14. That gave the Tigers an opportunity offensively, and they responded with their best drive of the game, where Thorne hit Ja’Varrius Johnson for 37 yards to convert a third down, then found Johnson again wide open for a 27-yard touchdown. Alabama moved right down the field again, and looked to have a first-and-goal after another Milroe scramble. But yet another killer Alabama penalty hit, as the Tide were called for a blindside block to push back to a third-and-13. Alabama kicker Will Reichard, the SEC’s new all-time leading scorer, missed only his third field goal of the season from 42 yards out. Auburn was stopped in the red zone and had to settle for a field goal to go up 24-20, and the defense continued to come up with answers. Alabama went three-and-out, with Milroe’s sideline pass on third-and-10 being ruled incomplete, after a lengthy review discussed whether Burton’s foot came down inbounds. After going up 17-14 right before halftime, Alabama’s next five drives resulted in three three-and-outs, a missed field goal and a made field goal. RUN GAME PACES AUBURN OFFENSE Auburn looked dead in the water on its first couple offensive drives, but an explosive running game brought it quickly back to life. Hindered by a missed facemask call that drew the ire of Hugh Freeze for several minutes, Auburn failed to pick up a first down across its first two possessions. And with Alabama moving right down the field for a touchdown on its first drive, things weren’t exactly trending the Tigers’ way. That was, until Alabama’s touchdown run on fourth-and-1 was called for holding, giving Auburn the ball back on a punt instead of a 14-0 lead for the Crimson Tide. Jarquez Hunter’s 42-yard gallop then put the Tigers in position in the red zone, and they kept pounding with Damari Alston, who spun across the goal line on first-and-goal from the 4. Alston quickly popped off runs of 11 and 47 yards — plus a facemask call on the Crimson Tide — and Auburn’s field was flipped from its own 12-yard line to Alabama’s 12 in just two plays. Ja’Varrius Johnson scored on the next play on a well-designed endaround. Auburn’s first two touchdown drives covered 156 yards in only eight plays — and were all runs. And Auburn didn’t need to convert any third downs during those drives — which was key for a team that went just 2-of-7 in that department. THORNE SETTLES IN AFTER ROUGH START Auburn’s running game allowed the Tigers to hang in, even with their passing game struggling mightily. At halftime, after his hail mary was picked off at the goal line, Thorne had just one more pass completed to an Auburn player than an Alabama one, sitting at 2-of-10 for just 20 yards. But in the third quarter, even with Auburn still leaning on the ground game, Thorne was much more efficient, completing all three of his attempts, including a third-down conversion, and a touchdown. Thorne’s running ability, as has been the case for most of the season, was a huge factor in Auburn’s offensive success. He had multiple quarterback draws that burned Alabama’s defense — including a 27-yard scamper that got Auburn inside the 10 for its field goal in the fourth quarter, and finished with 71 yards on the ground. Auburn Undercover will update this story. Check back for additional information.