aubiefifty

i have no idea. i know the left and some on the right call her trailer trash.

Auburn vs. Samford: Stream, injury report, broadcast info for Saturday’s game at Jordan-Hare Stadium Taylor Jones Sat, September 16, 2023 at 6:00 AM CDT·3 min read 0 Auburn plays Samford on Saturday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place. The Auburn Tigers return to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday for one final nonconference tune-up ahead of next week’s SEC opener at Texas A&M. Auburn hopes to improve its record to 3-0 on Saturday against an in-state foe in Samford. Samford enters with a 1-1 record after most recently dropping a contest to Western Carolina. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is excited for the opportunity to play against Samford and head coach Chris Hatcher. “Hatcher and I have known each other for years. I think he is one of the better offensive coaches in football. He has done a remarkable job there. He will have his kids excited and well prepared to play here I have no doubt, they will test you in the passing game for sure and throw it all around. I think the last time he played here it was every formation you could imagine that he pulled out and had success moving the ball. I have great respect for him as a man and as a coach. I know he will have his guys ready.” Below, you will find everything you need to know ahead of Auburn’s game with Samford including a broadcast guide, an injury report, and players to watch. How to stream Saturday's game Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Here’s when you should tune in to see the game: Date: Saturday, Sept. 17 Time: 6 p.m. CT TV Channel: ESPN+ (Clay Matvick, Aaron Murray) How to listen to Saturday's game AP Photo/John Bazemore Listen to Auburn Football on your local Auburn Sports Network affiliate all season long. Andy Burcham and Jason Campbell will provide live play-by-play coverage of Auburn’s game vs. Samford. Find your nearest Auburn Sports Network affiliate below: Sirius/XM Ch. 192 Abbeville 98.7 FM Albany, Georgia 102.9 FM Atlanta, Georgia 1010 AM Auburn 94.3 FM Alexander City 97.5 FM Andalusia 93.7 FM Bainbridge, Georgia 99.3 FM Bainbridge, Georgia 930 AM Birmingham 100.5 FM Centre 100.5 FM Centre 990 AM Columbus, Georgia 102.9 FM Cullman 92.1 FM Cullman 98.3 FM Demopolis 106.5 FM Dothan 102.5 FM Eufaula 102.9 FM Evergreen 101.1 FM Flomaton 105.1 FM Florence 94.9 FM Foley 92.5 FM Foley 1310 AM Fort Payne 100.9 FM Fort Payne 1250 AM Gadsden 1350 AM Greenville 94.3 FM Hackleburg 95.5 FM Huntsville 100.3 FM Jasper 88.5 FM Ocean Springs, Mississippi 106.5 FM Oxford 92.7 FM LaGrange, Georgia 102.3 FM Macon, Georgia 102.9 FM Mobile 106.5 FM Montgomery 92.3 FM Moulton 97.9 FM Panama City, Florida 104.3 FM Pensacola, Florida 105.1 FM Roanoke 102.3 FM Scottsboro 1050 AM Selma 1490 AM Spartanburg, SC 1530 AM Sylacauga 100.3 FM Sylacauga 1290 AM Thomasville 95.5 FM Troy 970 AM Tuscaloosa 100.5 FM Vernon 100.7 FM Vernon 1380 AM Auburn injury report Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics WR Nick Mardner Undisclosed Questionable for Saturday’s game CB JD Rhym Undisclosed Questionable for Saturday’s game LB Austin Keys Thumb Out indefinitely Auburn key players Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports QB Payton Thorne (19-of-31, 235 yards, 3 TD, INT) RB Damari Alston (16 carries, 94 yards, TD) WR Jay Fair (7 catches, 81 yards, 2 TD) LB Eugene Asante (18 TT, 3.5 TFL) Star Donovan Kaufman (12 tackles) Samford players to watch Todd Kirkland/Getty Images QB Michael Hiers (49-of-69, 690 yards, 6 TD) RB Mychael Hamilton (11 carries, 98 yards, 2 TD) WR Ty King (8 catches, 157 yards) WR Chandler Smith (11 catches, 130 yards, 2 TD) LB Noah Martin (20 tackles) Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

