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si.com Auburn's Best-Case Scenario at WR in the 2024 Recruiting Class Lance Dawe 3–4 minutes Auburn is in need of some new wideouts in 2023. The Tigers have struggled at the position for a couple of seasons now, and Hugh Freeze is doing his best to bring in some fresh talent while keeping some of the production that's currently on the roster. The 2024 class already features five-star Perry Thompson, who Auburn flipped from Alabama earlier this year. Four-stars Bryce Cain and Malcolm Simmons are also committed. However, there are a couple of massive potential additions that Auburn could flip from SEC schools over the next few weeks. Here's the best-case scenario for Auburn if they land all of the receivers they want. Perry Thompson, Five-star (No. 6 WR) Thompson flipped from Alabama back in July and gave Auburn their first five-star commit since the 2019 recruiting class. The No. 32 overall prospect is a big, physical receiver with a large catch radius. Just how Freeze likes his receivers. Auburn desperately needs some height and aggression on the outside, and Thompson provides that. Ryan Williams, Five-star (No. 1 WR) Williams is currently committed to Alabama, but Auburn is pushing Williams and could be in position to flip him away from the Tide as well within the next few weeks. He's the No. 1 receiver in the nation and provides insane speed and elusiveness. This is a surefire first-round receiver that would be a demon in Freeze's offense. Cam Coleman, Five-star (No. 3 WR) It surprised everyone when Coleman committed to Texas A&M in the summer, but now that A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher is out of the picture, Auburn is right back in the race for Coleman. We could see a flip coming soon from Coleman, a tall vertical threat that is compared to former Georgia receiver George Pickens. Bryce Cain, Four-star (No. 33 WR) Cain has risen in the rankings since his commitment to Auburn. The elite route runner from Baker High School (Mobile, AL) showed off great hands and coordination during a camp at Auburn in the summer. He may get overlooked because of the high-end talent the Tigers may pull, but Cain is smooth and possesses track speed. Malcolm Simmons, Four-star (No. 16 ATH) Criminally underrated. That's what Malcolm Simmons is. He's a track star, but Simmons also has hops. He was 6A state champion as a junior in both high and long jump. The six-foot 165-pound athlete/wide receiver chose the Tigers over Arkansas, Georgia Tech, and West Virginia.

247sports.com The Real Deal New Mexico State week Jason Caldwell 3–4 minutes Auburn tight end Luke Deal gives us his thoughts as the Tigers get ready for New Mexico State. AUBURN, Alabama—Don't take your foot off the gas. That's the message from Auburn tight end Luke Deal as the Tigers get ready to face New Mexico State in the final non-conference game of the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the SEC Network as Hugh Freeze's team looks to win its fourth straight game following victories over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas. A team that comes in 8-3 overall and heading towards its conference championship game, New Mexico State knows how to win and is a confident team heading into the Saturday showdown. Deal said that shows when you watch the Aggies and they have Auburn's attention this week. For Auburn, the message is straightforward. Just keep doing what you've been doing. Focusing on improvement each week has worked well for the Tigers and Deal said that's the goal once again. Watch as we catch up with Deal for this week's The Real Deal. Jason Caldwell's Friday Auburn mailbag column Talking plenty of Auburn football as the Tigers prepare for NMSU M5guy: What if?? Thorne had been the starter all along & we had been fast paced. Would we have 2 more wins or lost by larger margins to A&M, Georgia & OM because the offense would have been 3 & out a bunch & defense would have been tired? Your best educated guess!! I think because of the issues executing the offense earlier in the season, going fast-paced might have helped you beat Ole Miss but you might have lost the game to Cal playing that way. Just no way of knowing how it’s going to go. I 100 percent believe that playing the way they did gave them the best chance to beat that Georgia team. Now, sticking with one quarterback could have impacted things a lot more as they got more reps together. Probably the biggest thing they've done is simplify things to allow guys to play fast. Not sure that would have happened early in the year, so there could have been some issues no matter how things went. BayEagle: Jason, after going through 11 weeks of College Football Season. Has your opinion changed on the New Clock Rule or is it working out better than you anticipated? Thanks. Honestly, it hasn’t been that noticeable in terms of the game itself. Where I have noticed it is in the number of timeouts. Being on the field, every time I turn around I’m seeing the clock guy walk out and set the timer at 3:00. It’s just beyond infuriating to have a TV timeout on third down, a punt, and then another TV timeout. That’s probably been the biggest issue for me. To read this full article and more, subscribe now — SALE: One Month for Only $1 Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer. Join Today Already a subscriber? Login

How much is New Mexico State getting paid to play Auburn this weekend? Published: Nov. 17, 2023, 12:39 p.m. 2–3 minutes Auburn Football What is Auburn paying New Mexico State to play this week? Here’s what the contract says Head to Head: Auburn vs. New Mexico State Auburn is set to write a $1.85 million check to the New Mexico State athletics department for this weekend’s game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, according to the game’s contract acquired by AL.com through a public records request. This matchup, which was agreed upon in March 2019, will kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday and will be aired on the SEC Network. The money is owed to New Mexico State on or before March 1, 2024. Auburn is providing 300 complimentary tickets to New Mexico State, according to the contract, and up to 419 seats for the New Mexico State band. Any tickets the band does not use are not to be used to New Mexico State’s ticket allotment. Cheerleaders and “mascots in uniform” will be admitted free of charge. The contract does allow for an undetermined number of consignment tickets — meaning tickets Auburn did not sell — to be given to New Mexico State. However, Auburn sold out the game, so there were no additional tickets provided. Auburn enters this weekend on a three-game winning streak and a 6-4 overall record. It clinched bowl eligibility last week with a win over Arkansas. Nex Mexico State comes in on a six-game winning streak and with an 8-3 overall record. These two schools have played three times before and Auburn won all three matchups — all at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The most recent game was a 42-7 Auburn win in 2012. Auburn also won in 2007 and 1993. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

