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al.com Something in the Orange: Auburn football announces uniform change for game vs. Texas A&M Updated: Sep. 22, 2023, 9:11 a.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 5:07 p.m. 3–4 minutes Meet the fan obsessed with documenting the history of Auburn’s athletic uniforms Hey Alexa, play “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan. Auburn Football teased that something orange could be coming to College Station this weekend for the Tigers’ SEC-opening matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies Saturday afternoon. When the post first came out, Auburn fans were quick to let their opinions fly. Some hoped it might mean the Tigers would wear orange jerseys against the Aggies. Others hated that idea. Many believed it meant Auburn would come out with orange facemasks — a look that mirrors the helmets the Tigers wore from 1979 to 1983 under head coaches Doug Barfield and Pat Dye. Dye later nixed the orange facemasks and replaced them with navy ones in 1984. Auburn first brought back the orange facemasks for its game against Ole Miss in 2021. The orange facemasks returned later that year in the Iron Bowl again in 2022 against Penn State. And the folks who went with the more conservative guess — predicting that Auburn would come out in orange facemasks against Texas A&M — were proven right as Auburn Football announced on social media that the Tigers would be wearing white jerseys, white pants and their traditional white helmets but with the orange facemasks. According to Auburn uniform enthusiast Clint Richardson of AuburnUniforms.com, Saturday’s uniform pairing will be the first time Auburn has worn orange facemasks with white jerseys since 1983, when Auburn knocked off fourth-ranked Georgia in a 13-7 affair. Once Auburn put the rumors of anything beyond orange facemasks to bed, the fanbase simmered down. But boy, was it fun to watch panic ensue there for a little while. The initial reactions to the cryptic post were all over the place. “I’m not letting you hurt me again,” one X user wrote. “Better not mess with the jerseys. Orange face masks though >>>,” another user chimed in. “Stop it. Quit setting me up for disappointment,” a third Auburn fan posted. To outsiders, the responses might seem a bit dramatic. But the Auburn fanbase has been strong in its “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” stance on uniforms. While other football programs around the country have gotten creative with their uniforms, Auburn — for the most part — has stuck to tradition. And though Auburn’s helmets might look a little different as they won’t feature their typical white or blue facemask, the switch to an orange facemask has proven to be a safe and subtle change that Auburn’s fanbase doesn’t mind.

al.com Auburn football: Hugh Freeze to appear on College Gameday before Texas A&M game Published: Sep. 22, 2023, 9:42 a.m. ~2 minutes Hugh Freeze will appear on ESPN’s College Gameday pregame show Saturday before Auburn’s game against Texas A&M, the network announced in a tweet. Host Rece Davis and the rest of the cast will conduct a live interview with Freeze during warmups at Kyle Field before the 11 a.m. central time kickoff. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, the same channel airing College Gameday. The show will be broadcast from South Bend, Indiana this week ahead of a top-10 matchup between Notre Dame and Ohio State. Other guests on the show include former Notre Dame wide receiver, Heisman trophy winner and NFL Hall of Fame member Tim Brown as well as current Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. Vince Vaughn — who played Jamie O’Hara in “Rudy”, the famous sports movie about Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger and his dream to play on the Notre Dame football team — will be the celebrity guest picker on the show. Freeze’s Ole Miss teams previously hosted the show in 2014 before beating Alabama 23-17.

247sports.com 5 factors for an Auburn win over Texas AM Nathan King 10–13 minutes Hugh Freeze’s last SEC win was in College Station with Ole Miss. Saturday afternoon, he’ll hope to pick up where he left off. The Tigers (3-0) face their toughest test so far by a significant margin — at least talent-wise — and should learn a lot more about where they stand as a team this season. To begin the conference slate, Auburn heads to Texas A&M (2-1) looking for its fifth win in its past six trips to College Station (11 a.m. CDT, ESPN). Here are five factors for an Auburn victory, SEC opener edition. Keep it locked at AuburnUndercover.com for our pregame notebook, live game updates, instant analysis after the clock hits zero, and tons of content to follow Saturday evening and into Sunday. You won't want to miss it. PACK SOME PRESSURE Texas A&M and former 5-star quarterback Conner Weigman have thrown it around the yard through three games under new coordinator Bobby Petrino, but the protection has been severely lacking. Weigman has been pressured 47 times this season, the sixth-worst rate among starting FBS quarterbacks so far. On the other side, however, Auburn has been “average at best” bringing pressure with its standard defensive front, Freeze admitted this week. So something has to give. Weigman has thrown under pressure just fine, though. In fact, his QBR of 102. 1 when facing pressure, per Pro Football Focus, is No. 3 in the country. His completion rate and yards per attempt under pressure are both top 10 nationally, too. So defensive coordinator Ron Roberts has a tall task to not only take advantage of a porous Texas A&M front, but also scheme up pressure that will get home and affect Weigman. Creative blitz packages are part of what Roberts has built his career on, and through three games Auburn has brought pressure from essentially every spot on the field. Donovan Kaufman has shown a propensity for getting after the passer from his versatile “star” position in the middle of the defense, with two forced fumbles in two games played. Eugene Asante has eight QB pressures from the linebacker spot. And the health of outside linebacker Jalen McLeod, who’s been dealing with an ankle issue since the preseason, could be a massive factor for the Tigers. Nehemiah Pritchett (ankle) could also make his season debut and provide an influx of experience at cornerback. Of course, Roberts utilizing other spots on the defense besides the defensive line will put the Aggies’ pass-catchers in a numbers advantage, so Auburn’s highly anticipated secondary — even without Keionte Scott — will need to prove its worth. So far, the Tigers’ secondary hasn’t been tested much down the field: Auburn has faced an average depth of target of 5.06 yards on opposing pass attempts this season, which is the lowest mark in all of college football. FIND MORE ‘BLESSINGS’ Speaking of the secondary, Auburn has almost matched its interception total from last season (six) in three games, with five picks. Safety Jaylin Simpson has accounted for three, while cornerbacks D.J. James and J.D. Rhym have also contributed. For an Auburn offense that looks to still be building confidence and sorting through things early in the year, boosts in field position from a couple turnovers would be massive in the SEC opener. Auburn’s offense needs to let the scales tip, though, and show more ball security than it has over the past couple games. The Tigers had four turnovers in the win at Cal, then quarterback Payton Thorne threw two interceptions against Samford last weekend. Auburn is one of only two teams in college football with seven or more takeaways that also has a total turnover margin of zero or less. “That would be a blessing if we can continue that trend,” Freeze said of Auburn’s seven takeaways this season. “To get some turnovers in these games, particularly on the road, would be extremely helpful if we can take care of the ball. We’ve got to continue to work on that. Turnovers would play a huge role if we could pick off a few of those in this game.” At App State last season, McLeod (35) tormented Texas A&M in a huge upset win, with two sacks and two forced fumbles (Zach Bland / Auburn Athletics) MANAGE THIRD DOWNS Third-down conversions are a key in any game, but Auburn and Texas A&M have both been successful in that department on both sides of the ball. Auburn is top 40 nationally in third-down offense, while the Aggies are top 25. Texas A&M and Auburn are No. 1 and No. 2 in the SEC in third-down defense, respectively, as two of only five teams in the country holding opponents to less than a 25 percent conversion rate. In a game where the Tigers don’t want to put all the offensive pressure on Thorne, who was shaky at best in Auburn’s last road trip two weeks ago, avoiding deep dropbacks would help Thorne keep from forcing throws to his still-progressing receiving corps. The running game isn’t off the hook, though, after Auburn’s four-man running back stable averaged just 3.1 yards per carry last weekend against an FCS defensive front. Yes, Samford was keying in on the run and stacking the box, but Auburn’s running backs have still gone the last two games without an explosive run of 20 or more yards, and the Tigers’ running backs have picked up only six first downs on the ground over that span, too. “You can't survive in the third-and-longs,” Freeze said. “You're not going to drop back and win a lot of routes against (Texas A&M). They're really talented. So we've got to keep it in third-and-manageable, hopefully short, to where we can run or pass.” PRIORITIZE THE PLAYMAKERS Thorne’s preferred pass-catchers are starting to become clearer after three games. Jay Fair, Rivaldo Fairweather and Shane Hooks occupy a combined 52.6 percent of the Tigers’ targets so far, and that number climbs above 70 percent when the fourth quarter of blowouts against UMass and Samford are removed. Other names continuing to emerge in the passing game will always be a welcome sight, but there are only so many pass attempts to go around. Fair is one of the most successful early season receivers for Auburn over the past few years; Fairweather has shown his elite jump-ball skills and was a hero in the win over Cal; and Hooks seems to be the most polished outside receiver, and is tops among Auburn’s main receiver rotation at 17.6 yards per catch. A couple tailbacks entering that mix is what Freeze wants, too. He said this week that he always likes to see the ball in Jeremiah Cobb’s hands, whether on a handoff or lining up as a slot receiver. The true freshman leads the team at 6.7 yards per carry. Junior Jarquez Hunter needs to continue to knock off the rust and get healthier, after he was bothered by an ankle issue last weekend against Samford, and has just 4.1 yards per carry so far. Of course, the entire offense is responsible if the Tigers want to continue to make strides. The health of starting right tackle Izavion Miller and starting right guard Kameron Stutts, both of whom left the Samford game with injuries, will be a factor. Stutts and Miller both missed at least one practice this week, Freeze said Thursday. When Auburn holds onto the ball this season — whether it’s avoiding turnovers or the two turnovers on downs over the past two games — it’s had a decently efficient offense, currently at No. 13 nationally in points per play, and top 40 nationally in yards per play. In particular, Texas A&M’s ultra-talented defensive front will be a big challenge to overcome, but Auburn still needs to prioritize getting the ball cleanly and effectively into the hands of those who have proven to be the biggest playmakers. LIMIT MISTAKES Yes, Auburn has seven turnovers through three games, but there have been other self-inflicted issues that have put the Tigers behind the 8-ball on both sides of the ball. Auburn is only No. 49 nationally in penalties per game, but that number not includes 13 flags over the past two games, but also a number of penalties that have been wet blankets in keys spots of the game. Freeze has harped several times that each of Auburn’s three second-half penalties were momentum dampers. The Tigers then had a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line against Samford pushed back due to a false start — where they were clearly lining up in heavy personnel to simply punch the ball in — and Thorne proceeded to throw an interception off the hands of Hooks. Speaking of Thorne, his decision-making from the pocket probably needs to be the best of the season so far for Auburn to come away with a win. That includes both with his arm — where he and his receivers are still in the processing of getting on the same page consistently in the run-pass option offense — and his legs, as a few well-timed scrambles or QB-designed runs could offer some nice change-of-pace sequences to keep Texas A&M’s defense on its heels. He showed he could do it in a warmup of sorts, with a career-high 123 rushing yards in the win over Samford. Thorne won the starting job in the preseason because his decision-making was the most effective of all the quarterback contenders. Now with four turnovers over the past two games, it’s time to make good on the coaching staff’s trust in the veteran signal-caller — with the caveat that his receivers need to execute, too. Auburn’s run-blocking left a bit to be desired, too, last weekend against Samford. Offensive guard Jeremiah Wright said, with a shuffled offensive line due to injuries, there were several missed assignments and missed blocks that helped result in the lowly rushing average for Auburn’s tailbacks. That came after Freeze said he was confident the Tigers could have approached 200 rushing yards at Cal, if not for the turnovers and penalties, because of how well they blocked up front. Texas A&M will stretch Auburn’s margin for error thinner than it’s been thus far, but the Tigers’ staff and players believe that a large chunk of their mistakes through three games fall on their own shoulders, and not the opposition. Senior linebacker Wesley Steiner perhaps summarized it best after Auburn’s win over Samford: “I think we’ve shown flashes of what we know we can do. I think we’re on the right track. It doesn’t matter who your SEC opponent is; at the end of the day, it’s whoever scores the most points and plays harder for 60 minutes — and makes the fewest mistakes. Every SEC team is going to be challenged with making the fewest mistakes. SEC games are usually lower scoring, so you only get a few opportunities on offense to score because of a defensive lapse or because you made a great play. Going into SEC play, every small detail needs to be accounted for. Those small details could be the difference in the game.”

