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247sports.com Hunter coming alive at just the right time for Auburn offense Jason Caldwell ~3 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—Through his first five games of the 2023 season, Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter just looked like he was missing something. With just 218 yards rushing on 57 carries, the junior wasn’t his usual explosive self with the ball in his hands. The last two games has changed that. With 91 yards on 15 carries last week against Ole Miss and another 54 yards receiving, Hunter was just getting warmed up. He continued his strong play on Saturday in Auburn’s 27-13 win over Mississippi State with 144 yards on just 17 carries and another 26 yards receiving. Coach Hugh Freeze said he’s seen Hunter put in the work and now it’s paying off. “He doesn't say anything,” Freeze said. “He just works and runs a hundred miles an hour. Every, every run he gets he finishes, practices hard and, you know, again, I thought we had a really good plan against their stuff to run the ball and it worked in the first half and then they made their adjustments and give them credit for that. And we made a little adjustment on the last two possessions that helped us. We busted obviously a long run on one of those. And good to see Jarquez continue to have success.” Not arriving at Auburn until the summer and not working with Hunter until preseason camp, quarterback Payton Thorne said he’s not surprised to see the running back’s production taking off because of the work he puts in every day on and off the field. “It's the kind of stuff he's been doing, I would say,” Thorne said. “Just trusting what he's seeing and putting his foot in the ground when he needs to, getting the edge when he needs to. He works his butt off. He's a very powerful back; he doesn't go down easy. “But he also possesses some speed. So when we can get him out in open space, he can roll. I thought you saw all elements of his game tonight. Like I said before, he's an underrated guy in pass pro; he's been excellent so far. So he's a stonewall. He's been awesome.” Expected to be the guy that carried the load for the Auburn offense this year, Hunter has been MIA for much of the season. Now he’s back and feeling good about his game as the Tigers prepare for the stretch run of the season. “It was a rough start,” Hunter said. “I had to get back in a groove and get back in some momentum. But this second half of the season, I think, is going to be better. I try to get better at practice. If I practice hard, I play hard. That's where it all starts.”

247sports.com Auburn Undercover Podcast The significance of Auburns first SEC victory Nathan King 6–8 minutes Payton Thorne breaks down the win over Mississippi State"> It was on the tip of Hugh Freeze’s tongue, but he refused to call Saturday a “must-win.” Whatever the persuasion on whether Auburn’s matchup with Mississippi State fit that label, the Tigers knew they were going to be an unsatisfactory and uncomfortable position if they had lost their third straight game to the Bulldogs. “This was a big one for us, I think, with the remaining stretch that we have and going on the road the next two weeks,” Freeze said postgame. “This was kind of a — and you never want to say it, because you don't want to make too much of one game — but it had the feeling, for me, as a critical game.” The result was the one they’ve been craving, though, and Freeze and co. can breathe a deep sigh of relief, with some pressure alleviated — after four SEC losses of buildup. “I thought our kids and our staff responded very well this week,” Freeze said. The Tigers’ worst start in conference play since 2012 is no more, after they finally found some semblance of a passing game, and rode a 21-point halftime lead and continued consistency from their defense to a 27-13 victory over Mississippi State. Payton Thorne and the Auburn passing game came out with a rhythm for really the first time against a Power Five team, as the Tigers’ starting quarterback hit on 8-of-9 passes to begin the game, with a pair of touchdowns and 120 yards. Thorne hit a hat trick right before halftime, becoming the first Auburn quarterback to throw for three touchdowns in a game since Bo Nix against LSU in 2020 when he found Jeremiah Cobb in the end zone with nine seconds left in the second quarter. Thorne's final line of 20-of-26 passing for 230 yards and three scores marks his best performance of the season against a Power Five opponent, without a doubt. Auburn stalled on offense in the second half, though, and was unable to rekindle the fire it played with previously. Only one possession for the offense in the third quarter didn’t help, but the Tigers still went three-and-out on three straight possessions. Mississippi State and backup quarterback Mike Wright — starting his second straight game for the injured Will Rogers — made things interesting with some improved offense out of the locker room, including a 75-yard touchdown drive to trim the lead down to two scores at the start of the fourth quarter. Auburn’s defense did what it’s done most of the season, though, and continued to execute, forcing a timely three-and-out, then intercepting Wright on a throw into double coverage, then forcing a turnover on downs by stopping the Bulldogs on fourth-and-8 And for the first time since all the way back on Sept. 16 against Samford, Auburn players were able to skip over to the student section and celebrate. “Just a refreshing feeling, going back into the locker room with a win,” linebacker Eugene Asante said postgame. “I know how much guys were hungry for this win. I know how much we put into this game, and guys really do care about going out there and performing. So I'm just grateful to God that we got it done today.” With the exception of a 48-18 drubbing at LSU, Auburn’s felt it had opportunities to win, or at least remain in the game late, against every SEC opponent thus far. The two closest calls came at home, too, when No. 1 Georgia needed a late score to outlast Auburn 27-20, and Ole Miss was tied 14-14 with the Tigers for almost half the game before pulling away against a defense that was left out to dry by an offense that failed to score on eight straight possessions. “The ones where it was close, it was heartbreaking,” pass-rusher Jalen McLeod said. “But this one right here, we’re happy. You know, we went a month without winning so this one right here, it meant a lot. We’re going to use that momentum to go into next week.” Things were different Saturday, though. Against what was easily the lightest competition of SEC play so far, Auburn executed on offense early, scoring its most first-half points (24) in its last 15 SEC games. The Tigers’ little mistakes — they were still penalized seven times — didn’t come back to bite them as much as they did against better opponents, either. “Only go up from here,” running back Jarquez Hunter said. “We've just got to execute. This game is in the past. … Execute in practice. If we practice hard, we play hard.” Could an upward swing be in store for Auburn in the near future? On paper, the Tigers could be close to flipping their record to a winning one. What was a murderous start to the season, especially for a new team, featured three of Auburn’s first four Power Five games on the road, plus three straight top-15 opponents in Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss. ESPN FPI rated Auburn’s schedule through seven games as the third-toughest in college football. The next two, though, are against teams that are winless in the SEC — Vanderbilt and Arkansas — and will likely be a combined 0-10 in league play after Saturday night. Then comes the annual pre-Iron Bowl warmup against New Mexico State. Simply reaching the baseline six wins and bowl eligibility is obviously not the long-term goal for Freeze and his Auburn program. But it would be an improvement off last season, and players continued to reiterate how much they want to get this team back to the postseason, if not simply to give the seniors more time with their team, and maybe what would be the only bowl win of their Auburn careers. And with some confidence gathered Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Tigers could very well be positioned to go on a mini winning streak in November. “Well, you hope that it gives us a lot of confidence and maybe a little swagger to go play with confidence on the road,” Freeze said. “... We've got two games that obviously you look at and you think we can win 'em. But as I know from being in this league before, you can also lose them. And your confidence is a huge, huge factor and key in that. And hopefully that's what today did.” *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