theplainsman.com Players to watch, keys to victory against New Mexico State 4–5 minutes With its crushing defeat over Arkansas, Auburn won its third straight game against an SEC opponent, raising its season record to 6-4 and giving the Tigers bowl eligibility. Auburn comes back to Jordan-Hare Stadium after two weeks on the road to face the New Mexico State Aggies, who are doing well on their own with an 8-3 record on the season. The Aggies have won their past six games, with their recent victory coming against Western Kentucky 38-29. The Aggies are led by head coach Jerry Kill who has an overall record of 14-9 at the school over two seasons. Auburn leads the series 3-0 all-time, where all the games have been played on its own turf and its last win coming in 2012 42-7. With a win in Jordan-Hare this weekend, the Tigers would be on a four-game win streak heading into the Iron Bowl. PLAYERS TO WATCH AUBURN: Jarquez Hunter Hunter is continuing his pursuit of a 1,000-yard season on the ground with a great performance last week against Arkansas, rushing for 109 yards on 16 carries for his third straight game with at least 100 yards rushing. If Hunter can carry his momentum into the game against New Mexico State and get the Tigers some easy opportunities in the red zone, this game could go to the Tigers early. Payton Thorne Thorne is fresh off last week’s game where he had a solid performance with a four-touchdown showing against the Razorbacks in which he threw for three and rushed for one. He also tacked on 163 yards passing and threw one interception. Look for Thorne to get some more looks down field in the passing game to open the field and get some big plays early. This is the kind of game where Thorne can show what progress he has made as a passer throughout the season. NEW MEXICO STATE: Diego Pavia The Aggies' quarterback has thrown for 2,257 yards and 19 touchdowns along with six interceptions this season. He is also their leading rusher with 705 yards on five scores. It will be essential for the Aggies' offense to get started early with a score to keep the Tigers on their heels and alleviate some pressure from the Aggies defense. Keys to Victory AUBURN: No turnovers. One interception or one fumble could allow the Aggies to get the ball one more possession than they should have, which would keep the game from being won early on and force the Tigers to keep their starters in for longer than they would like. The defense will also look to get off the field on third down to give the offense more chances to stretch a potential lead. NEW MEXICO STATE: The Aggies have lost each of their 27 meetings against SEC opponents. To get their first win, the Aggies will have to establish their running game. The Aggies have run for 170 or more yards in 14 consecutive games – looking to extend that streak to 15. Auburn and New Mexico State kick off Saturday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m. CST in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised on SEC Network. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Auburn Plainsman delivered to your inbox Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman. William Halliday | Sports Writer William Halliday started with The Plainsman in fall 2022. He is a journalism major from Memphis, Tennessee. Twitter: @wphalliday3 Share and discuss “Players to watch, keys to victory against New Mexico State” on social media.

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Phillips gameday musings Phillip Marshall 11–14 minutes #PMARSHONAU: Phillip's gameday musings An interesting weekend on and off field, a significant game for Auburn and more Games and more in season’s home stretch It’s an interesting time of year in college football. Rival games are fun. Much remains to be decided in the race for the final four-team College Football Playoff. And, as always, many of the headlines are about coaches on the move, voluntarily or otherwise. I have talked to a few coaches still in the business, and I have heard some interesting things. Some examples: --Gus Malzahn, who recently received a contract extension at Central Florida, will be highly interested if Arkansas moves on from Sam Pittman. A fact: Since going 12-2 and winning the SEC championship in his first Auburn season, Malzahn has lost four or more games in 10 consecutive seasons at Auburn and UCF. --An ESPN report that Bobby Petrino, as Texas A&M offensive coordinator, was essentially running Jimbo Fisher’s offense was accurate. It didn’t work, just like such setups usually don’t work. --It is believed by other coaches that Hugh Freeze has taken over play-calling at Auburn, though he continues to say it is a collaborative effort with offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. --Freeze and Auburn have gotten the attention of other programs with their efforts on the recruiting trail. “Some people are surprised,” one SEC assistant coach told me. “I don’t know why. Not many are better at it than Hugh.” NMSU’s Kill ‘will have a plan for winning’ No one expects New Mexico State to beat Auburn today at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but Aggies’ head coach Jerry Kill is highly respected as a person and as a coach. “They probably don’t have enough to win, but he will have them ready to play and believing they can win,” one coach said. “He’ll have a plan for winning. Auburn best be ready to play.” Much to be gained for Auburn Today’s game really is an important one for Auburn. The Tigers have an opportunity to win their fourth straight and get to seven wins for the season, better than most expected. That could enhance their bowl standing, regardless of what happens against Alabama next Saturday. Some big SEC games today The penultimate weekend of the regular season has become known as “cupcake week” for the SEC. We get games like Alabama-Chattanooga, Arkansas-FIU, Texas A&M-Abilene Christian, LSU-Georgia State and Ole Miss-ULM. Auburn’s game against New Mexico State was scheduled to be one of those kinds of games, but it remains to be seen if it will be. But there are some significant SEC games, too. No. 1 Georgia goes to Tennessee. Florida goes to Missouri and Kentucky goes to South Carolina. The biggest of those games is in Knoxville, though that one lost some of its shine when Tennessee was blown out 36-7 at Missouri last Saturday. Former Auburn coach leads Mississippi State Greg Knox, Auburn’s wide receivers coach for all of Tommy Tuberville’s tenure, is Mississippi State’s interim head coach for the second time. In the wake of Zach Arnett being fired before the end of his first season, Knox will lead the Bulldogs in today’s game against Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles aren’t much, but who knows how Mississippi State players will respond? Reality of coaching searches As coaching searches heat up, it gives reality a chance to catch up. Maybe the No. 1 reality is that success in the Group of 5 often does not translate to success in the Power 