247sports.com Five things that Texas AM needs to do to beat Auburn Jeff Tarpley 6–8 minutes . The Texas A&M and Auburn game tomorrow will be a fascinating facefoff between a program that returns almost all of its key contributors and two deep from last season versus one that is rebuilding on the fly. Here’s what the Aggies need to do come out on top. 1. Don’t ask Conner Weigman to do everything….Weigman is 0-3 when he’s had to throw the ball 30 times or more in his career. He’s a talented guy who gets into games when he has to do it all like he did at Miami (or last season against the Tigers). On the other hand, when he doesn’t have to throw the ball as much, it’s an indicator that the running game, defense, and special teams are taking the pressure off of him. That allows him to be a complementary player at least part of the time and be the talent he is on a situational basis. 2. Play assignment football on defense….we’ve said this before in other contests but A&M is facing a RPO heavy team that counts on defenders being out of position to generate big gains from simple handoffs and short throws. In particular, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne may be a drop back guy but he’s using those RPOs to average six yards a carry as a runner and sustain drives. In addition, Auburn’s had trouble getting its passing game consistently going (especially down the field) because people aren’t on the same page. Simply being in position and a deterrent will go a long way in this game towards slowing the Tigers down. That's because the longer they have to hold the ball or make a decision, the more likely things are going to break down on their end. 3. Understand how the Tigers generate pressure on defense…they like to blitz and play two high looks behind it which allows them to come after you while minimizing long gains. Get the ball out fast to people in space so that they have a better chance of making people on the back end of the defense miss and creating the big plays they're trying to avoid surrendering. 4. Win special teams…one of the consequences of turning over your roster is that you’ve got a lot of new guys playing special teams in protection and on coverage. They may not be used to it since they were brought in for a specific offensive or defensive role. In addition, given limits on practice time, they’re not able to work on it as much as they probably should because those newcomers are trying to learn the schemes on offense and defense. The Aggies have talented and veteran specialists and return men and their coverage and return units have more experience not just at special teams but also working together on those teams. In contrast, Auburn ranks in the middle to bottom half of the SEC in most special teams categories. A&M should be able not only to flip the field on a possession by possession basis but also have more potential to generate the big plays that could make a difference. 5. Be prepared for anything…Hugh Freeze has shown dating back to his days at Ole Miss that if he thinks he’s outmanned he’ll try anything. He’s more likely to work in a fake on special teams, go for it on fourth down, and take downfield shots in the passing game in search of big plays that can change a game on the scoreboard and provide an emotional boost to his teams. These items have boom or bust potential and if the Aggies are ready for them then the Tigers could find themselves at the wrong end of a multi-score run. If A&M isn’t then the Tigers can stay within striking distance at worst and give them the confidence to hang with the Aggies even though their lack of cohesion should make them more susceptible to downturns.

saturdaydownsouth.com Auburn reveals unique uniform combination Rolando Rosa | 18 hours ago ~2 minutes Auburn will aim for a 4-0 start for the first time since 2019 when they travel to take on Texas A&M on Saturday. The Tigers will also be decked out in a new look for the SEC road contest. Auburn will wear a white helmet with orange face mask and white jersey for the first time since 1983. It’s also the first time wearing the orange chrome mask with white jerseys. Auburn began the 2019 campaign with 5 consecutive wins en route to a 9-4 record under Gus Malzahn. Auburn is coming off a 45-13 victory vs. Samford in Week 3. Quarterback Payton Thorne went for 282 yards and a touchdown with 2 interceptions while also rushing for 123 yards and 2 scores. Shane Hooks and Micah Riley each had receiving touchdowns. In total, Auburn amassed 562 yards and possessed the ball for 33:28. Auburn held Samford to 218 total yards and 5-for-14 on 3rd downs while also forcing 2 turnovers. Texas A&M (2-1) most recently bounced back from a loss to Miami with an emphatic 47-3 victory against ULM. Texas A&M leads the all-time series 7-6 against Auburn. Auburn won last season’s meeting 13-10 against the visiting Aggies. The first meeting dates back to a 16-0 Texas A&M win in 1911. Auburn has a 4-1 mark in road games at Kyle Field. ESPN analytics gives Auburn a 32.8 percent chance of victory. Auburn at Texas A&M is slated for 12 p.m. EST and will be televised on ESPN.