247sports.com Instant Impressions Auburn 27 Mississippi State 13 Nathan King 7–9 minutes For the first time as Auburn's head coach, Hugh Freeze is back in the SEC win column. Payton Thorne and the Tigers exploded on offense in the first half with easily their best performance against a Power Five opponent, and Auburn's defense held on down the stretch in a 27-13 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon. Here are Auburn Undercover's instant impressions, as the Tigers are off to a strong start in what's a much more manageable second half of their SEC schedule. CATHARTIC DAY FIRST HALF FOR PAYTON THORNE Auburn’s passing game has been the SEC worst for most of the season. Thorne in particular, in his first year as Auburn’s starter, entered Saturday last place in the league in QBR. Consistency had been almost impossible for the Tigers to attain through the air. That was, until Saturday afternoon in Jordan-Hare Stadium, where it was apparent through just a couple possessions that Auburn was able to shift to another gear as a passing attack for the first time under Hugh Freeze’s watch. Thorne was precise, consistent and explosive from the get-go, hitting 10 of his first 11 passes, as the Michigan State transfer tallied three passing touchdowns in the first half alone. By halftime, Thorne had easily his best stat line of the year against a Power Five team: 15-of-20 for 192 yards and three touchdowns. With a gorgeous over-the-shoulder toss to Jeremiah Cobb out of the backfield and into the end zone right before halftime, Thorne became the first Auburn quarterback to throw for three touchdowns against an SEC opponent since Bo Nix against LSU in 2020. Thorne’s second incompletion of the game didn’t come until midway through the second quarter With his best quarterback rating in Power Five game since midway through the 2021 season at Michigan State, Thorne paced Auburn’s best first-half scoring performance in its last 15 SEC games, as 24 points marked the team’s most since it was up 28-10 at halftime the last time Mississippi State came to Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2021. Auburn’s 301 yards at halftime are better than any Power Five matchup this season, for the entire game, with the exception of the matchup against No. 1 Georgia. DIVERSIFIED PASS-CATCHERS Auburn’s wide receivers had been just as inconsistent as the rest of the passing game, totaling just 19 catches across the first four SEC games of the season. In a resurgent performance for the group against Mississippi State, the Tigers’ receiving corps had 12 catches for 136 yards. That total included Ja’Varrius Johnson’s 45-yard touchdown reception in the first half — the longest play of the season by an Auburn receiver — and Shane Hooks’ 27-yard touchdown on the first drive. Johnson hadn’t had a catch since Week 2 at Cal; Hooks hadn’t caught a pass since Week 4 at Texas A&M. In all, 11 different Auburn players caught a pass in the game, as the Tigers utilized more tempo offensively than they’d displayed most of the season. But that success screeched to a halt in the second half, where Thorne completed only five passes. TIGERS MOSTLY STRONG DEFENSIVELY Mississippi State had blowtorched Auburn’s defense during its wins the past two seasons, but that quarterback was in street clothes Saturday. With four-year starter Will Rogers missing his second straight game due to a shoulder injury, Vanderbilt transfer Mike Wright got the nod again. Auburn was stunned a bit on the Bulldogs’ first series, when they had 49 yards across their first three players of the game. But as they’ve done most of the season, it didn’t take long for the Tigers to settle in and adjust nicely. Mississippi State had just 54 yards over its next 20 plays. The Bulldogs worked their way down the field twice in the first half but came up with only 3 points, after Wright stumbled and was stopped on a fourth-and-1 attempt at Auburn’s 30-yard line with 74 seconds left in the first half. Auburn proceeded to march down the field, led by Thorne, and went up three touchdowns at halftime. On a week where Freeze emphasized third-down success, Mississippi State failed to convert on its first six attempts of the game in that department. Mississippi State was also shorthanded on the ground, as leading rusher Jo’Quavious Marks did not play after suffering a lower-body injury last week. BUT MISS STATE MAKES THINGS INTERESTING During a brief third quarter, Mississippi State began finding some rhythm on the ground. The Bulldogs had 99 rushing yards in that quarter alone, including runs of 37 and 22 yards. Without Marks, running backs Seth Davis and Jeffery Pittman were strong, combining for 113 yards. Wright had a strong connection with receiver Zavion Thomas all game, and he hooked up with him in the back of the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter to trim the Tigers’ lead to two touchdowns. Thomas had 101 of Wright's first 106 passing yards in the game and finished with 112 receiving yards. Auburn’s 65-second touchdown drive right before halftime proved to be crucial, as it gave the Tigers some breathing room when Mississippi State was the better team for a large chunk of the second half. After the Bulldogs’ first touchdown of the game, Auburn quickly went three-and-out, giving Mississippi State and opportunity to trim the lead further. The Tigers got a well-timed three-and-out of their own, though, forcing Wright into an errant throw on third-and-8, but their offense followed up with yet another three-and-out. The Bulldogs converted a third-and-12 after Antonio Harmon slipped a tackle by Donovan Kaufman and went 21 yards. But Wright heaved the ball into double coverages two plays later, and Zion Puckett came up with his second interception in as many games. Auburn went three-and-out for the third straight time, though, after an illegible man downfield wiped away a third-down conversion, and Oscar Chapman punted from his own end zone. Mississippi State went down the field and moved the chains on a fourth-and-2 inside Auburn's 30-yard line, as the clock ticked inside four minutes. Auburn needed one more stop on fourth-and-8 in the red zone with three minutes remaining, and Wright's pass sailed out of the back of the end zone. Wright was much more effective for Mississippi State down the stretch, completing 12-of-22 passes in the second half compared to 4-of-10 in the first half Auburn’s offense trailed off after halftime, too. The Tigers had only six first downs after the break, compared to 15 in the first half. Their explosive offense was suddenly constricted, as their yards-per-play mark severely dipped from 8.4 yards in the first half to 4.4 after halftime. RUN GAME PROVIDES MIXED RESULTS Led by Jarquez Hunter once again, the Tigers had some mixed results on the ground. The Mississippi native was strong for the second straight game, posting 144 rushing yards, plus 26 yards through the air. Hunter now has 315 yards from scrimmage over his past two games. Thorne continued to be a weapon with his legs, too, with 38 yards on the ground. He was sacked only once in the game, as Auburn’s offensive line held up with one of its better performances of the year thus far. Damari Alston returned from injury and contributed 9 yards on four carries. Auburn had a respectable 186 yards rushing for the game, but were limited for the most part in the second half before Hunter ripped off a 50-yard run on the final drive.