5, especially for coaches without Power 5 experience. Remember when Scott Frost was the coach everybody had to have? Billy Napier? Tom Herman? That’s certainly not to say that some Group of 5 coaches have not made the transition smoothly. But how many have been long-term success? I don’t have any numbers, but it seems to me Power 5 coaches that were assistants when they were hired have more success. Three of the top six teams in the latest CFP rankings – Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon – are led by first-time head coaches. According to reports, Texas A&M has interviewed Texas-San Antonio coach Jeff Traylor. He has been highly successful at UTSA, but that doesn’t mean he is prepared to take over an SEC program outsized expectations. Maybe he is, but maybe he’s not. No more ‘receipts’ for Prime Time The Prime Time football show is officially over. The 56-14 beating the Buffaloes took from Washington State, loser of six straight going into the game, was the final chapter in what was always a make-believe tale. They have one game left, another likely blowout at Utah. But they have now lost seven of eight. There will be no bowl game, no “receipts” to show. The game was already getting away when Shedeur Sanders, son of the coach and a heck of a quarterback, finally succumbed to a season-long pounding and had to leave the game. In 11 games, he has been sacked 53 times. Had he played the entire game, it might have been a little closer. But it wouldn’t have mattered. Washington State edge rusher Brennan Jackson returned two fumbles, one of them by Sanders, for touchdowns. Leyton Smith returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Without Shedeur Sanders, I am not certain this Colorado team would have done any better than last season’s 1-11 record. Deion Sanders likes to say that people who know football can see what is being built at Colorado. Maybe so. But I don’t see much. Sanders’ celebrity, his entourage of entertainers and his boasting created interest in Colorado football. But the harsh glare of the spotlight has not been kind. Michigan saga a long way from over The Michigan saga has reached the point of absurdity. Having seen damning evidence, Michigan suddenly decided maybe the Big Ten had it right all along when head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for three games and dropped its lawsuit. A linebackers coach was fired. That was after the president and the AD trashed the Big Ten and did their best to make Michigan a victim. The Wolverines still can win the national championship. Harbaugh can return for the Big Ten Championship Game if they get there. They have actually gotten off easy so far. But it is far from over. The NCAA will have its say and isn’t likely to be so kind. Tigers start strong, defeat St. Bonaventure to win Legends Classic Johni Broome was named the event's MVP For the second time in program history, Auburn walked away from Brooklyn as the champion of the Legends Classic. The Tigers earned the title of the event by defeating the home-state St. Bonaventure Bonnies 77-60 on Friday night. "That's a good St. Bonaventure team," said head coach Bruce Pearl. "Everybody knows what a great coach Mark Schmidt is, the job that he does...Overall, good win for us and proud of our kids for making history." The score was tied at six just over three minutes in. Then, Denver Jones hit a 3-pointer, St. Bonaventure turned it over twice, Johni Broome scored a pair of close-range baskets, and the Tigers led the rest of the way. A pair of Aden Holloway free throws capped off the 9-0 run. The run was Auburn’s first of three sustained scoring runs in the first half. The Tigers also put up a 13-4 run midway through the period and an 8-0 run to close out the half. Against Notre Dame, Auburn held a 15-point lead with 3:51 to go, only to surrender a run and see the lead reduced to six at the half. Against the Bonnies, it was the Tigers who went on the late first-half run. Ahead by 10 with 3:14 to play in the half, Auburn scored 13 of the final 16 points before going to the locker room. "The last few minutes of the first half was pretty exciting basketball," Pearl said. The Tigers shot 54.8 percent in the first 20 minutes, going 17-of-31 from the field, with Broome scoring 13 in the frame to lead his team. In the first half, Auburn made 50 percent of its 3-pointers, going 7-of-14 behind the arc. The second half was not as kind to the Tigers, with the Bonnies outscoring Auburn 32-29, but the Tigers’ strong first half was too much for their opponent to overcome. The Tigers shot just 38.1 percent in the second half, and made just one of 10 3-pointers in the frame, factoring into the team’s failure to reach 80 points for the first time this season. Auburn also hurt itself with eight turnovers in the second half of play. "We didn't shoot the ball as well in the second half," Pearl said. "That's probably the first half all year we really didn't shoot it well...that may have been a factor in our not continuing to build our lead." Holloway, who came into the game shooting just over 52 percent from 3-point range, was just 2-for-7 from behind the arc. Jones, however, picked him up, shooing 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Broome led the Tigers with 18 points, with Jaylin Williams and Jones joining him in double figures. Broome was 7-of-11 from the field and Williams led the Tigers with 10 rebounds, earning a double-double for the first time this season. Though Broome came into the game shooting just over 64 percent from the foul line, he made just four of his 11 free-throw attempts in the game. As a team, Auburn was 19-of-27 from the foul line. The result was largely skewed due to Broome’s output, however, as four Tigers were perfect on free throws, including a 6-for-6 performance from Dylan Cardwell. "When Johni had missed some free throws, we played the last four minutes with Dylan Cardwell in there and Dylan made all of his free throws," Pearl said. "Dylan's a career 40 percent free-throw shooter, he went 6-for-6 tonight. I know Dylan's shooting coach is smiling somewhere and look at the work Dylan has done, but he was poised and played great defense down the stretch." The Tigers were active on the offensive glass, getting 11 offensive rebounds and turning those into 16 second-chance points. Williams had three of Auburn's offensive boards. The Bonnies were equally active on the offensive boards, though they did not take advantage as well as the Tigers, scoring 11 second-chance points from 12 offensive rebounds. The active Auburn defense factored into the win, affecting the Bonnies, who committed several uncharacteristic miscues. St. Bonaventure came into the game averaging 11 turnovers per game but had 11 turnovers in the first half alone. For the game, the Bonnies had 16 turnovers, resulting in 24 Auburn points. For the second straight game in Brooklyn, Auburn benefitted from its opponent’s inability to make 3-pointers. One day after Notre Dame finished 2-of-26 from behind the arc, the Bonnies made just three of their 24 3-point