si.com Five reasons Auburn could beat Texas A&M Steve Simpson 3–4 minutes The Tigers are looking to make a big splash Saturday against the Aggies. It's been an interesting season for the Auburn Tigers so far. After three games they are still trying to find their offensive identity, they will get closer to that answer Saturday. Defensively, we'll find out if the outstanding, early season stats were due to weak opponents or if the Tigers really have an elite defense. These are the reasons Auburn could win in College Station. 1. Secondary Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Auburn's secondary is elite. They are only giving up 155 yards per game with an 8.6 yard average completion. Look for the Tigers defensive backs to make it tough on the A&M passing game Saturday and to come up with at least one big turnover. 2. Turnover Margin Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Auburn must be on the plus side of the turnover margin. Texas A&M had three turnovers (2 interceptions and 1 fumble) in their loss to Miami. If Auburn can get a couple of turnovers, they'll be in a great position to pull the upset on the road.. 3. Pass Rush Eric Starling/Auburn Daily The front seven must be able to get pressure on Conner Weigman. Miami didn't have any sacks against the Aggies last week, but they had 37 pressures, which led to two Weigman interceptions. So, while sacks would be better, just getting to Weigman and making him uncomfortable in the pocket will force him into some bad throws. 4. Third Down Efficiency Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports The Auburn offense must be able to sustain drives. The Tigers have been unable to convert on multiple third and short situations the last few weeks. That must improve if they want to win Saturday. 5. Payton Thorne Eric Starling/Auburn Daily Thorne needs to get in a rhythm throwing the ball early. The Aggies defense was torched for 374 yards and five touchdown's in the loss at Miami last week. Thorne and the receiving corps are capable of putting up numbers like that, especially against an A&M secondary that is allowing 200 yards per game.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Five reasons why Auburn will pull off a road win at Texas A&M Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes The SEC opener is upon us, and final preparations are being put together as Auburn gets set to face Texas A&M at Kyle Field in College Station on Saturday morning. Texas A&M will provide Auburn with its first challenge of the season, and most are expecting the home team to slide away with a victory. ESPN’s Matchup Predictor forecasts an Aggies win and the sportsbooks are favoriting Texas A&M by a touchdown. Buy Tigers Tickets When looking at the data, an Auburn upset seems more possible than what the experts believe. Texas A&M’s red zone defense favors packages that Auburn uses, Auburn’s run game can give the Aggies fits, and Tiger defensive backs will have a great opportunity to prove their worth. Thursday, we examined all the reasons why Auburn could struggle in College Station. Today, it is time to showcase why the Tigers will kick off the SEC season with a 1-0 record. Here are five reasons why Auburn can pull off a win over Texas A&M on Saturday. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports There is something about Kyle Field that brings out the best in Auburn. The Tigers own a 4-1 record at Kyle Field since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012. This season’s game is at the home of the 12th man… can history repeat itself? Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Eugene Asante has proven to be Auburn’s best-kept secret and is set up to have his best game to date. In Texas A&M’s loss to Miami, the Hurricanes created 37 pressures, with 31 QB hurries. Asante is one of the top pass rushers on Auburn’s defense with a PFF grade of 79.8 and could make a name for himself in this game. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports This reason is also due to the Aggies’ passing game. Texas A&M has four receivers with over 100 yards logged this season, which will keep backs such as Jaylin Simpson, Kayin Lee, and DJ James busy. Simpson has pulled down three interceptions to this point in the season and could bring in a fourth this week. The pressure will intensify for Texas A&M if Donovan Kaufman returns to the lineup this week. The Montgomery Advertiser Sure, we have shared our concern about the lack of production from Jarquez Hunter through his two games… but Auburn’s rushing attack is the best in the SEC. Heading into week four, Auburn leads the SEC in yards per game with 215.67 rushing yards per contest, ten yards more than the next SEC program, Tennessee. Texas A&M, however, is one of the best in the nation at stopping the run by allowing just 98 yards per game on the ground. The Aggies allowed 127 yards rushing to ULM last week, which is the most given up this season. Auburn’s running back room, mixed in with Robby Ashford and Payton Thorne, will be the most talented unit that Texas A&M has seen to this point, and they will play like it. Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Payton Thorne had a longer leash last week, and he used it to show off his running ability. Not only does Thorne show upside, but Robby Ashford could have a great day as well. His “red zone package” could come in handy against Texas A&M, who has allowed opponents to score on 85% of red zone trips.

i found it. you are late......

Opinion House Republicans as government shutdown nears: Nobody told us we'd have to govern Rex Huppke, USA TODAY Fri, September 22, 2023 at 3:08 AM CDT·3 min read 312 Hello, I am a House Republican. As America hurtles toward a government shutdown, I and my fellow GOP colleagues would like to say that, in our defense, we really didn’t know “governing” would be one of our job requirements. It sounds like an un-fun activity and, as we’ve made abundantly clear via myriad tweets and Fox News appearances, we think government is bad and we want nothing do with it, except for the parts where we get to yell into TV cameras and share devastating Hunter Biden memes. Those parts are great! On Thursday, we made it impossible for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy – who we voted into power but also hate and now want to remove – to advance a military funding bill that usually passes with bipartisan support. It’s the second time in a row we did that! Why? Mainly for the lulz, but also because we kind of want the government to shutdown so former President Donald Trump will like us and so we can look tougher when we’re yelling into the TV cameras. We're Republicans, of course we want to shut the government down McCarthy responded to our unwillingness to behave like a sane governing body and engage even remotely with the opposing party by saying: “This is a whole new concept of individuals that just want to burn the whole place down.” - ADVERTISEMENT - A new concept?!? Has he been asleep for the last few years? When will Congress care? Government shutdown talks return as US debt reaches $33 trillion. We are ALL about burning the whole place down. We’re pretty sure Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Andy Biggs of Arizona recently got matching “BURN THE WHOLE PLACE DOWN” tattoos on their necks. Hang on, we just got a sick new Hunter Biden meme we have to post. It says, “Who’s your daddy? Oh, never mind, he’s out to lunch!” Classic. This is why the people elected us. Republicans charge toward a government shutdown with no clear demands Anyhoo, we used to be pretty pro-military and stuff – and we’ll still say we are if there’s a TV camera around – but the truth is we aren’t doing jack on the military funding or any other funding until the DEMONcrats agree to cut all the spending we don’t like, defund the FBI and the DOJ, stop all Trump investigations and give us everything we want. And what is it we want? Hah! Nice try. Answering that question sounds a lot like governing, and we didn’t get into this business to dirty our hands with that kind of nonsense. Democratic Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and Dem leadership at microphones to discuss the bipartisan effort to avoid a potential government shutdown. McCarthy responded to our patriotic recalcitrance Thursday by sending us home for the weekend rather than keeping us around to do dumb things like “work toward a feasible agreement to prevent the U.S. government from shutting down,” “search for compromise and put forth policy proposals that might improve the average American’s life” or “act like adults and not a collection of feral cats fighting over an empty tuna can.” Time is running out – and a government shutdown seems inevitable We have until the end of next week to pretend we’re going to do something before eventually failing in the most clownish and embarrassing way possible, and we feel certain we’re up to the task. Republican or Democrat? Florida and Michigan show voters which side has a heart. Will hundreds of thousands of federal workers be sent home without paychecks? Sure! Did the last government shutdown in 2019 cost the country $3 billion in economic activity? Heck yeah! Could national parks shut down and research at the National Institutes of Health come to a halt? You betcha! And do we care one iota about any of that? Nah. As long as Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida can go on “Hannity” and flex his forehead muscles while yelling something that doesn’t mean anything, we’re right where we want to be – in government, but not governing. Enjoy the shutdown, suckers. We’ve got memes to post. USA TODAY Opinion columnist Rex Huppke. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is a government shutdown likely? House Republicans seem to want it

i cannot find tiger talk. this is it for now folks. as always and time permits i will check back.