al.com 3 takeaways from Auburn's 27-13 win over Mississippi State Updated: Oct. 28, 2023, 6:43 p.m.|Published: Oct. 28, 2023, 5:37 p.m. 6–7 minutes Well, that was fun. Auburn’s offense hadn’t had anywhere near the kind of production it did in Saturday afternoon’s win over Mississippi State since the Tigers’ win over Samford in Week 3 on Sept. 16. The Tigers came out fast and furious as head coach Hugh Freeze dialed up an up-tempo offensive approach and the Auburn defense held up its end of the bargain, not letting the Mississippi State offense find the end zone until the fourth quarter. With it all, the Tigers snapped their four-game losing streak and kept their hopes of bowl eligibility alive with a 27-13 win over the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon from Jordan-Hare Stadium. Here are the takeaways from Auburn’s win, which improves the Tigers to 4-4 (1-4 SEC) this season. Auburn uses lead-footed offense to attack Mississippi State early Prior to Saturday’s game against Mississippi State, the Auburn offense hadn’t scored on its first drive since the season opener against UMass on Sept. 2. Since the Tigers’ win in Week 1, four opening drives have ended in punts, with the other two ending in turnovers. But that finally changed against the Bulldogs Saturday as junior Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne and the Tigers’ offense generated an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that saw Auburn use the up-tempo approach Freeze said he, offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and Thorne felt more comfortable using. “My history has been around tempo, and RPO,” Freeze said Monday. “I think Monty is more comfortable in tempo, and it seems Payton is more comfortable in his skill set with some of that.” Auburn scored points in four of its six opening drives, while averaging a play every 25.5 seconds in the first half. Auburn’s 24-3 lead over Mississippi State was the Tigers’ largest halftime lead since leading Samford 17-0 and the second-most points they’d scored in one half since going up 31-7 at halftime against UMass in the season opener on Sept. 2 — much less the most points Auburn has scored against a Power 5 opponent all season. Thorne serves as true QB1, tosses 3 TDs in win Freeze said Thursday night during his time on Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show that the Tigers would have to throw the football if it wanted to have success against Mississippi State’s chaotic defensive front. And that statement alone had Auburn fans feeling antsy considering the Tigers’ season-long struggles passing the football. Prior to Saturday’s game, the most passing yards Auburn had tallied against a Power 5 opponent was 154 passing yards against LSU. The game prior against Ole Miss, Auburn’s quarterbacks tallied just 26 passing yards in the first three quarters before finding a bit of momentum in a fast-paced fourth quarter. But finally, with Thorne acting as the Auburn’s main quarterback Saturday and Robby Ashford only taking a small handful of snaps, the Tigers’ offense was able to successfully pick apart the Mississippi State defense — both on the ground and through the air. In Thorne’s first two drives, he went 8-for-9 through the air for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns — a mark that eclipsed Auburn’s total passing numbers in four different games this season. And again, Thorne did it in just two drives. By halftime, Thorne had tallied 192 passing yards on a 15-for-20 passing effort and three touchdowns. And for those who haven’t been keeping track, it had been quite some time since Auburn had a quarterback toss three touchdowns against a SEC opponent. (Spoiler: It was Bo Nix against LSU in 2020) Thorne finished his day 20-for-26 for 230 yards and three touchdowns, completing passes to 11 different receivers. Ja’Varrius Johnson was Auburn’s most efficient pass catcher with two receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Shane Hooks and Jeremiah Cobb also hauled in touchdown passes Saturday. On the ground, it was junior running back Jarquez Hunter who led the way with 144 yards on 17 carries — including a 32-yard sprint and a jaw-dropping hurdle in the second quarter, and a 50-yard scamper in the final quarter. Auburn defense misses on shutout bid, but keeps Mississippi State out of the end zone until the final quarter After his ramble on his “Plankton mentality”, Auburn veteran defensive back Jaylin Simpson said Tuesday that the goal of the Tigers’ defense was to pitch a shutout. And with Mississippi State playing without its starting quarterback and its starting running back Saturday, it felt like a prime opportunity the Tigers to do just that. However, with senior quarterback Mike Wright under center and freshman running back Seth Davis relieving their injured teammates, the Bulldogs were still able to bite the Tigers’ defense with some chunk yardage plays. In Mississippi State’s opening drive, Wright connected with Zavion Thomas on a 32-yard pass in the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage. Two plays later, Lideatrick Griffin ripped off a 17-yard rush, forcing the Tigers’ defense to shake awake after two quick jabs to the gut. And once shaken awake, the Auburn defense settled back into the same bend-don’t-break mentality it’s played with all season and didn’t allow the Bulldogs to find the end zone until the fourth quarter, despite giving up a pair of field goals prior. Auburn junior linebacker Eugene Asante led the defense with nine tackles, a tackle for a loss and a pair of quarterback hurries, while senior safety was responsible for the game’s lone turnover as he intercepted Wright midway through the fourth quarter. 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.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Social media reacts to Auburn beating Mississippi State JD McCarthy ~3 minutes Auburn needed that. After weeks of struggling, Auburn’s offense came alive against Mississippi State as the Tigers beat the Bulldogs 27-13 Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The win snapped a four-game losing streak and was Hugh Freeze’s first conference win as Auburn’s head coach. It started in the first half as the Tigers had back-to-back touchdown drives to open the game. Payton Thorne finished the half 15 of 20 passing for 192 yards and three touchdowns and looked to be in complete control of the offense. He finished the day 20 of 26 for 230 yards and three touchdowns to have his best game as a Tiger. The offense took its foot off the gas in the second half as they protected the lead. The Bulldogs were able to cut into the lead but Auburn was able to pick up the much-needed win and provided optimism for the offense moving forward. The defense kept up its great work, holding the Bulldogs to 13 points and forcing the game’s only turnover. The offensive breakout in the first half fired up the Auburn fanbase which took to social media to celebrate the win, here is a look at the top reactions. This is the year. Payton Thorne has improved so much under this new offense. He’s focused. He’s having fun — Dan Peck (@DanielAllenPeck) October 28, 2023 I will gladly watch games in Porto for the entire season if it will help Auburn. Anything for the alma mater. #WarEagle — John Carvalho (@John_P_Carvalho) October 28, 2023 The coaches are putting Payton Thorne in a position to succeed and he is BALLIN’ 🤩 — Babysitter Bari (@BabysitterBari) October 28, 2023 PAYTON THORNE??!!! WHO IS THIS GUY!!! — Auburn Barstool (@WarDamnStool) October 28, 2023 Shane Hooks with a grown man touchdown reception. — Sir Barnsalot 🍤 (@barnsalot) October 28, 2023 We threw the ball and scored. I repeat, WE THREW THE BALL AND SCORED. — Heather (@Heather_ishh) October 28, 2023 WHAT A HALF OF FOOTBALL. HUGH I SEE YOU — Aubie’s son🦅 (@AubieSon) October 28, 2023 Good dub. 14 point win, don’t like the second half but we needed that badly — Eli Gravitt (@EliGravitt) October 28, 2023