attempts. Combined, Auburn's opponents in the Legends Classic were just 5-of-50 from 3-point range. Auburn, for the first time this season, was able to consistently get stops without fouling in the second half. Auburn’s first three opponents combined for 56 second-half free-throw attempts, but the Bonnies shot just 13 free throws in the entire game, with just ten attempts in the second half. After scoring a combined 33 points in the two tournament games, Broome was named MVP of the Legends Classic, with Williams also making the all-tournament team. "Honestly, I didn't know I was going to get MVP," Broome said. "I was focused on my teammates and celebrating a win. I was trying to get hyped." From 2005 to 2018, Auburn did not win a multi-team tournament event. The Tigers’ victory in the Legends Classic, however, was their third win in such events since 2019, and their second straight. The Tigers won the Legends Classic in 2019 and the Cancun Challenge in 2022. The Tigers outscored their two Legends Classic opponents by a combined 41 points, beating Notre Dame by 24 and the Bonnies by 17. After three neutral-site contests in four games, Auburn returns home to face Alabama A&M on Tuesday evening.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Recap: Auburn blows out Notre Dame in Legends Classic Brian Hauch 2–3 minutes Auburn Basketball is one win away from adding to its trophy case. The Tigers blew the roof off of the Barclays Center on Thursday Night, cruising past ACC opponent Notre Dame 83-59 Auburn was incredible on the offensive end in this one, shooting 54% from the field and 45% from the 3-point line. Freshmen Aden Holloway was again the star, scoring 15 points while also dishing out 4 assists. He turned the ball over just once. Forward Johni Broome has become “Mr. Reliable” for head coach Bruce Pearl. The junior crossed the 15-point plateau for the third straight time this season, finishing with 15 points on the dot in this one. Broome did miss his third straight double-double of the season, but made up for it by dishing out a season-high 4 dimes. Forwards Jaylin Williams and Chris Moore and guard Tre Donaldson also scored in double figures, shooting a combined 12/19 from the field. Auburn’s offense was great in the blowout win, but the real story was the Tigers defense. The Orange and Blue held Notre Dame to just 2/25 from the 3-point line and 34% from the field. Fighting Irish star-freshman guard Markus Burton came into this game averaging 24 points in his collegiate career. He had just 12 on Thursday night, shooting an atrocious 4/19 in the loss. This game showed how good this Auburn team can look when they are playing well on both ends of the floor. Results like this are great to see after the Tigers struggled on the offensive end at many points last season. Bruce Pearl has a chance to lead his team to its first trophy of the season on Friday, when Auburn takes on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the Championship game of the Legends Classic. The Tigers should be favored. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

al.com 3 takeaways from Auburn’s 83-59 win against Notre Dame Updated: Nov. 16, 2023, 10:05 p.m.|Published: Nov. 16, 2023, 10:02 p.m. 5–6 minutes BROOKLYN, NY - NOVEMBER 16 - Dylan Cardwell (44) during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. Photo by Steven Leonard/Auburn TigersSteven Leonard/Auburn Tigers Auburn headed to its second neutral site location in as many weeks Thursday as it took on Notre Dame at the Barclays Center. It was as dominant as Auburn has looked in its first three games of the season, beating Notre Dame 83-59. Notre Dame has struggled to begin the year and has a new look under first-year coach Micah Shrewsberry. But that doesn’t take away from the improvement Auburn showed compared to its first two games. The Tigers are now 2-1 overall this season. It was the most complete Auburn has looked this season. Here are our three takeaways. Auburn’s defense looked the best it has all year Let’s start by noting Notre Dame has not shown to be a great offense this year. But that doesn’t take away the fact tonight showed the most growth in Auburn’s defense at any point this year. After two games where Auburn played poorly on defense and admitted as much. So it has been a significant focus for this Tigers team to work on. Much of Auburn’s defensive work to get better defensively has come in its movements, and making sure they properly communicate and play off one another. So it would make sense that Auburn’s defense against Notre Dame looked its best rotating in any game this season. Auburn forced three shot clock violations in the first 12 minutes. Largely, it was because early in the game Auburn hardly allowed anything inside. It forced Notre Dame to shoot 3-pointers over Auburn’s defense. The Irish missed their first 11 3-pointers of the game, all coming in the first half. The defense lapsed near the end of the first half without the same speed and physicality that had characterized the first 17 minutes. The Irish closed the lead down to six at halftime. And all Auburn’s defense did was lock back in to begin the second half on an 11-0 run which jump-started Auburn pulling away for good. More on that run below. It said a lot about this Auburn team. Aden Holloway got his first start and still is good at basketball Tre Donaldson had been the leader in Auburn’s point guard battle throughout the fall. Largely that was due to his experience in Auburn’s offense compared to the 5-star freshman Aden Holloway. Holloway, too, dealt with an ankle injury late in the preseason. So it made sense that Donaldson was the starter over Auburn’s first two games. But Holloway had played so well behind him. He won SEC Freshman of the Week after scoring 15 points per game in Auburn’s two first contests. It was thus fairly to plan that he worked his way up into the starting lineup. And he yet again was just the same highly-talented, knock-down shooter he’s quickly proven to be. A wildly exciting player, Holloway scored 15 points and made four 3-pointers. His ability to drain contested 3s remains an elite attribute. He’s got one of, if not the most, pure shots on this team. Donaldson had another good game in his own right. He’s been reliable for Auburn in all three games regardless of his role. He and Holloway combined for 25 points and 10 assists against two turnovers. An opening second-half run that showed Auburn’s early development In some ways, this game mirrored Auburn’s season-opening loss to Baylor. Auburn played well and jumped out to a first-half lead in that game before the defensive wheels came off in the second half — beginning with a Baylor run right out of halftime. Against Notre Dame? Auburn played well in the first half and jumped out to a lead. The Notre Dame run came in the final three minutes of the first half. Auburn didn’t respond when Baylor made a run. Auburn absolutely responded Thursday night. In the second half, Auburn opened up on an 11-0 run and outscored Notre Dame 28-11 over the first 10 minutes. It had 10 rebounds before Notre Dame had a single one in the second half. It had 10 assists to three turnovers over the first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Auburn forced Notre Dame into 4-14 shooting over that first 10-minute stretch and 0-7 on 3-pointers. It was contributions from all across Auburn’s deep roster as the lead grew from six points at halftime up to double digits and eventually 20+ points before cruising to the finish. This stretch was the best of what Auburn can be as a basketball team. Auburn hadn’t put together much, if any, play with the elite offense Auburn has proven to be capable of alongside dominant defense — let alone an extended stretch like the second-half run. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