al.com Rewinding everything Hugh Freeze said on Tiger Talk ahead of Auburn’s visit to Texas A&M Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 9:32 p.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 5:50 p.m. 6–7 minutes Before the start of the regular season, first-year Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze talked about his team’s “reveal party” a lot. By that, he meant he was eager to see what the Tigers looked like when the lights came on against another opponent. So far, he’s had three opportunities to see his team up against another as Auburn has tallied wins against UMass, Cal and Samford. However, Saturday afternoon will be another reveal party of sorts as Freeze gets his first look at how his team stacks up against another SEC opponent as Auburn is set to open conference play against Texas A&M. Because Saturday’s game is on the road in College Station, Freeze’s appearance on “Tiger Talk”, Auburn’s radio show, was a little different as it was prerecorded instead of being a live broadcast from Baumhower’s Victory Grille. Nonetheless, here’s everything Freeze said in his interview with Auburn radio broadcasters Andy Burcham and Brad Law: — Andy Burcham starts the show in saying that the “preliminaries” are over as Hugh Freeze and the Tigers start their SEC stretch against Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon from Kyle Field in College Station. — Hugh Freeze on the preparation heading into SEC: “You’re playing more talented teams, typically, in this league.” Says that while the environment might be different, you can’t stray too far your typical approach. Says he’ll have crowd noise at practice to help the Tigers prepare. “That’s why you come to this league, for environments like that.” — Freeze on so many guys getting their first look at SEC play: “We’re going to have to play a ton of young kids on Saturday and who knows how they perform on this stage.” — With injuries and the growing intensity as SEC play opens, how do you balance the intensity? Freeze says that a tough battle. “That is a real, real difficult question,” Freeze says. Freeze adds that Auburn’s lack of depth in certain positions has kept him from being as intense as he would like on a Tuesday or Wednesday of practice. “It’s a juggling act,” Freeze said. — On this week’s practices: “We had several that couldn’t practice yesterday,” Freeze said. He’s unsure how those who don’t get a full week of practice might perform when the lights come on on Saturday morning. — On playing at Kyle Field: “It’s hard to prepare them for that without the experience of it,” Freeze says. Adds that the crowd at Cal pales in comparison to what the Tigers will experience on Saturday. — On going against Texas A&M’s recruiting classes: “The depth, the size, the speed... they’re full of NFL players. That’s what we’ve gotta get to and we will... When you turn on the tape, they’re really, really deep and talented... Whether or not they play up to that, that’s not for me to say.” — On the experience of Jimbo Fisher’s coaching staff, which features three former head coaches: “Obviously he doesn’t hire them just because they’ve been head coaches, you hire them because they’re really good football coaches... The bottom line is he’s hiring really good football coaches.” — On Texas A&M’s offense: Says the first thing he notices is the success of quarterback Conner Weigman. Adds that schematically, the Aggies are difficult to defend. — On keeping the Aggies off the scoreboard early: “It would be a huge, huge plus,” Freeze said. “Last time we were there, we jumped out quick on them with a 14-0 lead.” Says it helps silent the crowd. — On Texas A&M’s wide receivers: “It’s NFL guys. With us losing Keionte (Scott)... we’re going to have to play some young kids, some freshman. You’re going to have to play two deep, it’ll be a hundred degrees... we’re going to have to juggle some pieces.” — The importance on Auburn’s defense applying pressure to Weigman: “It would be great, but it hasn’t been something we’ve done greatly,” Freeze said. “We haven’t been great at getting pressure on guys without adding guys to the rush.” Says having Jalen McLeod back is a plus, but it’s something he and the Tigers have to improve at and address with recruiting. — On Texas A&M’s defense: Freeze says it all starts up front in the trenches. “They’re the top in the conference and maybe in the country on third down... they really rush with four and kinda guarded you on the back end.” Freeze reiterates that third-and-manageable will be key against Texas A&M. Says third-and-long situations are “no bueno”. — On Auburn’s running game: Freeze says the run game will be key in shortening the game on Saturday. Freeze adds that he’s hopeful offensive linemen Kam Stutts and Izavion Miller will be able to go on Saturday after being banged up against Samford, but that he still expects younger guys to get snaps. — On the importance of avoiding penalties on the road: “The pre-snap ones are the ones that irk you, or selfish ones... We have had in the last few weeks a few pre-snap ones in a critical, critical point... that’s going to be even more amplified in these games... We talk about it often... Hopefully we can be pretty effective in not getting ourselves in trouble with those.” — On Texas A&M’s secondary: “They just break on the ball like 5-star recruits. That’s kinda what they’re made up of,” Freeze said. “Hopefully some of our guys can win some of those 1-on-1s.” — On what he’s telling Payton Thorne: “It’s okay to punt. But we can’t turn the ball over by forcing or being too greedy... let it come to you,” Freeze says. “Don’t try to do too much and just stay within the system. Hopefully he’ll take care of the ball when he does 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 Auburn’s Hugh Freeze gives final, ‘hopeful’ injury update ahead of Tigers’ visit to Texas A&M Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 7:24 p.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 7:03 p.m. 3–4 minutes Hugh Freeze addresses the media as 3-0 Auburn looks ahead to Texas A&M The Auburn Tigers have struggled with the injury bug early. On Sept. 6, Auburn took its first blow of the season as it was announced linebacker Austin Keys would be out for a considerable amount of time after suffering a thumb injury that would require surgery. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the dominos continued to fall as Auburn’s 45-13 win over Samford last week came at the expense of a number of injuries. Most notably, the Tigers lost starting defensive back Keionte Scott for a number of weeks after he suffered an ankle injury that required surgery against the Bulldogs. In a video posted to his personal YouTube channel, Scott revealed he suffered a high-ankle sprain and had a successful tight-rope procedure done on Monday. It’ll be weeks before he can return to the football field. Scott’s injury further thinned an already-thin defensive backfield. “With us losing Keionte, who’s kinda the captain of our secondary, we’re going to have to play some young kids,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said on Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show Thursday night. “You’re going to have to play two-deep, it’s going to be 100 degrees.” Fortunately for Auburn, it sounds like veteran cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett, who has yet to play a down for the Tigers, might make his 2023 debut on Saturday. “We’re hopeful that Pritchett can go finally,” Freeze said. “That would be a big plus if he can.” Meanwhile, guys like offensive linemen Kam Stutts and Izavion ‘Too Tall’ Miller were also dinged up against Samford and didn’t finish the game. And considering the Tigers will want to establish the run game early against the Aggies on Saturday, getting those two back would be a huge boost. “Stutts has probably been our most consistent player as far as the run game is concerned,” Freeze said. “Hopefully he can go and Too Tall. They weren’t able to practice yesterday. They were dressed out but couldn’t go. We’ll see how the week progresses but we’re going to need young guys and older guys.” Should Stutts and Miller not get the green light Saturday, Freeze mentioned the prospect of guys like Tate Johnson, Connor Lew and Jaden Muskrat getting snaps against the Aggies. “Whether or not Kam and Too Tall play, I don’t know that they can play the whole game,” Freeze said. “So it’s going to take some other guys to play. But no question it would be helpful if we had those two.” 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 New Pat Dye documentary set to kick off Georgia-Auburn week, airs Monday Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 5:39 p.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 4:39 p.m. 4–5 minutes Auburn Football ‘Mighty: The Life and Legacy of Pat Dye’ documentary set to premiere Monday. Here’s how to watch. Auburn coach Pat Dye walks through his players as they begin workouts in preparation for the 1989 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, in this Dec. 27, 1988 file photo. The series known as the Iron Bowl has a couple of things going for it that the others don't: Dueling programs in the same state that are, for all the inevitable ebbs and flows, evenly matched and traditionally among the best in the country. Alabama won the national title a year ago. Auburn is ranked second this season and could wind up playing for a championship of its own, but only if it gets by the No. 9 Crimson Tide on Friday Nov. 26, 2010. Dye says, "I don't think there's any other game in the country that's talked about on a daily basis as much as this one is by the folks in the state of Alabama." (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS If there was ever a time to tell the story of former Auburn head football coach and former University of Georgia football player Pat Dye, it’s in the days leading up to Georgia’s visit to Auburn. With the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs set to come to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 30, Alabama Public Television announced in a press release Thursday that its documentary “Mighty: The Life and Legacy of Pat Dye” was set to premiere Monday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m. “Few have done as much for Auburn as Pat Dye,” said Jimmy Rane, a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees and a long-time friend of Dye’s. Rane also serves as the president and CEO of Great Southern Wood Holdings, Inc. — the Abbeville-based company that Dye had supported as a spokesman and board member until his death in June 2020. Not long after Dye died, Rane envisioned a full-length documentary that told the story of Auburn’s revered football coach. With Rane serving as the film’s producer, “Mighty” was two years in the making and features interviews with the likes of Bo Jackson, Charles Barkley, Brett Favre and Gene Stallings, as well as Dye’s college roommate and the late Vince Dooley. The film is also set to include archival footage and clips from some of Dye’s locker room talks. “Pat Dye was an incredible football coach – racking up 99 victories during his 12 seasons on the Plains, along with 4 SEC championships,” Rane said in the release. “He was also a man of vision. As athletic director, he pushed to expand Jordan-Hare stadium, then he pushed to move the Iron Bowl’s home game to Auburn’s home field. These were great steps for Auburn. “But he was more than a coach. His commitment to nature is a legacy that will last for generations. These and other stories are the ones that I am so happy that people will be able to see and hear for themselves. It has been a great honor to produce this documentary.” Production concluded last fall, when the film was first premiered at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University. Many of Dye’s family members as well as Jackson, Stallings and Dooley were in attendance for the first viewing. Monday’s broadcast premiere will be the first time since that evening the film has been shown. “Mighty” will also be available on the APT’s website and on the PBS App beginning on Sept. 25 and will be repeated on Sept. 28 at 8:00pm on APT. A preview of the documentary can be seen here. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

247sports.com GigEm247 Podcast Previewing AM Auburn with Cole Cubelic Andrew Hattersley ~3 minutes Texas A&M (2-1, 0-0 SEC) will kick off the SEC portion of their schedule against Auburn (3-0, 0-0 SEC) at 11 a.m CT on Saturday. The Maroon and White cruised to a 47-3 win over ULM in their final tune-up and now welcome the Tigers to College Station. Auburn is off to a 3-0 start in its first season under Hugh Freeze with wins over UMass, Cal and Samford. To preview the matchup, GigEm247 caught up with ESPN and SEC Network host Cole Cubelic to talk about both the Auburn and the Aggies. Both teams enter the matchup with some questions and also a lot to prove as SEC play gets going. With Bobby Petrino now in College Station, the A&M offense has been humming while averaging 44 points per game so far. Conner Weigman has been a big key to that completing over 70 percent of his passes with eight touchdown passes and just two interceptions. The questions with A&M reside on the defensive side of the ball after the Aggies surrendered 374 yards through the air in a loss to Miami earlier this month. The Maroon and White put together a better performance a week ago against the Warhawks but the secondary remains a question-mark heading into this weekend’s game. Earlier this week on his CubeShow Podcast, Cubelic had very high praise for Shemar Turner after his performance against ULM. Cubelic expounded on those thoughts Thursday explaining why he believes Turner has a chance to be one of the best defensive linemen in the country. Cubelic also shared what he feels like will be the keys to the game this weekend and where he feels like Weigman ranks among quarterbacks in the SEC right now. On the other side, Auburn is battling some injury issues on both sides of the ball heading into this matchup. The Tigers are still early in the Freeze tenure though and a win over A&M would certainly generate quite a bit of excitement on the Plains. We talked with Cubelic about the keys to the game for Auburn and what he feels like the Tigers need to do come out of Kyle Field with a win. The GigEm247 podcast is a weekly podcast touching on several areas of the A&M program including the team, recruiting and everything in between. The podcast is available on a multitude of platforms including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to the GigEm247 YouTube channel to receive notifications on the latest videos posted.