Lauren Boebert Caught Fondling Date’s Genitals During Family-Friendly Musical: Video Christopher Wiggins Fri, September 15, 2023 at 6:20 PM CDT·4 min read 4.7k Lauren Boebert Newly released security camera footage appears to show Rep. Lauren Boebert, the far-right Republican congresswoman known for her strong stance against drag queens and transgender people, claiming their mere existence “sexualizes” spaces, engaging in inappropriate behavior during a family-friendly musical at a packed theater. Boebert and her companion were asked to leave the show due to their disruptive actions during a performance of the musical Beetlejuice. In the video, Boebert's companion, identified by multiple news sources as 46-year-old Quinn Gallagher (a Democrat who owns a bar at which drag shows have occurred), is seen touching Boebert's chest during the show. Boebert, in response, appears to place her hand near his crotch and whispers something to him, Mediaite reports. The suggested age for Beetlejuice is 10 and over. This footage quickly went viral on social media, leading to widespread outrage. - ADVERTISEMENT - The incident led to various social media posts, including the phrase "Not a drag queen," along with the video of Boebert involved in the handsy behavior. Independent journalist and trans activist Erin Reed, who is engaged to Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr, called out the right-wing hypocrisy demonstrated by Boebert’s actions. “Lauren Boebert has talked a lot about LGBTQ people, 'appropriate behavior.' And now she gets caught fondling her partner in a packed theatre. Imagine for one moment a trans person was caught doing this. The news stories. The bills. The media circus,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, adding, “Still not a drag queen.” Boebert and her companion were confronted by theater officials at their seats inside the Buell Theater, as previously shown in video footage obtained by Denver NBC affiliate KUSA. After a brief conversation, they were escorted out of the theater. The security camera footage also captures Boebert taking flash photographs, dancing, and using a vape pen inside the theater. Subsequently, she left the venue after theater staff threatened to call police. Initially, Boebert jokingly attributed the incident to "laughing and singing too loudly" and denied vaping, suggesting that the smoke came from the theater's fog machine. However, a separate video contradicted this claim, showing Boebert using her vape pen and blowing smoke toward the audience. An incident report stated that Boebert protested her removal, asking, "Do you know who I am?" and referring to her supposed board membership and intentions to contact the mayor. Many people noted the apparent hypocrisy in Boebert's actions, given her history of making derogatory remarks about the LGBTQ+ community, painting its members as sexually deviant. Boebert's critics enjoyed tremendous schadenfreude, with Boebert being the one caught engaging in public sexual behavior in a theater where children were present. Boebert issued an apology late on Friday, expressing regret for the vaping incident, which she claimed to have no recollection of, and attributing her disruptive behavior to her ongoing divorce proceedings, The Colorado Sun reports. "The past few days have been difficult and humbling, and I'm truly sorry for the unwanted attention my Sunday evening in Denver has brought to the community," she stated. "While none of my actions or words as a private citizen that night were intended to be malicious or meant to cause harm, the reality is they did and I regret that." She added, "There's no perfect blueprint for going through a public and difficult divorce, which over the past few months has made for a challenging personal time for me and my entire family. I've tried to handle it with strength and grace as best I can, but I simply fell short of my values on Sunday. That's unacceptable, and I'm sorry." The Advocate reached out to Boebert’s spokesperson to ask for an explanation of how Boebert reconciles her behavior with her false smears on the LGBTQ+ community as inappropriately sexual but did not receive an immediate response. apologies i could not get the video to work.

i should have used a vacation day since it is slow but i might need a free burger from someone in auburn sometime............grins

i think when we get our running game up to snuff it all comes together. hunter needs to show out this weekend and get ready for the sec. i think we have the line for it. coach singled strutts out and said he was just manhandling those cal boys. and he is not our award winner. thorne is a coaches son and i just think the light comes on sooner than later. get the young man comfy with stuff and buiild.

i want to see them jump out to a great start. get the "O" tuned up early and rest the starters. AND i will be hoping miss state will bring it against the jimbo's so they do not get the rest we do. i will not get to see it unless i get lucky on youtube tonight. i hope everyone traveling is safe and has a great time!