al.com Auburn’s next big upgrade? The Jordan-Hare Stadium north endzone scoreboard. Updated: Nov. 16, 2023, 6:58 p.m.|Published: Nov. 16, 2023, 6:53 p.m. 3–4 minutes Outside Jordan-Hare Stadium on the Auburn University campus on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Ben Flanagan Auburn’s athletic department has made various smaller-scale upgrades to Jordan-Hare Stadium during athletic director John Cohen’s first year. Yet with the announcement of every premium seating addition or concession stand change, fans have frequently commented on the scoreboard in the north endzone at Jordan-Hare Stadium. On Thursday’s edition of Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show, Cohen said a change is at last coming. The exact details of how and when are not yet clear, but Cohen said he plans on putting a video board to replace the antiquated display on that side of the field. “We’re working behind the scenes to create a plan,” Cohen said. “When does it happen? How long does it take once you start? What is the plan? Is there connective tissue to the university in that plan?” During the show, Cohen said he brought architects and engineers to last week’s game against Arkansas — which has video boards in both endzones — as Auburn continues to seek inspiration. He also mentioned the stadiums at Notre Dame and Florida State as possible concepts to model after. It will help, Cohen said, for students to no longer need to turn all the way around when in their seats to see the current and only video board Auburn has. Included in the concept for the new scoreboard, Cohen mentioned creating additional premium seating in the north endzone as part of a larger renovation project. “We’re going to design a state-of-the-art video board in the north end that’s going to fit in with several premium areas of the north endzone. Hopefully featuring a top level, a mid level with suites and a club. Then a group level, a field-level facility that allows fans to see the game at field level.” In an interview with AL.com earlier this fall, Cohen also mentioned the north endzone as among his top priorities in year two of the job. “I just got out of a meeting where we’re discussing the possibilities in the north end zone. Possibilities of video boards in the north endzone,” Cohen said in September. “The possibility of creating a full-time practice facility for our volleyball team. The possibilities of all these different facilities that we have. How do we tweak this? How do we move this? The baseball facility improvements that were approved before I got here, tweak them and move them to just make them a little bit better. A little bit more cost-effective. A little more economic. A little more functional. I love that. I love the words function, making things functional. And I love the word precision.” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

Auburn's Butch Thompson talks about his team after fall practices. AUBURN, Alabama—Following the losses of shortstop Cole Foster, third baseman Bryson Ware, catcher Nate LaRue and center fielder Kason Howell, coach Butch Thompson knew this fall was going to be an important one for his team heading towards the 2024 season. Going out and adding several key transfers to go along with a strong signing class and some key returners, the Auburn baseball Tigers hit the practice field this fall with some business to take care of. Growing from an early trip to Tuscaloosa, the Tigers beat Louisiana Tech in a pair of games two weeks ago before finishing things off with their own world series that wrapped up on Tuesday. Seeing improvement across the board, Thompson said shoring up some of those questions was probably the biggest news of the fall for his team. “It has been a great group,” Thompson said. “They have done well on the field. They have done well with 20+ new guys getting used to one another. We grew as a ballclub. That was the biggest challenge off of our first barometer of playing in Tuscaloosa. Could we get to the fastball? Could we have at-bats? We grew as we went through it. “What I talked about first was shortstop, third base and catcher and how we would fill that. You feel like Cooper Weiss, Deric Fabian, Javon Hernandez and even a Caden Green coming back, those four guys give you some type of rotation at second, short and third. All three catchers (Ike Irish, Carter Wright, Cale Stricklin) did good. We started playing Ike a little bit in right field. He did a good job. I’m super excited about Stricklin, the true freshman. Wright is a veteran and has been in the program. I think all three guys could catch for us.” With the infield coming together because of the transfers and new additions, Auburn got some huge news late in the fall with the return of first baseman Cooper McMurray to the lineup in a designated hitter role. Limited to at-bats after having some cleanup work done on his knee, McMurray homered twice during the world series and should give the Tigers some punch at the plate once again this season. In the outfield, returning starter Bobby Peirce homered against Louisiana Tech and twice more in the world series as he continues to show more pop at the plate. Chris Stanfield is back and has shifted to the center field spot while Jacksonville State transfer Mason Maners has played well as the third starter most days. True freshmen Cole Edwards and Cade Belyeu have both swung the bat well and could push for playing time in the outfield this coming season. With veterans such as Chase Allsup, Tanner Bauman, John Armstrong and Will Cannon back along with talented sophomores like Zach Crotchfelt, Hayden Murphy and Drew Nelson, there are plenty of options on the mound for the Tigers heading into the season. With Joseph Gonzalez back, but ramping up slowly to get prepared for the season, it opened up the door for some newcomers to step up and that’s exactly what happened. One of the top pitchers of the fall was true freshman Cam Tilly “We have 80 percent of our innings back, so there are some guys we can lean on and trust,” Thompson said. “I can’t tell you how excited I am about some of our new arms. I don’t have to make a long list, but when you say Cam Tilly and Dylan Watts, two new right-handers to start with. At least I feel like we’re a little more left-handed and have some guys to go with a Bauman, who is proven.”