247sports.com Fearless Forecasters Our picks for Auburn at Texas AM other Week 4 games Nathan King 12–16 minutes Can Auburn get an SEC-opening win on the road as an underdog? Hugh Freeze's last win in the SEC came in a thriller at Texas A&M in 2016. He'll look to pick up where he left off this Saturday. The Tigers (3-0) open conference play in a place they've been plenty successful: College Station, where Auburn has won four of its last five games on the road against Texas A&M (2-1). Both teams played a couple cupcake games ahead and went on the road in a Power Five matchup. The Tigers escaped with a 14-10 win at Cal, while Texas A&M lost a shootout at No. 20 Miami, 48-33. Kickoff from Kyle Field is set for 11 a.m. CDT on ESPN, as Auburn looks to make it two straight wins over the Aggies. Our Fearless Forecasters dive into their picks — straight up, not against the spread — and predictions for Auburn's trip back out west to College Station, plus other SEC matchups and notable games across the country in Week 4. WEEK 4 STANDINGS Nathan: 48-10 Christian: 47-11 Matthew: 46-12 Dukes: 45-13 Phillip: 45-13 Jason: 44-14 Ronnie: 44-14 ‌ AUBURN AT TEXAS A&M (-7.5) (Kyle Okita, 247Sports) Nathan King: "When Auburn has held onto the ball, it's actually been a decently efficient offense, currently No. 13 nationally in points per play. The biggest key to a strong day defensively is pressuring Conner Weigman. Texas A&M's pass protection has struggled, so Roberts will be licking his chops looking for ways to help his defensive backs slow down Bobby Petrino's pass-happy offense." "I think this is a decent matchup for Auburn, and the Tigers should play loose in a 11 a.m. road kickoff, with nothing to lose. All the pressure here is on Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies. Still, Texas A&M's talent advantage on both sides of the ball is notable, and particularly along the defensive line of scrimmage, where Auburn may have tough sledding attempting to run the ball. Auburn's secondary has five picks through three games, and a couple more in this one could be a real boost for Auburn's field position and scoring. If the Tigers' defensive effort and execution are comparable to the Cal game, which I assume it will be, Auburn will have a chance. But this is a tough spot for an SEC opener on the road with the challenges of a new offensive system, and I don't see Payton Thorne and company scoring enough to keep up with the Aggies' dynamic playmakers." Texas A&M 28, Auburn 21 ‌ Christian Clemente: "This is up there for one of the toughest Auburn games I've had to pick. I'm going to pick the Tigers to win in a close shootout, but nothing in this game would be overly surprising. While yes, everyone thought the Cal game would be a shootout and it turned into a defensive and ugly slugfest, I believe this game has the potential to be a shootout. Auburn's defense still has been struggling mightily to get pressure from the defensive line, though it has a chance to get something going against an Aggies O-line that's really struggled in pass protection thus far. On the other side, the Texas A&M defense looked pretty terrible against Miami, but everyone knows the talent that is there while a banged up Auburn O-line tries to go on the road and deal with it. "I have so many questions about both of these teams, but I'll give a slight nod to Auburn for going out on the road and winning — yes, against an inferior opponent compared to Miami — but still." Auburn 38, Texas A&M 35 ‌ Matthew Wallace: “Excluding interims, the last Auburn head coach to lose his first SEC game with the Tigers was Pat Dye in 1981. For Hugh Freeze, however, a trip to College Station is a tough task for a program that is still early in its rebuild. "Auburn does not have a running back that averages over 45 yards per game and Texas A&M only gives up 98.3 yards per game on the ground, so the Auburn pass game will likely play a big part in the outcome. Fortunately for the Tigers, the Aggies’ pass defense was rough in its only Power Five test, allowing Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to throw for 374 yards and five touchdowns. Defense travels and the Auburn defense has played well enough to keep the Tigers in any game, but on the road in the SEC, the margin for error is thin. The Tigers have lost seven turnovers — more than every other SEC team but Vanderbilt. If that trend continues, Auburn will have a hard time overcoming the mistakes." Texas A&M 28, Auburn 20 ‌ Phillip Dukes: "Auburn has been struggling with their offensive identity, but due to a fairly soft schedule, sport a 3-0 record coming into this weekend's SEC showdown with Texas A&M. Auburn's strength on defense so far this season has been its secondary, which bodes well for the Tigers as they prepare to face an Aggie receiver core that boasts top-tier talent. Texas A&M has a defensive line that is full of NFL talent, but it is also fairly short on experience. "If the Auburn offense can figure out a way to outscheme the A&M defense, then they have a chance to close the gap in talent through gameplanning. I think that there is something special about this team and even though on paper this is not a bet I would take in favor of Auburn, I have a feeling the running game gets on track and the passing game does just enough to support it. Give me Auburn by a field goal." Auburn 31, Texas A&M 28 ‌ Phillip Marshall: "Texas A&M will be, by far, the most talented team Auburn has played. The atmosphere will be the most hostile. Auburn has dealt with those things in College Station before and been successful, but most of this season's players have not. It's a tough place for transfers to play their first SEC game. "To win, Auburn will have to hold its own on the line of scrimmage, limit turnovers, force some turnovers and take advantage of opportunities. All those things could happen, of course. But I don't think it's likely." Texas A&M 30, Auburn 23 ‌ Jason Caldwell: "Both teams have their share of issues heading into Saturday’s SEC opener, but Auburn’s injury problems are hard to overlook when you consider who all is out or could be limited on Saturday. I think the Tigers will score and move the football on the Aggies, but can Auburn slow down Conner Weigman and this offense enough to get the win? "That’s the biggest concern for me. I think this one goes down to the wire with Payton Thorne and Auburn’s passing game the biggest key to success. The Tigers find just enough offense to get it done while the secondary comes up big against a really talented passing attack." Auburn 27, Texas A&M 24 ‌ Ronnie Sanders: "Auburn fans will see some familiar faces on the opposing sideline Saturday. Jimbo Fisher, Bobby Petrino and Dameyune Craig all spent time on the Plains. I’m not sure how much we know about either team. A&M didn’t look great in its loss at Miami, while Auburn played terrible offensively at Cal. Both teams also pounded two cupcakes. "This will be the first conference game of the season for both teams. The Tigers are 4-1 in College Station. Make that 5-1 after Saturday." Auburn 30, Texas A&M 27 ‌ GAME OF THE WEEK: NO. 6 OHIO STATE @ NO. 9 NOTRE DAME (+8.5) (247Sports) Nathan King: "You never like to pick against Ohio State and all its talent, and maybe this is the week the Buckeyes' offense starts to come together with Kyle McCord. But Notre Dame has an explosive offense to match with Sam Hartman at the helm, and if he cut down on mistakes and take what Jim Knowles' defense gives him, I think the Irish are in position here to take advantage of a big-time matchup, under the lights at home." Notre Dame 31, Ohio State 28 ‌ Christian Clemente: "Everything about this game screams Notre Dame and as a Sam Hartman believer, I truly believe the Fighting Irish will win. But I refuse to pick Notre Dame in any big games. Ever. Maybe this will be the week Ohio State gets its offense fully clicking." Ohio State 28, Notre Dame 24 ‌ Matthew Wallace: "Home-field advantage is important: Notre Dame is 10-1 in its last 11 night games at home. In a great strength versus strength matchup, both teams rank in the nation’s top 25 in pass offense but are also top 10 in pass defense. If the passing games are shut down, Notre Dame has a slight edge in the run game which could be the difference." Notre Dame 27, Ohio State 21 ‌ Phillip Dukes: "I think this game comes down to experience at quarterback. Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord was just recently given the nod as the starter for the rest of the season after battling backup Devin Brown over the offseason and first two games of the season. Conversely, Notre Dame starting quarterback Sam Hartman will be starting his 50th game Saturday in South Bend after transferring in from Wake Forest where he had success. I think Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman gets his biggest win to date and the Irish thoroughly defeat the Buckeyes." Notre Dame 42, Ohio State 31 ‌ Phillip Marshall: "I honestly don't have a clue, but I will go with Notre Dame playing at home with a veteran quarterback." Notre Dame 35, Ohio State 31 ‌ Jason Caldwell: "This is a huge game when you consider the schedules ahead for both teams. Ohio State has struggled some and Notre Dame is rolling with Sam Hartman at quarterback. Should be on the Fighting Irish, but I just trust Ohio State more." Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 28 ‌ Ronnie Sanders: "The last time Notre Dame beat Ohio State was 1936. The Buckeyes are more talented, but the game is in South Bend. And Sam Hartman is playing lights out. I’m going green." Notre Dame 36, Ohio State 30 ‌ SEC GAMES (Ole Miss Athletics ) KENTUCKY @ VANDERBILT Nathan: Kentucky Christian: Kentucky Matthew: Kentucky Dukes: Kentucky Phillip: Kentucky Jason: Kentucky Ronnie: Kentucky No. 15 OLE MISS @ No. 13 ALABAMA Nathan: Alabama Christian: Ole Miss Matthew: Ole Miss Dukes: Alabama Phillip: Alabama Jason: Alabama Ronnie: Ole Miss UTSA @ No. 23 TENNESSEE Nathan: Tennessee Christian: Tennessee Matthew: Tennessee Dukes: Tennessee Phillip: Tennessee Jason: Tennessee Ronnie: Tennessee ARKANSAS @ No. 12 LSU Nathan: LSU Christian: LSU Matthew: LSU Dukes: LSU Phillip: LSU Jason: LSU Ronnie: LSU CHARLOTTE @ No. 25 FLORIDA Nathan: Florida Christian: Florida Matthew: Florida Dukes: Florida Phillip: Florida Jason: Florida Ronnie: Florida UAB @ No. 1 GEORGIA Nathan: Georgia Christian: Georgia Matthew: Georgia Dukes: Georgia Phillip: Georgia Jason: Georgia Ronnie: Georgia MEMPHIS vs. MISSOURI (St. Louis) Nathan: Memphis Christian: Missouri Matthew: Missouri Dukes: Memphis Phillip: Memphis Jason: Missouri Ronnie: Missouri MISSISSIPPI STATE @ SOUTH CAROLINA Nathan: South Carolina Christian: South Carolina Matthew: South Carolina Dukes: South Carolina Phillip: South Carolina Jason: South Carolina Ronnie: South Carolina ‌ OTHER GAMES (Eric Canha, USA TODAY Sports) WISCONSIN @ PURDUE Nathan: Wisconsin Christian: Purdue Matthew: Wisconsin Dukes: Purdue Phillip: Wisconsin Jason: Purdue Ronnie: Wisconsin No. 4 FLORIDA STATE @ CLEMSON Nathan: Florida State Christian: Florida State Matthew: Clemson Dukes: Clemson Phillip: Florida State Jason: Florida State Ronnie: Florida State SMU @ TCU Nathan: TCU Christian: SMU Matthew: TCU Dukes: SMU Phillip: TCU Jason: TCU Ronnie: TCU No. 19 COLORADO @ No. 10 OREGON Nathan: Oregon Christian: Oregon Matthew: Oregon Dukes: Oregon Phillip: Oregon Jason: Oregon Ronnie: Oregon No. 22 UCLA @ No. 11 UTAH Nathan: Utah Christian: UCLA Matthew: Utah Dukes: UCLA Phillip: Utah Jason: Utah Ronnie: Utah BYU @ KANSAS Nathan: Kansas Christian: Kansas Matthew: Kansas Dukes: Kansas Phillip: Kansas Jason: Kansas Ronnie: BYU No. 14 OREGON STATE @ No. 21 WASHINGTON STATE Nathan: Washington State Christian: Oregon State Matthew: Washington State Dukes: Washington State Phillip: Washington State Jason: Oregon State Ronnie: Washington State No. 24 IOWA @ No. 7 PENN STATE Nathan: Penn State Christian: Penn State Matthew: Penn State Dukes: Penn State Phillip: Penn State Jason: Penn State Ronnie: Penn State UCF @ KANSAS STATE Nathan: Kansas State Christian: Kansas State Matthew: Kansas State Dukes: UCF Phillip: Kansas State Jason: Kansas State Ronnie: Kansas State Live chat recap: Talking Auburn football recruiting A recap of Thursday’s Auburn recruiting live chat. VIDEO: Late Kick: Can Auburn pick up a road win against Texas A&M? Auburn's on the road this week, meaning no gameday recruiting visits this weekend. But all of that gears up for one of the two biggest weekends of the year when Georgia comes to town next weekend. For the first time in a few years, Auburn's current recruiting class actually sits in a pretty strong spot during the season — currently No. 14 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings — with the focus now on big flip targets and the 2025 class. Got recruiting questions? Auburn Undercover is firing up a live chat to answer your questions about Auburn's recruiting all day on Thursday. Simply hop in the thread below, and we'll answer as many questions as possible. Let's go! 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