auburnwire.usatoday.com Instant Analysis: Auburn ends losing streak with win over Mississippi State Taylor Jones 4–5 minutes It took five tries, but Hugh Freeze has earned his first SEC win as Auburn’s head coach. Auburn used a dominating first half to coast past Mississippi State, 27-13, on Saturday afternoon at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC) jumped out to a dominating 24-3 halftime lead after posting 301 total yards. Quarterback Payton Thorne appeared to be comfortable throughout the game, as he tossed three passing touchdowns in the first half on his way to a 230-yard performance. Mississippi State (4-4, 1-4 SEC) busted for 223 total yards in the second half, but they could not overcome the giant first-half deficit laid out by Auburn. The Tigers dominated the first quarter by outgaining the Bulldogs, 163-77 en route to a 14-3 lead. Thorne completed eight passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. On the Tigers’ initial drive, he connected with Shane Hooks on a 27-yard pass with 11:38 remaining in the quarter to put the Tigers up, 7-0. After a Mississippi State field goal on their first possession, Thorne again led Auburn on a 75-yard drive that ended with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Varrius Johnson to extend the Auburn lead to 14-3. Jarquez Hunter was the Tigers’ leading rusher with 61 yards on six carries. Auburn added 10 points to their total in the second quarter to take a 24-10 lead into the locker room for halftime. Kicker Alex McPherson jumped into the box score by connecting on a 39-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining in the 2nd quarter. The Tigers ended the half on a touchdown connection between Thorne and freshman running back Jeremiah Cobb for a seven-yard touchdown pass to extend the Auburn lead to 24-10 with 0:09 remaining. Auburn’s first half ended with 301 total yards, compared to Mississippi State’s 122-yard output. Thorne ended the half with 192 passing yards and three scores with a completion percentage of 75%. He completed a pass to 11 different receivers in the first half, with Rivaldo Fairweather hauling in three passes for 22 yards. Defensively, Keionte Scott and Eugene Asante recorded five tackles each. Asante and Jalen McLeod had a tackle for loss. The third quarter was rather quiet, as both teams traded field goals. Mississippi State’s Kyle Ferrie nailed his second field goal of the day from 40 yards with 9:10 to go in the quarter. McPherson answered with 3:14 to go in the 3rd quarter to extend Auburn’s lead to 27-6. Thorne added 32 yards to his passing total in the quarter to break the 200-yard mark for the second time this season. State opened the 4th quarter by scoring their first touchdown of the game. Wright found Zavion Thomas from 14 yards away on the first play of the quarter to trim Auburn’s lead to 27-13. Mississippi State had a chance to cut the lead even more, but a fourth down attempt from the Auburn 13-yard line did not work in their favor, allowing Auburn to run out the clock. Auburn outgained Mississippi State, 416-345. Thorne completed 20 passes to 11 different receivers, with Rivaldo Fairweather making four catches for 31 yards. Yardage-wise, Ja’Varrius Johnson led the team with 59 yards on two catches. Hunter’s day ended with 144 yards, which goes down as his first 100-yard game of the season. Defensively, Eugene Asante led the team in tackles with nine, while Jalen McLeod recorded two tackles for loss. Zion Puckett recorded his second interception in as many games in the 4th quarter. Auburn will go for their second SEC win of the season next week on the road at Vanderbilt. The Tigers and Commodores will face off at FirstBank Stadium next Saturday at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network. 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__

Auburn’s Hugh Freeze remarks on the late Mike Leach’s ‘rare quality’ Published: Oct. 27, 2023, 7:30 a.m. ~3 minutes Head to Head: Auburn vs. Mississippi State In spirit of Auburn hosting Mississippi State Saturday afternoon, it wasn’t a surprise that Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was asked if he had his own “Mike Leach story.” After all, it seems everyone in the college football world has a story featuring Leach, who coached at Mississippi State from 2020-22 before unexpectedly dying of complications from a heart condition on Dec. 12, 2022. He was 61. “Coach Leach and I, we weren’t real close. I didn’t get to know him,” Freeze admitted Thursday night. “But I think everybody that was in college football had a Leach story.” Considering Freeze was coaching at Liberty when Leach was at Mississippi State and Leach was at Washington State when Freeze was at Ole Miss, the two rarely crossed paths. However, there was one interaction Freeze had with Leach, which he recalled Thursday night during Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show. “Mine is really one phone call that I had with him about a possible hire I was going to make,” Freeze said. “Usually those take about five minutes, and Coach Leach’s conversation with me lasted about 30.” Leach was never known for concise conversations. More times than not, his press conferences turned into ramblings about who knows what. Pirates, wedding planning, dinosaurs, Big Foot, aliens... you name it, Leach had probably talked about it — and in great detail, at that. But as Freeze experienced on that phone call that day, no matter how longwinded or awry conversations with Leach went, the late Mississippi State head coach was attentive. “I will never forget how he just made you feel like you had his full attention. That’s a rare quality in coaching,” Freeze said. “Normally, we’re like, ‘Man, how fast can I get out of this conversation and back to what I was doing.’ “But Coach Leach, he honored every minute that we were on the phone together and I’ll never forget that.” 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.