247sports.com PMARSHONAU College football and a bizarre system Phillip Marshall 8–10 minutes Where college football is headed, no one knows In college football, hiring head coaches is the ultimate roll of the dice. Athletics directors spend big money on search firms to help them out. They vet and vet some more. And finally, they make decisions. They call press conferences to celebrate those decisions and welcome the new leaders to town. Problem is, if an AD stays around, there is a good chance he’ll return to that podium and announce that there will be a “a change of leadership” in the football program. The coach that was announced with such joy will take his millions in buyout money and move on. And the process will begin again. In one way, being a big-time head coach carries little security. A coach’s future depends on how a bunch of 18-22-year-olds perform. On the other hand, what could be more secure than knowing if you fail at your job, you will receive so much money to leave that you’ll never have to work another day in your life if you don’t want to? There is really nothing anybody can do about it. It will be illegal for university presidents to collude to hold salaries down. As long as one program is paying obscene salaries, others will follow. Agents get wealthy. Athletics directors make seven-figure salaries. An assistant Power 5 coach making $300,000 is not considered highly paid. Coordinators and even some position coaches make seven figures. Some teen-age players even become wealthy. How much players are making from NIL money is anybody’s guess. It’s not public record. What a bizarre system has grown out of a game played college students. Where it is headed, nobody knows. Just look at recent history. Gene Chizik won a national championship in his second season at Auburn and was gone after his fourth season. Gus Malzahn won an SEC championship and played for the national championship in his first season. He stayed for eight seasons and never had a losing record, but he also never lost fewer than four games. He was unceremoniously fired in 2020. Ed Orgeron won a national championship at LSU in 2019 and was fired in 2021. I could go on. But it’s part of the craziness that is college football. No matter what a coach has done in previous jobs, there is no guarantee he will do the same in a new program. In the SEC, Nick Saban has been a dominant force since 2008, his second season at Alabama. Kirby Smart has won or contended for championships every season since 2017, his second season. But early success often doesn’t mean extended success. Josh Heupel went 7-6 in his first season at Tennessee and was all the rage after going 11-2 last season. But he lost a generational quarterback and some great receivers. Suddenly, his offense became easier to stop. This season’s Tennessee team has lost three games and will likely lose a fourth when Georgia visits Saturday. Brian Kelly continues to be praised. Last season, his first at LSU, he won maybe the weakest West Division since the SEC split into divisions in 1992. But last season’s team gave up half a hundred to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game after losing to Texas A&M, which had lost six straight, in the final game of the regular season and lost four games. He’s lost three games this season because of a weak defense. The Jimbo Fisher story is well-known. He was given a massive deal because he won a national championship at Florida State. He also oversaw the collapse of the program, but that seemed to go unnoticed. He had 10-1 record in the COVID year of 2020 and got a massive new deal. Sunday, he was fired. He will receive a record buyout of $76 million. First-year Mississippi State coach Zach Arnett was fired after Saturday’s loss at Texas A&M. He’ll get $4 million for his trouble. Arkansas’ Sam Pittman might be the next to go. If he is, he will be paid handsomely to leave. Eli Drinkwitz is having really good season. He did not have a winning record in any of three previous seasons at Missouri. What will the future hold? Nobody knows. Shane Beamer got great praise for a strong finish to a 7-6 season in 2022. This season? Not so much. Other than Saban and Smart, no coach in the SEC is safe for the long term. Not one of them. Coaches are paid multimillion-dollar salaries, hundreds of millions are spent on facilities, donors fork over more millions for NIL collectives. With all that comes soaring expectations. One good season can push those expectations even higher. And meeting those expectations becomes harder.