cbssports.com Texas A&M vs. Auburn prediction, pick, spread, football game odds, live stream, watch online, TV channel Dean Straka 5–6 minutes Texas A&M and Auburn open their respective SEC schedules against one another on Saturday as the Aggies host the Tigers in a battle of West division foes. Both cruised victories at home against nonconference opponents in Week 3. Texas A&M defeated ULM while Auburn took care of business against Samford. Now, two teams that finished at the bottom of the division a year ago will go head to head as they each look to garner some momentum early within the conference slate. For Auburn, 2023 brings a new frontier as the program navigates its first season under coach Hugh Freeze. A proven winner in the SEC during his tenure at Ole Miss from 2012-16, Freeze finds himself looking to reinvigorate a Tigers program coming out of a tumultuous stretch under former coach Bryan Harsin, who was fired last October after less than two seasons on the job. The opening three games of the Freeze era included a 14-10 win at Cal that was far from pretty, but Auburn nonetheless sits 3-0 and is already halfway to bowl eligibility after going 5-7 overall last year with a 2-6 mark in SEC play. As for Texas A&M, which finished 2022 with those exact same respective records, patience doesn't exactly abound given the results that coach Jimbo Fisher has overseen into his sixth season. The Aggies once again already have a loss within the first month of the season after falling on the road to Miami in Week 2. Failing to get past a rebuilding Auburn team at home would do nothing to cool a seat that, despite a mammoth contract featuring a $75 million buyout, has only become warmer and warmer for Fisher of late. Let's go a bit deeper on the matchup in College Station, Texas, as the schools prepare for this much-anticipated SEC meeting. Texas A&M vs. Auburn: Need to know Tigers finding their identity: Saturday's game should provide more clarity on where Auburn is headed in its first season under Freeze. Through three contests, the Tigers have limited opponents to just 155 passing yards and 12.33 points per contest, both top-20 marks in the FBS, but containing Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman and the rest of the Aggies' new-look offense under coordinator Bobby Petrino will be the biggest test yet. Offensively, Auburn's rushing attack has been its strength. The Tigers rank 18th among FBS teams, averaging 215.7 rushing yards. On the other hand, a passing attack centered around Michigan State transfer quarterback Payton Thorne has struggled to get going. The Tigers rank 89th, averaging 212.3 yards through the air with only five touchdowns to show. Aggies defense under a microscope: For all the talent on Texas A&M's roster, the Aggies defense, namely the secondary, could be a liability. That much was clear during Texas A&M's Week 2 loss at Miami in which the Hurricanes torched the Aggies for 374 yards and five touchdowns through the air. That Texas A&M struggled to establish any consistent pass rush in that defeat didn't alleviate defensive concerns either. Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin's unit caught a breather in Week 3 against ULM, but the jury is still out regarding how Texas A&M will fare come SEC play. If the Aggies find themselves struggling to contain an Auburn passing offense that ranks in the bottom half of the FBS, it may sound more alarm bells among the 12th Man. Jimbo feeling the pressure: Auburn might not be a "must-win" game for Fisher, but losing the SEC opener as a touchdown favorite at home would do him zero favors. Through 63 games as Texas A&M's coach, Fisher's 41-22 mark is essentially a wash compared to his predecessor, Kevin Sumlin, who was 44-19 on that same timeline before he was fired after a 7-5 finish in Year 6. It's now Year 6 for Fisher and Texas A&M has still started 2-0 just once (2021) under his watch. The Fisher era has frequently seen the Aggies play some marquee opponents early, but more is expected under a coach with a contract exceeding $90 million. In a year where Texas A&M's offense looks much improved and the SEC West appears fairly wide open, the Aggies need to make the most of every opportunity. How to watch Texas A&M vs. Auburn live Date: Saturday, Sept. 23 | Time: Noon ET Location: Kyle Field -- College Station, Texas TV: ESPN | Live stream: fubo (Try for free) Texas A&M vs. Auburn prediction, pick Odds via SportsLine consensus Of the 11 SEC meetings to date between the Aggies and Tigers, the only true blowout was the first in 2012 when a Johnny Manziel-led Texas A&M squad hung 63 points on Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Five of the matchups have been decided by a touchdown or less, including the Tigers' 13-10 home win last year. It's a bit tricky to forecast the tune of this game, but Texas A&M owns the clear-cut edge in the passing game with Weigman. If the Aggies can sufficiently protect their quarterback, they can be happy about their chances. Auburn keeps this one generally competitive, but Texas A&M ultimately wins -- and narrowly covers -- to move to 3-1. Pick: Texas A&M -7.5