al.com Why did Auburn's Hugh Freeze want to know how his players drove in foggy conditions? Published: Oct. 27, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn Football Auburn’s Hugh Freeze asked his players if they had their driver’s license. What for? Head to Head: Auburn vs. Mississippi State Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze went around to each position room this week and asked his players if they had their driver’s license. “And is it current?,” Freeze said with a laugh during his time on Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show Thursday. “That’s an important question for a football team, typically, is man, is it suspended? Because we need to know that if it is.” And while Freeze said all that between chuckles Thursday night at Baumhower’s Victory Grille, there was a legitimate reason he asked his players about their driving habits. Freeze specifically wanted to know how his players approached driving in foggy conditions. While his players’ answers ranged from making sure their lights were on to just driving a bit slower, Freeze was chasing a specific, one-word answer. “The word I was looking for was ‘cautious’,” Freeze finally revealed. “I was raised in the country and I’ve had to drive in some foggy conditions and you drive very cautiously. And I feel like that’s the way we play sometimes.” Freeze’s anecdote on the set of Tiger Talk Thursday night was an extension of the message he shared with his team Monday morning as part of the team’s weekly “life talk”. Monday’s life talks are generally about 20 minutes long, Freeze says. And the inspiration for each of them come from various sources. This Monday, the message was all about “closed doors and unmet expectations”, which was a spin off last Sunday’s sermon given by Miles Fidell, who serves as the pastor at Auburn Community Church. “All of us face — at some point or another — closed doors or unmet expectations. And that’s never going to go away in life,” Freeze said Wednesday, echoing his message to the team. “And how we handle them, I think, will really determine how we get through them.” Auburn’s last four games have presented some pretty foggy situations as the Tigers have faced three teams currently ranked in the top 15. Meanwhile, Saturday’s game against Mississippi State is set to start a much more favorable stretch for Freeze and the Tigers, who are looking to snap a four-game skid. Freeze is just hoping his team can work its way out of the fog and therefore get out of situations in which the Tigers feel they have to play cautiously. “I want to do everything I can to remove the fog and the fear. Fear is just a liar and it’s really not real unless you give it power. And I want us to play really free and loose.” Freeze added that Auburn had two “really good” practices on Tuesday and Thursday as the Tigers prepare to host Mississippi State at Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday afternoon at 2:30. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

i shudder to think what the meltdown on the board will be if we lose today. i might have to take off for a few days..........lol

Lets get this one!

247sports.com Inside Keionte Scotts swift recovery return to Auburns defense Nathan King 6–8 minutes Keionte Scott felt the uncomfortable crackling through his helmet and knew right away. That was on the first drive of the game in Auburn’s Week 3 win over Samford. Scott was making a pre-snap check, crept up near the line of scrimmage, and was turned toward a teammate when Samford snapped the ball. He was off balance when blocked by an offensive linemen, and his foot turned awkwardly. The news wasn’t worst case for one of Auburn’s top players, but it was tough to stomach: Scott suffered a high-ankle sprain. He underwent what’s known as a “tightrope” procedure, and the rehabilitation began. Just over three weeks later, Scott returned to practice. Five weeks later, he played almost the entire game on defense for Auburn against Ole Miss. “Everybody, from my understanding, has considered this sort of a miracle,” Lekisha Hayes, Scott’s mother, said. Scott’s ahead-of-schedule return to the field is obviously a huge boost for the Tigers’ defense, getting their starting nickel cornerback — and a player Hugh Freeze has said “makes a huge difference" in our leadership — back in the fold. But how did Scott recover so quickly? Hayes said he outperformed the initial timetable given by Auburn’s medical team after his surgery, and that he was progressing “extremely well” by the second week after the procedure. “We didn’t know,” Hayes said. “I mean, he was out. He was out indefinitely, when the doctors explained it and showed it. … They told us six-to-eight weeks. We just sort of thought, well, who knows what could happen to the season.” Hayes and Scott’s sister were daily caretakers in the early stages of Scott’s rehabilitation, but help wasn’t far away when they needed it. Hayes had to call what she estimated to be less than five times in the middle of the night — most of the time if Scott’s pain suddenly increased — and it only took a few rings to get ahold of a member of Auburn’s medical staff. “A couple times it was 1 in the morning,” Hayes said, as she began breaking into tears. “As a mom, you’re just overjoyed to be part of an amazing football program that treats your son like this. When we were recruited, they told us, ‘If you love Auburn, it’ll love you back.’ It was all of that, and 10,000 times more. I was blown away at the love and support Keionte received every day.” There were times in the first week after Scott’s surgery where he could barely sleep because of the discomfort. When that pain began subsiding and Scott could put easily weight on his ankle was when the recovery took a big turn for the better, and Auburn’s staff began to think he could possibly be back on the field ahead of schedule. “The pain was the hardest part,” Hayes said. “That’s when I just had to go outside and pray. I’ve never seen him like that. I’ve never seen him where he can’t walk and where he can’t get up to feed himself. … The first time he ran out of the house, down the stairs, no boot or anything, I cried like a baby.” Hayes heaped praise onto Auburn head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart. “He recovered so fast because of this amazing medical staff,” Hayes said. “I really don’t see where they missed a beat in this whole process.” Scott was evaluated for a possible return ahead of Auburn’s trip to LSU earlier this month, after he practiced that week. But Auburn decided not to chance it and wait one more week. But at that point, Scott was back on the practice field with his teammates, after three weeks working primarily in the indoor facility with a trainer. He was occasionally joined by others with injuries that had popped up, like safety Jaylin Simpson, who hurt his calf in the Week 5 loss to Georgia. “It was just the little things (Scott) would say,” Simpson said this week. “Like, I’d be out there like, ‘Man, my leg is hurting, bro. I don’t know.’ And he’s like, ‘one percent’. He just kept saying, ‘one percent, one percent’, which means just like, one percent better every day. Just get one percent better. He just kept saying small things like that. And he had been out for longer than I was, so I’m just like man, he’s so determined. And I’ve been playing more than him. I know he wants to be out there just as bad as me, so let me just get my mind right. I mean who knows, maybe I still would’ve had a bad mindset if he wasn’t there with me. “So without him — that’s why I give him a lot of credit for my return. But his return is definitely very, very good for our defense right now.” Scott offered his encouragement for teammates after they did the same for him. In the first couple weeks of Scott’s recovery, players popped by almost daily to check on their teammate. “They’re the cutest little family,” Hayes said. “They just kept coming. They kept showing up. I didn’t even know all their names, but they were there.” Scott’s return was an effective one, as he played 76 snaps against Ole Miss and was Auburn’s top player in coverage. As the Tigers’ defense was holding down the Rebels for what was nearly 30 minutes of scoreless game time, Scott was targeted three times in coverage and didn’t allow a catch, registering one pass breakup, too. “The training staff did a good job of creating a plan and just trusting it and going to work every day,” Scott said postgame. “Just to be around my team again and be around those boys and practice with those boys again after just watching was just a blessing.” Scott’s anticipated second season on the Plains was nearly derailed, but the Tigers instead are getting healthier by the week at a number of important positions. In addition to Scott, linebacker Austin Keys returned against Ole Miss after suffering a broken thumb in the season opener, and running back Damari Alston is cleared to return this Saturday after missing the past three games with a dislocated shoulder. And Hayes has no doubts Scott will be at his best during this final month of Auburn’s schedule, as he looks to make up for some lost time — starting Saturday afternoon against Mississippi State (2:30 p.m. CDT, SEC Network). “He is in love,” Hayes said. “He is in love with this team. I know he loves football, but he loves these boys.” *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

si.com Auburn's rush yards before contact numbers are some of the best in the SEC Andrew Stefaniak 2–3 minutes This stat puts into perspective how the offensive line has helped the running backs. During Tank Bigsby's time in Auburn, it seemed like his talent was wasted as he would get contacted the second he touched the football. If felt like all of his big highlight runs, he was hit near the line of scrimmage and had to break a tackle to make a big run. One of the first things Hugh Freeze did when he got to Auburn was grab offensive linemen out of the transfer portal, and it seems to be working out thus far. Clark Brooks of SEC Stat Cat put out that Auburn's rush yards before contact number is 2.8, which is third in the SEC behind Tennessee (3.1) and Kentucky (2.9). The average in the SEC is 2.2, so Auburn is 0.6 above the average in the conference. This shows you why, despite the offensive struggles, Auburn has been able to run the football. The offensive line hasn't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it has been a step in the right direction. This Auburn football team needs to lean on the run if they want to beat some of the lesser remaining opponents on their 2023 schedule. This season's offensive line has been a breath of fresh air for Auburn fans.

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Auburn looks for historic turnaround Phillip Marshall 3–4 minutes The bad news: In the past 73 years, no Auburn football team has had a four-game losing streak and finished with a winning record. The good news: None of those teams had a gauntlet like Auburn’s past four games and the resulting opportunity for a strong finish. It’s also important to remember that not all losing streaks are created equal. If Auburn had played, a home game against a cupcake against, say, UMass or New Mexico State in October, there would be no losing streak beyond maybe two games. So half empty or at least close to half full? That is a personal choice. Auburn has had 10 seasons out of those 73 in which it had losing streaks of four games or more. Here are they are: 1950: 10 straight, 0-10 record (Earl Brown) 1951: 4 straight (last 4), 5-5 record (Shug Jordan) 1952: 5 straight, 2-8 record (Shug Jordan) 1976: 5 straight (last 5), 3-8 record (Doug Barfield) 1998: 4 straight, 3-8 record. (Terry Bowden/Bill Oliver) 1999: 5 straight, 5-6 record (Tommy Tuberville) 2008: 4 straight, 5-7 record (Tommy Tuberville) 2012: 5 straight, 3-9 record (Gene Chizik) 2021: 5 straight (last 5), 6-7 record (Bryan Harsin) 2022: 5 straight. 5-7 record (Bryan Harsin/Cadillac Williams) Auburn’s schedule this season reminds me somewhat of Tennessee’s back in the day. The Vols schedule was front-loaded with difficult games. Down the stretch they played much weaker teams and gained a reputation for winning in November. In 1988, they started 0-6 and finished 6-6. I say somewhat, because Auburn’s stretch run, while against weaker opponents than the last four games, is not nearly as soft as Tennessee’s was in those days. Auburn can win or lose any of its remaining games and will be a significant underdog against Alabama. Can Auburn can get bowl eligible by winning at least three of the next five against Mississippi State at home, Vanderbilt on the road, Arkansas on the road, New Mexico State at home and Alabama at home? Can it do even better? Auburn is a one-touchdown favorite in Saturday’s home game against Mississippi State. It will be favored a week later at Vanderbilt. Whether it is favored at Arkansas might depend on how the Razorbacks, who are off this week, play at Florida next week and how Auburn plays against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Auburn will be a significant favorite over New Mexico State. The opportunity is there for the Tigers to make some good history and turn a losing streak into a winning season and a bowl trip. Before Alabama, they won’t see the likes of what they saw the previous four games. What will it take? Clearly, it will take something better than we have seen on offense. It will take the defense continuing to play at a high level. It will take avoiding turnovers and needless penalties. It will take putting the disappointment of the past four games away and playing with passion and confidence. Freeze has an opportunity to do what Shug Jordan didn’t do, Pat Dye didn’t do and Tommy Tuberville didn’t do by having a winning record in his first Auburn season. The 2023 season can’t be a great one for Auburn and was never going to be. It can still be a good one, but much remains to be done.