247sports.com Auburn Opponent Preview Tigers take on New Mexico State Jason Caldwell 5–7 minutes Auburn’s Hugh Freeze knows all too well how dangerous New Mexico State is this time of year. Last season the Liberty Flames were a big favorite at home only to fall to the Aggies just hours before Freeze took the Auburn job. Now he’ll face them in his first season coaching the Tigers. Coming off an impressive win over Arkansas for a third consecutive SEC win, Auburn has plenty of momentum going into this weekend, but Freeze said they better be ready for what’s coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.m. New Mexico State (8-3, 6-1) has already clinched a spot in the Conference USA title game and comes in with plenty of confidence. “We have more work to do and it starts this week with our return to Jordan-Hare and playing what I think is one of the better Group of Five teams,” Freeze said. “They've gotten better and better and better as the year has progressed. I know Jerry Kill really well. He is one heck of a ball coach and he'll have his guys ready. And they've continued to improve as the year has went on. And they're a very talented team and play extremely hard. We're going to need Jordan-Hare to be at its best and we need to keep the momentum going.” The player that leads the way for New Mexico State on offense is quarterback Diego Pavia. Guiding an offense that averages 28.7 points and 420 yards of total offense per game, Pavia is completing 59.7 percent of his passes for 2,257 yards and 19 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also leads the team with 705 rushing yards and five carries. “Very talented quarterback,” Freeze said. “Extremely, extremely tough and mobile. He's a handful for sure. And they're using him in a lot of ways, in a lot of motions and shifts and formations and they've got a really good plan and he can make a lot of things happen with his feet.” That’s a big question this week after Pavia tweaked a hamstring in last week’s game. On Tuesday, coach Jerry Kill said that his quarterback is ‘day-to-day.’ If he’s unable to go it would be a huge blow for the Aggies. Pavia is just part of a rushing attack for New Mexico State that averages 206 yards per game on the ground. Running backs Star Thomas and Monte Watkins have combined for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns this season with Watkins a big play threat. In 11 games the sophomore has carried the ball just 49 times, but is averaging 10.8 yards per carry. New Mexico State has six players that have caught at least 11 passes this season with sophomore Jonathan Brady leading the way with 29 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns. Despite catching just 22 passes for 351 yards, junior Trent Hudson has seven touchdown catches. Up front, the offensive line leads the way and has been a driving force for a running game that has gone for 170 yards or more in 14 straight games. The Aggies have gone over 200 yards in three of the last four games. Defensively, New Mexico State comes in ranked 38th nationally in scoring defense, giving up 20.8 points per game against a schedule that hasn’t featured a Power 5 opponent to this point. Allowing just 135.7 rushing yards per game, the Aggies are strong up front. But, they have struggled against the pass at times, giving up 239.5 yards per game through the air. Sophomore linebacker Keyshaun Elliott is having a monster season for the Aggies with 77 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss. The pressure comes from an active front for New Mexico State with stud linebacker Buddha Peleti leading the team with 4.5 sacks while linemen Sterling Webb, Isaiah Reed, Nikhil Webb Walker and Gabriel Iniguez have combined for 11 sacks. As a team, New Mexico State is tied for 37th nationally with 25 total sacks. X 1 Chris Bellamy 6-2 200 Sr. 14 Trent Hudson 6-3 190 Jr. 18 Jordin Parker 5-9 170 R-Jr. H 6 Jonathan Brady 6-0 190 So. 5 Bryce Childress 5-10 190 R-Jr. 0 PJ Johnson III 5-10 180 R-So. LT 71 Shiyazh Pete 6-8 325 R-So. 70 Kaden Stanton 6-5 315 Fr. 78 Cedric Claiborne 6-4 300 R-Jr. LG 51 AJ Vaipulu 6-2 300 So. 55 Shamarr Jackson 6-3 295 Jr. OR 54 Isaiah Mursalat 6-4 305 R-Sr. C 56 Canaan Yarro 6-1 300 R-Jr. 50 Cooper Sheehan 6-3 300 R-Fr. RG 66 Louie Canepa 6-4 310 R-Fr. 51 AJ Vaipulu 6-2 300 So. RT 78 Cedric Claiborne 6-4 300 R-Jr. 66 Louie Canepa 6-4 310 R-Fr. 77 Jacob Golden 6-6 310 R-Jr. TE 85 Thomaz Whitford 6-4 260 R-Sr. 19 Ron Tiavaasue 6-3 275 R-Sr. 88 Trevor Stephens 6-3 235 So. Z 11 Kordell David 6-3 205 R-Jr. 18 Jordin Parker 5-9 170 R-Jr. 17 Donovan Faupel 6-2 195 Fr. QB 10 Diego Pavia 6-0 200 Jr. 7 Eli Stowers 6-4 225 R-So. 9 Blaze Berlowitz 6-3 200 Fr. 13 Gavin Frakes 6-4 220 So. RB 3 Jamoni Jones 6-2 225 R-Jr. OR 4 Star Thomas 6-0 225 So. 8 Ahmonte Watkins 5-11 195 R-So. 22 Makihlyn Young 5-10 195 R-Fr. DEFENSE DT 26 Sterling Webb 6-2 300 So. OR 10 Gabriel Iniguez 6-2 250 So. NG 98 Izaiah Reed 6-1 310 Sr. OR 3 Dion Wilson 6-5 300 Jr. 95 Gabe Jones 6-4 280 Fr. DE 16 Gabe Peterson 6-2 250 So. 99 Nikhil Webb-Walker 6-6 270 R-Fr. 42 Noah Arinze 6-6 265 R-So. Nick. 15 Torren Union 6-2 195 R-Jr. 20 Mekhi Miller 6-1 200 R-Jr. Will 44 Keyshaun Elliott 6-3 225 So. 35 Tyler Martinez 6-2 225 So. Mike 14 Sone Aupiu 6-1 225 R-Fr. 1 Devlin Kirklin 6-1 205 R-Sr. CB 8 Andre Seldon 5-9 190 R-So. 7 Keonte Glinton 5-11 190 R-Jr. CB 4 BJ Sculark 5-11 185 R-Sr. 0 Reggie Akles 6-1 190 R-So. FS 13 Myles Rowser 6-1 195 So. 5 JJ Dervil 6-3 190 Jr. SS 24 Jordan Vincent 5-10 190 Jr. 11 Dylan Early 6-0 190 Jr. STUD 40 Buddha Peleti 6-2 250 So. OR 28 Jaden Robinson 6-4 255 R-Jr.