collegefootballnews.com Auburn vs Texas A&M Prediction Game Preview Pete Fiutak 3–4 minutes Auburn vs Texas A&M prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 4, Saturday, September 23 © John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Auburn vs Texas A&M How To Watch Date: Saturday, September 23 Game Time: 12:00 ET Venue: Kyle Field, College Station, TX How To Watch: ESPN 2023 Record: Auburn (3-0), Texas A&M (2-1) Pete Fiutak on X | CFN on X College Football News on Facebook Auburn vs Texas A&M Prediction and Preview Why Auburn Will Win The Tigers haven’t been perfect, but they’ve been good enough through two layup games and a tough trip to Cal. They’re starting to sharpen up the passing game a bit after rolling through Samford, the defense tightened up in a big way against the run after allowing over five yards per carry - that’s slightly inflated in a blowout - against UMass, and they should be ready for the step up. Texas A&M has been just okay on the ground, the secondary that got bombed on by Miami a few weeks ago will get tested, Auburn has been wonderful defensively on third downs, and … - 2023 Team Schedules, Results Bowl Projections | Week 3 Rankings Heisman Race | Who's Alive for CFP Why Texas A&M Will Win Can Auburn stop with the turnovers? The Tigers miraculously got away with the four giveaways in the win over Cal, and they turned it over three times last week against Samford. The defense hasn’t been bad at forcing mistakes - multiple in each of the first three games - but A&M has been clean in two of the three games. The Aggie run defense has been terrific so far. Overall the D is third in the nation in third down stops, the passing game in the offense under Bobby Petrino has become fantastic, and … - Week 4 Experts Picks - NFL Experts Picks Recommended for You Auburn vs Texas A&M Who Will Win Auburn is getting better and will be dangerous throughout the SEC season, but Texas A&M might be on the verge of playing like everyone was expecting. The turnovers were the killer against Miami, but the offense worked. Again, the D has been great against the run, it’ll force Payton Thorne to push it a bit, and a few takeaways will be enough to push ahead. Auburn has yet to see a decent passing game. It’s about to. - Week 4 Schedule, Previews, Predictions Auburn vs Texas A&M Prediction, Line Texas A&M 30, Auburn 21 Auburn vs Texas A&M Line: Texas A&M -8.5, o/u: 51.5 ATS Confidence out of 5: 3 Auburn vs Texas A&M Must See Rating (out of 5): 3.5

si.com Auburn leads the SEC in rushing three games into the season Andrew Stefaniak ~3 minutes Auburn's rushing attack leads the SEC and is still improving week by week. Before the season, if you would have told Auburn fans that three games into the season, Auburn leads the SEC in rushing, and Jarquez Hunter only has 90 yards, they would have laughed at you. But this is reality as Auburn's 647 rushing yards lead the SEC, with the next closest team being Tennessee at 615 yards. The Tigers also lead the SEC in yards per game and are third in yards per attempt at 5.18 behind Tennessee (5.40) and Kentucky (5.63). The most exciting thing about this is that Auburn really hasn't hit their stride in the running game yet. Hunter still needs to get himself going, and many Auburn fans expect that to happen soon. Payton Thorne's 140 yards on the ground helps boost these numbers, as he ran for 123 yards against the Samford Bulldogs. One way the Auburn Tigers will try and attack the Texas A&M Aggies is with a balanced attack. With Auburn's talented rushing attack and A&M's weak secondary, Philip Montgomery and Coach Freeze should be able to create plenty of balance. Seeing Auburn atop the SEC in rushing yards is exciting since, historically, they should be near or at the top every season. Hopefully, this holds up throughout the rest of the 2023 season, and if it does, the Auburn Tigers will undoubtedly exceed expectations.

247sports.com Auburn Opponent Preview Texas AM offense Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes One of the biggest questions in college football for the 2023 season was how would Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino co-exist? Through three games, the answer has been pretty darn well. With strong-armed quarterback Conner Weigman leading the way, the Aggies are 12th nationally in scoring offense (44 ppg) and 11th nationally in passing offense (337.2 ypg). In three games, Weigman has already attempted 105 passes and has thrown for 909 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions. With the success through the air has come some issues on the ground. Without Devan Achane, Texas A&M’s ground game has had some problems getting going this season. In three games, the Aggies are averaging 129.67 yards per game with 5-9, 205 sophomore Amari Daniels leading the way with 149 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries. Reuben Owens has added 83 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries with Le’Veon Moss going for 72 yards and a score in just two games. The biggest threat for Auburn’s defense will likely come from a wide receiver group that is one of the most talented in the country. Back from an injury that cost him all of last season, speedy Ainias Smith has 13 catches for 194 yards this season, but super sophomore Evan Stewart is the guy that leads the way for the Aggies. A 6-0, 175-pounder, Stewart has 19 catches for 257 yards and two touchdowns already this season. Big Noah Thomas (6-6) adds a red zone threat for the Texas A&M offense. He has four touchdowns already to go along with 10 total receptions. Moose Muhammed is another threat on the outside for an Aggie offense that can challenge you all over the field in the passing game. At the tight end position, sophomore Jake Johnson can be another weapon for Weigman. This season he has nine catches for 58 yards. Up front is where the issue lies for the Aggies. Veteran Layden Robinson (6-4, 315) leads the way with 23 career starts while Trey Zuhn (6-7, 315, So.), Chase Bisontis (6-6, 320) and Mak Nabou (6-4, 345) have joined him in the starting lineup for all three games. Both Bisontis and Nabou are true freshmen. Even though they have allowed just four sacks and 14 tackles for losses, the group has allowed pressure over and over again this season. In three games, Weigman and the Aggie quarterbacks have been pressured an incredible 47 times. Only five teams in the country have been pressured more, something that will be a key for Auburn’s defense when the game kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. QUARTERBACKS 15 Conner Weigman(7/6) 6-3 215 So-1L Cypress, TX 14 Max Johnson (3/0) 6-6 230 So-1L Athens, GA RUNNING BACKS 4 Amari Daniels (3/2) 5-9 205 Jr-1L Miami, FL 24 Earnest Crownover (2/0) 6-3 235 Gr-3L Grandview, TX 8 Le’veon Moss(3/0) 6-0 210 So-1L Walker, LA 2 Rueben Owens (1/0) 6-0 200 Fr-HS El Campo, TX OFFENSIVE LINE 64 Layden Robinson (25/23) 6-4 315 Gr-4L Manvel, TX 60 Trey Zuhn III (14/9) 6-7 315 So-1L Ft. Collins, CO 71 Chase Bisontis (3/3) 6-6 320 Fr-HS Ramsey, NJ 54 Mark Nabou Jr. 6-4 345 Fr-HS Lynwood, WA 75 Kam Dewberry (6/1) 6-4 330 So-1L Humble, TX 78 Demetrius Crownover (1/0) 6-7 315 So-1L Grandview, TX 76 Reuben Fatheree II (21/0) 6-8 315 Jr-2L Richmond, TX 61 Bryce Foster (18/0) 6-5 330 So-2L Katy, TX 74 Aki Ogunbiyi (8/0) 6-4 315 Jr-2L Houston, TX 66 Jordan Spasojevic-Moko (2/0) 6-6 325 Jr-1L Brisbane, Australia WIDE RECEIVERS 0 AiniasSmith (27/1) 5-10 200 Gr-4L Missouri City, TX 1 Evan Stewart (10/0) 6-0 175 So-1L Frisco, TX 3 Noah Thomas (6/6) 6-6 200 So-1L Pearland, TX 9 Jahdae Walker (1/1) 6-4 210 Jr-TR Cleveland, OH 7 Moose Muhammad III (7/0) 6-1 205 Jr-3L Charlotte, NC TIGHT ENDS 19 Jake Johnson (1/1) 6-6 240 So-1L Athens, GA 42 Max Wright (10/0) 6-4 260 Gr-5L Katy, TX 18 Donovan Green (4/0) 6-4 245 So-1L Dickinson, TX

any news on the under armor contract?