247sports.com The Pregame Pod Everything you need to know about Mississippi State Nathan King 3–4 minutes Auburn may not have to face one of its most dreaded opposing quarterbacks from the past several seasons. Mississippi State multi-year starter Will Rogers is still recovering from a shoulder injury, and his status for Saturday afternoon's SEC West clash is still up in the air, as the Tigers are looking to earn their first conference victory of Hugh Freeze's debut season on the Plains. "No one has confirmed to me that Rogers is out," Freeze said Thursday night on Tiger Talk, Auburn's in-house radio program. "We've had to plan to play both because it's two totally different deals." Rogers left Mississippi State's win over Western Michigan two Saturdays ago with a left shoulder injury. The Mississippi native had started 38 straight games for the Bulldogs program before last weekend's win at Arkansas. Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett was tight-lipped this week about Rogers' injury and did not disclose any details about a potential return against Auburn. In the Bulldogs' 7-3 win in Fayetteville, Vanderbilt transfer Mike Wright started in Rogers' place and completed 8-of-12 passes for 85 yards, a touchdown and a pick, plus 60 rushing yards. "We don't really know the current status of Will (Rogers), but Will is a great player and we understand what he brings to the table as a passer and he's a capable runner," Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante said this week. "I saw a little bit of the game of (Wright). He has a different type of motor in terms of running the ball capabilities. So we're taking all those things into account." In Mike Leach's air-raid system, Rogers had torched Auburn the past two seasons, with 772 yards on 82.7 percent passing, with nine touchdowns and an interception in two wins for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State underwent a schematic overhaul on offense after Leach's passing, and Rogers is now completing 61.4 percent of his passes this season, at 212.5 passing yards per game, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Wright is an experienced SEC quarterback, having started 15 games at Vanderbilt before transferring and hopping divisions in the conference this offseason. At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Wright is a career 56.2 percent passer, with 23 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Wright has 1,103 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground in his career, as well. "It's quite different, really," Freeze said, explaining that Auburn has split its defensive preparations in practice this week between a game plan for Rogers and for Wright. "It's like when Robby (Ashford) goes in for us, people know it's more zone or power read stuff. It's the same with Wright — we know it's more plus-one runs and moving the pocket more. He's a very athletic kid, and that's not Rogers' gift. Rogers is a pocket quarterback who can stand back there and make every throw." Auburn kicks off against Mississippi State at 2:30 p.m. CDT on SEC Network.

si.com Auburn Daily Roundtable: Tigers entering potentially ugly game with Mississippi State Lance Dawe 7–9 minutes The Auburn Tigers are looking to end their four-game losing streak and win their first SEC game of the Hugh Freeze era. The Mississippi State Bulldogs will go to Jordan Hare coming off of a big against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Auburn lost to Ole Miss last weekend. Freeze and the Auburn Tigers have been looking for more of an offensive identity this season. Based on Freeze's comments this week, it's expected that we will see both Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford at quarterback this weekend. Here is our staff's thoughts on the game: The O/U for this game is at 43.5. Do we go over or under? Lindsay: As State's reportedly going to be without Will Rogers, give me the under. Zac: I’m taking the under. I think both offenses are the weakness of these teams while the defenses are playing well. Alex: Under Daniel: I do not think this game will hit the over. Both offenses are struggling and facing a defense that is put together. Joshua: Considering previous contests and Auburn's current offensive production I would go under. Steve: I’ll take the under. Not confident in either of these offenses to score. Ben: I'll go over with a breakout at home Shel: Under. Auburn has a fairly decent offensive showing against the Bulldogs and the defense might shutdown Mississippi State with Will Rogers out. Jeremy: Ha is this Auburn Mississippi State? State scored once last week give me the under Can you talk me out of believing this game will be very ugly? Lindsay: I cannot and will not. This is what we deserve. Zac: There’s a chance that Auburn’s offense clicks. But I’m going to bet on it being a physical game that favors the defenses. Alex: State will be without a quarterback, so they’re gonna be playing scrap ball. And you can safely say Auburn doesn’t know what they’re doing with quarterback, so I think both teams are going to try to keep it on the ground and just get out of here with with the much-needed SEC win. I’m sure both teams will be underestimating each other so yes because of that it will be ugly. Daniel: No. No I cannot. Joshua: Not sure, we are entering game 8 for the season and the offense is misfiring on all cylinders. It will likely be an ugly game. Steve: No, and based on how the season has gone so far, for both teams, I don’t expect it to look any better Saturday. Ben: Ugly? Maybe for the first half and I believe AU runs away with it in the 2nd half with adjustments at half along with facing an ugly Miss St team Shel: No. That’s impossible. It will be ugly no matter how many points are scored by Auburn. Jeremy: I don’t know. Again is this Auburn Mississippi State? This game is at home for Auburn and I could see it going well. Which quarterback plays better for Auburn? Lindsay: I honestly don't think either one will - State's pass coverage is probably the "best" part of their defense, so that handicaps Thorne a bit, and what have these quarterbacks