si.com "Not too many people have done that": Auburn CB Kayin Lee talks about playing as a true freshman Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes The freshman cornerback has made an instant impact in Auburn's defensive secondary. Kayin Lee has wasted no time making an impact since arriving on the Plains. The true freshman from Ellenwood, Georgia has seen the field a good amount this season and that will likely only increase over the next few seasons. "It means a lot to me," Lee said on playing as a true freshman in the SEC. "Not too many people have done that. I heard that Carlton Davis was one of the few to do that so just to have my name up there with him when it's all said and done just means a lot." Lee addressed how important being present for spring practice was for his development. "It was pretty cool," Lee said. "It was a lot of hard work, ups and downs, but it was just about building that team chemistry. Just doing my part and just getting better overall as a player." Auburn has a lot of talent in its defensive backfield including a lot of players who could have a shot at playing in the NFL next season. Lee talked about how beneficial it is to learn from guys like that. "It's pretty cool being around those type of guys," Lee said. "I can take bits and pieces from them. I'm in the office with them each and every day just trying to get better with them." Lee will certainly be one of Auburn's biggest impact players over the next few seasons. The Tigers return home this Saturday for a matchup with the New Mexico State Aggies. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT and the broadcast can be found on SEC Network.

al.com Why Auburn’s Hugh Freeze believes New Mexico State is a team that ‘could sting us’ Published: Nov. 16, 2023, 10:47 a.m. 5–6 minutes It’s standard for a coach to say he and his team are only focused on the game in front of them – even when a lesser opponent followed by a not-so-lesser opponent is next on the schedule. It’s coach speak. Alabama’s Nick Saban said it of hosting Chattanooga this week. Auburn’s Hugh Freeze also said it of welcoming New Mexico State to Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday. And while they both probably meant what they said, Freeze really, really means it. “We won’t talk about the other team that you mentioned,” Freeze said when asked about playing Alabama in two weeks. “We’ll talk about the one we have right in front of us that could sting us. And I’ve experienced that before.” It was Nov. 26, 2022 when Freeze’s Liberty football team hosted the New Mexico State Aggies at Liberty’s Williams Stadium. At the time, head coach Jerry Kill had New Mexico State sitting at 4-6 in his first year. Meanwhile, Freeze and the Flames boasted an 8-3 record heading into their regular season finale – a game that doubled as Freeze’s last at Liberty. And whether it was the distraction that came with the speculation that Freeze was well on his way to The Plains to take the helm of Auburn’s football program or something else, the Flames went on to be extinguished that day as the Aggies secured a 49-14 win. For that reason, Freeze isn’t just talking out the side of his neck when he says the Aggies have he and the Tigers’ full attention this week, despite the Iron Bowl looming large. “We have more work to do and it starts this week with our return to Jordan-Hare and playing what I think’s one of the better Group of Five teams,” Freeze said of hosting New Mexico State during his Monday morning press conference. “They’ve gotten better and better and better as the year has progressed. I know Jerry Kill really well. He is one heck of a ball coach and he’ll have his guys ready.” The Aggies will bring an 8-3 record and six-game win streak with them when they march into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. They also come with quarterback Diego Pavia – maybe. Kill said Tuesday that while Pavia practiced some, the Aggies’ starting quarterback is “day-to-day.” While Pavia’s injury wasn’t specified, local reporters speculate a hamstring injury after Pavia grabbed at his hamstring after a run play in the second quarter against Western Kentucky last week. And if anyone knows the importance of Pavia’s availability, it’s Freeze. During last year’s New Mexico State-Liberty game, Pavia produced video game-like numbers. Against the Flames in 2022, Pavia passed for 214 yards on a 16-for-21 passing performance, which featured three touchdowns. On the ground, Pavia was just as effective as he notched a 125-yard rushing performance, which featured another trio of touchdowns. In short, Pavia was responsible for six scores during last year’s win at Liberty. “Very talented quarterback. Extremely, extremely tough and mobile,” Freeze said of Pavia on Monday. “He’s a handful for sure. And they’re using him in a lot of ways, in a lot of motions and shifts and formations and they’ve got a really good plan and he can make a lot of things happen with his feet.” New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass during the first quarter of the team's NCAA college football game against Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)AP This season, Pavia has passed for more than 2,200 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. On the ground, the junior quarterback stands as New Mexico State’s leading rusher just less than 300 yards as he’s rushed for 822 yards and five touchdowns. “He’s shifty. He wants to make plays,” Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod said of Pavia. “He’s got almost 1,000 yards rushing and he’s got like what, 2,000 yards passing? He’s having a great year. Our biggest thing is definitely contain him.” Fortunately, Auburn’s defense is just getting over a game that featured a mobile quarterback in Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson. The Tigers sacked Jefferson five times in last week’s 48-10 win over the Razorbacks, putting Jefferson in “the boneyard.” However, McLeod heeds that Jefferson and Pavia, while both athletic, hurt teams with their legs in different ways. “It helps a lot but they’re completely different,” McLeod said Monday. “KJ wants to run you over, (Pavia) wants to make sure he jukes you and gets 10 more, 20 more yards… It’s one in the same, but different at the same time.” 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.

guns are bad enough but sawed off weapons are a really bad look as well as the modified glock. it makes me mad because it gives the haters ammo.

1819news.com Former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall arrested in Georgia | Alabama… Will Blakely | 11.13.23 2–3 minutes Photo from Wikipedia. Former Auburn Tigers quarterback Nick Marshall, who led the team to contend for the National Championship during the 2013 season, has been arrested and charged with possessing a “sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, dangerous weapon or silencer.” According to reports, police officers arrested Marshall on Wednesday in Columbus, Ga. Police also arrested a girl who was in the car with him named Lenequa Breshay Borders. Columbus’ WRBL reported that Marshall possessed an “automatic handgun,” which had been modified. Marshall transferred from the University of Georgia before leading Auburn to the National Championship game against Florida State University, which they lost. He famously completed a 73-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass in the final seconds of the team’s game against Georgia earlier that season. The 31-year-old Georgia native played in the National Football League for two seasons before signing with a team in the Indoor Football League, then later with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, part of the Canadian Football League. He is still listed on the team’s roster. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email will.blakely@1819news.com or find him on Twitter and Facebook.

todays healthtip.....yellow in front and brown in back.