Here is a picture of the first Auburn vs. Alabama football game that was played at Birmingham’s Lakeview Park in 1893. Auburn won the game 32-22 in front of a crowd of 5,000. It was also the first recorded intercollegiate football game played in the State of Alabama.

al.com Auburn's Jalen McLeod beat Texas A&M last year. Now he's looking at a 'money game.' Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 5–7 minutes The play began with the so-called too-small outside linebacker ready to spring against the right tackle amid the cauldron of the largest stadium he’d ever had a game in. As the visiting defense, he didn’t have to worry about the noise of the 92,664 people around him at Kyle Field. So Jalen McLeod could focus on the reason Appalachian State recruited him in the first place despite the reservations others had about his 6-foot-1 frame: getting to the quarterback. When the ball was snapped, McLeod — ranked outside the top 1,500 recruits in his high school class — burst toward Texas A&M right tackle Reuben Fatheree, a former top 150 recruit. He launched with such speed that he tossed a backpedaling Fatheree into the ground and turned toward another top-150 recruit, quarterback Haynes King. With his right arm, he knocked the ball loose from King’s hand. Right guard Layden Robinson picked up the ball and because one strip wasn’t good enough for McLeod, he raced up behind Robinson and punched the ball away from him, too. That time, the Mountaineers fell on it. McLeod jumped and ran toward the sideline to celebrate where his head coach Shawn Clark immediately knew “Oh s***, really good play,” Clark said he remembers thinking on the sidelines. “But now we’re gonna lose him.” Appalachian State would go on to win that game over then No. 6 Texas A&M in what would go down as the upset of the 2022 season. But Clark was right, he would lose McLeod. McLeod calls these types of games against high-caliber opponents “Money Games.” “You do big in these games, there’s no telling what you’re going to do at the next level or how the team going to play out,” McLeod said Monday. McLeod and Clark prepared for the money game by well, not changing anything. Clark said when he watched the Aggies’ game film, he didn’t think they were “the same team as the year before.” During a phone interview with AL.com on Monday, Clark said it didn’t take much more than turning up the noise in practice to simulate the crowd and instilling a belief that Appalachian State — a program famous for its 2007 upset against Michigan in Ann Arbor — could truly and realistically knock off another giant. That’s exactly what it did. Clark knew on the sidelines after McLeod’s two forced fumbles that he might be on his way to losing him. He said he remembers telling his staff after the game and after the celebrations that Appalachian State had actually played too well, because he know McLeod wouldn’t be the only one to hit the transfer portal. Clark said he used to get upset about players leaving after the work he’d done to recruit and coach them. But in the modern age of the transfer portal and NIL deals — to capitalize on money games — Clark understands now. In this way, seeing a player like McLeod move on to a bigger program signifies he succeeded in developing the under-recruited players he targets. So McLeod’s money game performance brought him to the SEC, brought him to Auburn. And in the SEC, there are more opportunities to play money games. It’s fitting his first SEC conference games would be going back to College Station. Auburn will kick off against Texas A&M at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kyle Field and McLeod said Freeze has already mentioned his performance last season to him. “Coach been making fun — not making fun but like you had a good game last year so they want to make it two big games in College Station,” McLeod said. This is a different type of money game than the one he played on the same field a year ago. Then, it was play well and earn your way to more exposure at a bigger school. Now, it’s more about true money than ever, as McLeod looks to these games as a means to build his own tape for a potential entry into the NFL draft. Play well, and get paid. “That’s how we all think,” McLeod said. “If I play good, if Austin Keys or Larry Nixon play good, you never know what can happen in the future. If we keep playing good against Georgia and LSU, first of all we’re going to be ranked and have a good defense. And then second, the next thing come is you. This is what I’m putting on tape against these type of teams. That’s what you look for when you play these type teams. Get paid on Sundays.” McLeod said enters the game with a chip on his shoulder against a roster of so many highly ranked recruits, and also still at only about 85% health. He’s been dealing with an ankle injury picked up during fall camp. He didn’t play against UMass, battled through the injury against Cal and while he started against Samford, wasn’t able to finish the game. “It’s been annoying, it’s been nagging,” McLeod said Monday. So McLeod finished his Monday round of interviews, got up from the round table in the Woltosz Football Performance Center multipurpose room and went right to get treatment. He plans to get closer to 100% health. He has money to make. Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Freeze says Auburn's pass rush has been 'average'. Can the Tigers find another gear vs. TAMU? Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 9:59 a.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 9:00 a.m. 6–7 minutes When Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman came to Jordan-Hare Stadium last fall, he was a wee freshman that had just taken over the Aggies starting job and had yet to win a SEC game on the road. “My head was spinning,” Weigman said Monday when asked about last year’s game at Auburn. Weigman went 14-for-36 through the air against Auburn and threw one touchdown. All the while, the Auburn defense harassed the rookie, sacking him three times for a loss of 26 yards and hurrying him six other times. Auburn went on to win a 13-10 low-scoring affair, giving Cadillac Williams his first win as the Tigers’ interim head coach. But a “whole lot” is different between Weigman last year and Weigman this year, the sophomore quarterback says. “I feel a way better grasp on the offenses and knowing what defenses are trying to do to confuse me,” Weigman said Monday. And to date, Weigman’s stats back that up. Through three games, Weigman has passed for just more than 900 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions. His average of 303 passing yards per game ranks 10th in the country. On the year, Weigman boasts a 70% completion rating. Last week against Louisiana-Monroe, Weigman completed more than 86% of his passes for 337 yards, good for a stat line that — regardless of opponent — is impressive. “He’s throwing it at a really high level right now,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said of Weigman. However, Weigman — like most quarterbacks — doesn’t play the same when he’s under pressure. When working with a clean pocket, Weigman has completed 80% of his passes for 622 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. On the other hand, when Weigman is forced to work in the face of pressure, his completion percentage plummets to 52.4% and he’s been good for just 287 yards. And here’s more good news: The Texas A&M offensive line isn’t great at pass blocking. Of the 133 teams in the FBS, PFF rates the Aggies No. 98 in pass protection as the Texas A&M offensive line has allowed 45 pressures, 37 quarterback hurries and four sacks. By contrast, Auburn’s offensive line has allowed just 14 pressures, nine quarterback hurries and three sacks. So the opportunity to disrupt Weigman and the Texas A&M offense is certainly there. Can the Tigers’ defense do it, on the other hand, begs a different conversation. Auburn’s defense is good — like really, really good — in some areas. The Tigers boast the No. 1 red zone defense in the country, leads the SEC in fewest number of passing yards allowed and has the best defensive efficiency in the conference, which is good for the fifth-best in the country. In other areas, however, the Auburn defense leaves plenty to be desired. And the defensive line is one of those areas. “We haven’t done really well rushing the passer with just the front,” Freeze said Monday. Come Wednesday, Auburn’s head coach doubled down on his concern. “We’ve been probably average at best at, truthfully, getting after the quarterback without having to bring extra guys,” Freeze said. “Hopefully we can get a little healthier and try to improve that.” It’s no secret that not having Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod available due to an ankle injury in two of Auburn’s three games hasn’t helped. He’s a guy the Tigers desperately want to get back. “He’s probably our best pass rusher, and we’ve missed having him healthy for sure,” Freeze said. “We’ve had to create it other ways.” Fortunately for Auburn, signs are pointing towards McLeod returning to action this Saturday against the Aggies — a team the Appalachian State transfer is familiar with. Last fall, McLeod and the Mountaineers walked into Kyle Field and snatched a 17-14 win out from under the Aggies. McLeod tallied three tackles, two tackles for a loss, two sacks and forced two fumbles — including strip sacking former Texas A&M quarterback Haynes King on a critical down. A Texas A&M offensive lineman went on to recover the fumble, only for McLeod to strip the ball again — this time for it to be recovered by Appalachian State. Getting McLeod back would be a huge win for Auburn, especially considering the Tigers’ defensive backfield will be thinned in the absence of nickel back Keionte Scott, who suffered a high-ankle sprain against Samford and had surgery Monday. “These guys have weapons that you certainly would like to have some guys in coverage and not always add to the box to bring pressure,” Freeze said. Sophomore receiver Evan Stewart is Texas A&M’s receiving leader with 19 receptions, 257 receiving yards and two touchdowns. After missing last week’s game against Louisiana-Munroe, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher expects Stewart to be available against Auburn. And Stewart certainly has the respect of Freeze and the Tigers. “They have great receivers. One of the best I’ve ever seen in (Evan) Stewart,” Freeze said. “He’s really talented, and I think they’re doing some really good things offensively.” Senior receiver Anais Smith is another guy that has helped Texas A&M’s offense produce. He’s added 13 catches and 194 yards through three games and led the team with 127 yards on seven catches last week in Stewart’s absence. But the successes of guys like Stewart and Smith can largely be limited if the Tigers’ defense can get after Weigman. And that starts with Auburn’s defensive front. “It’d be nice to get some pressure on him with just our front,” Freeze said. “And hopefully we can do 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.