shown us recently to make us think they'll play well, even at home? Zac: I think Payton Thorne will play better for Auburn. Alex: I bet both quarterbacks play the same. With pro and cons arguing points for both that for the most part equal out. Daniel: I think Thorne will play better. Mississippi State’s pass defense is not overly stellar so I believe Thorne will take a step forward. Joshua: I feel Robby Ashford plays better in the running scheme for Auburn. The receivers are consistently missing the mark so Payton Thorne's accuracy means very little. Steve: Hard to say, but I’ll go with Thorne, just because he played better last week. Ben: This is the R. Ashford game that he can RUN ALL OVER MSU as well as hit soft spots in their secondary that proves he can actually throw Shel: Payton Thorne will play better than Robby Ashford for the Tigers on Saturday. Jeremy: N/A. Look, it’s a mulligan season. Freeze has been in Auburn for less than a year. It hasn’t been pretty. Any answer is wrong but I tend to favor the one who didn’t make the last mistake. Part of me prefers Thorne, but the receivers are just so bad it’s likelier going to be a struggle no matter what. Who will be Auburn's leader in total yards, total tackles? Lindsay: Yards is Jarquez, and tackles will be Asante. Zac: I’ll take Eugene Asante. Alex: It seems very much they want to get Jarquez rolling so I bet him and we’ll see with Keys coming back if he gets on that grind. Daniel: I think Auburn’s leader in yard will be Thorne. Tackles? Eugene Asante. Joshua: I believe Eugene Asante will lead in tackles, and Jarquez Hunter will lead in total yards. Steve: Payton Thorne and Eugene Asante. Ben: Battie with total yards (special teams, rushing, receiving) and on Defense: Hello Marcus Harris on tackles Shel: Jeremiah Cobb, Eugene Asante. Jeremy: Jarquez, Asante If Auburn doesn't win this game, what will your reaction be? Lindsay: Not great! Zac: I’ll have a hard time counting six total wins on the schedule. Alex: If they lose this game, they very much are not gonna make a bowl game, patience will be very thin. I think fans will be incredibly divided with 1/2 saying this was the wrong hire and the other half begging for patients. me personally, I will consider the year of failure even by the least optimistic of outlooks, and coming in as a touted program rebuilder and offensive coach to show just the opposite of that no matter what the excuses will be unacceptable Daniel: If Auburn loses this game, the Birmingham Bowl becomes the ceiling for the season. Joshua: If course I will be disappointed if they lose a 5th straight game, however I will always root for Auburn whether its good, bad, or ugly. Steve: Utter frustration and disappointment. Ben: Bad...AU needs this win, needs Vandy and needs NM St...AU HAS to got 3 of 4 before BAMA and this is a MUST or we will all have stuff to discuss FOR A WHILE with the meltdowns. Shel: We’ll still be in a bowl game…maybe???? Jeremy: Whew. Let’s hope we’re not having this conversation Saturday. Say it with me; this is year zero. Auburn shouldn’t have hired Harsin. Final score predictions. Lindsay: 24-13 (Lindsay did not specify, and to be honest I think this response is incredibly fair) Zac: Auburn 17, Miss State 10 Alex: Auburn 24, Mississippi State 17 Daniel: Auburn 17, Mississippi State 10 Joshua: Auburn 21, Mississippi State 10 Steve: Auburn 20, Mississippi State 10 Ben: Auburn 38, Mississippi State 17 (Release the Freeze) Shel: Auburn 28, Mississippi State 10 Jeremy: Auburn 7 Mississippi State 6

auburnwire.usatoday.com Brian's Column: Hugh Freeze, it's time to show some fight Brian Hauch 3–4 minutes Auburn Football started this season with extremely tempered expectations. The program would have a new starting quarterback, a revamped offensive line, transfers starting at multiple positions along the defense, and a new head coach in Hugh Freeze. The Bryan Harsin era set back the Tigers a few years, and Freeze was brought in to help get the program in the right direction. In many aspects, he has done just that, mainly through the recruiting trail. Freeze has overhauled Auburn’s recruiting tactics, getting four and five-star commits to become Tigers frequently. Freeze has had to pick up the pieces of the mess left by Harsin since he arrived on the Plains, and while he’s done a good job rebuilding an Auburn culture that was lost, it’s time for him to take a minute and focus on “the now”. That “now” is beyond ugly right now. The Tigers have lost all four of their games in the SEC. The offensive side of the ball, that is supposedly Hugh Freeze’s specialty as a head coach, is a disaster. Freeze has seemed to completely give up on quarterback Payton Thorne but refuses to move on to Robby Ashford full time, or even Holden Grenier. a shot. To be fair, Freeze did warn Auburn supporters about something like this happening at the beginning of the season with his team’s lack of talent compared to other SEC schools fairly apparent. While that’s a fine assertion at the beginning of the season, you would still like to see some signs of improvement, and there has been virtually none. In Auburn’s gritty week two win over Cal, the offense scored 14 points while accumulating 230 total yards. Payton Thorne threw for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Rivaldo Fairweather caught 3 passes for 39 yards, and Jay Fair caught 2 passes for 25 yards. Now, if we fast forward to Auburn’s loss at home last week against Ole Miss, the offense scored 21 points (7 of them coming in the games final seconds). They accumulated 275 total yards, Payton Thorne threw for 100 yards and 1 touchdown, and the team only had 2 players catch over 1 pass. Auburn’s offense has not improved at all, and that is pretty unacceptable, especially considering the defense continues to be one of the better units in the SEC. In a year in which Auburn has a chance to go to a bowl, and hosts an Iron Bowl, Hugh Freeze and his staff need to reel it in and focus on what is in front of them. It’s time to worry about the finish of this season and not the start of the next one. 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