WAR EAGLE!

slow so far. i will check back later for updates.

al.com Auburn football: Everything Hugh Freeze has said on Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford roation Published: Sep. 16, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes Auburn Football Auburn football: Hugh Freeze still has a QB decision to make. What will Samford game show? Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne (1) warms up before an NCAA college football game against California, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)AP Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has had to reflect. It’s come from the sidelines in Berkeley, the tape on the plane ride home and the film room this week. It’s come from the podium with reporters and under the late afternoon Auburn sun at practice. It’s a reflection at the most important position. The quarterback position hasn’t gone the way Freeze planned. And that reflection hasn’t created clarity on what to do next. During his appearance on Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show Thursday night, Freeze said he had certain packages for Robby Ashford against Cal. And Auburn used some of them. But they went wrong. There was Jarquez Hunter running the wrong way on a 3rd down with Ashford in the game or a slew of penalties that killed any of the little offensive momentum Auburn had. So this week, Freeze’s key talking point at the position is questioning just how much rotation there should be. “I do not like the way the other night went with it,” Freeze said Monday. “At the same time, I think Robby has to get his touches. So that is absolutely something that’s on my mind, and we’ve got to figure it out.” Freeze was asked if he’d consider just using Thorne to maintain some consistency. Freeze has thought about it, but he’s weighing that against wanting Ashford on the field for his athleticism. On Monday, Freeze said he and the offensive coaching staff had to question why they were changing quarterbacks in the seemingly haphazard manner against Cal in an attempt to find some sort of spark. Throughout speaking engagements this week, Freeze has firmly stated that’s not going to happen going forward. The rotation against Cal seemed to hurt Auburn’s offense further. Freeze said Monday he planned to spend extra time in offensive meetings this week, and that will likely turn into a focus on keeping Ashford in his specific packages and keeping Thorne as the primary quarterback. “We need Payton to play better, truthfully, too,” Freeze said. “Now, the last drive he played well. Prior to that I think a few of the throws were inaccurate. I thought he left the pocket early once. And look, I’m not beating up Payton. He played really well that last possession, but we really do need more consistency there throughout the whole game.” Freeze discussed the point further on his SEC conference call with reporters on Wednesday. “I think we’ve got to decide who is the guy and obviously I’ve said — and I mean this — Robby needs to get touches. But the shuffling in and out, I don’t think is healthy for anyone,” Freeze said. His comments on the conference call suggested that Thorne doesn’t necessarily have a secure grasp on the starting job. Largely, that tracks with comments Freeze made all the way back to announcing Thorne as Auburn’s starter when he said Ashford had some of his best practices after losing the job and would force Thorne to continue to earn being atop the depth chart. Thorne has been the more effective passer compared to Ashford. Over two games, Thorne has completed 19 of 31 passes for 235 yards. Ashford has three passing yards and a 33% completion rate on nine throws. Thorne certainly has the more reliable arm, but Freeze has pointed out his decision-making difficulties leading Auburn’s run-pass-option scheme after each of the first two games. The next night, on his Tiger Talk radio show appearance, Freeze stated again he was not happy with the quarterback rotation against Cal. “I don’t think you’ll see that again,” Freeze said Thursday night of the rotation. His comments on both the conference call and the radio show also again posited both Ashford and sophomore Holden Geriner “nipping at (Thorne’s) heels wanting their chance too.” So if Auburn has reopened its quarterback battle, it will likely take place largely on the practice fields behind the Woltosz Football Performance Center. The apparent push from Ashford and Geriner toward Thorne’s job doesn’t fully line up with the desire to rely on Thorne more in the game — until Thorne proves otherwise, at least. Freeze’s comments throughout the week suggest Thorne will receive a much larger share of the quarterback reps this week against Samford. But will Ashford’s role look like it did against UMass: being largely used inside the redzone for running plays? How firmly does Freeze view any of the quarterbacks at this point in their roles? Samford is going to be another chance to reflect on his own game planning. 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 one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

247sports.com Auburn opponent preview Samford offense Jason Caldwell 4–5 minutes Scoring points in bunches is something that Samford has done with regularity under coach Chris Hatcher. Averaging 38 points per game this season in two games, the Bulldogs only scored a single touchdown a week ago in a loss to Western Carolina. That’s not the norm for a Hatcher-coached team. Over the last eight seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, the Samford offense has scored at least 30 points 49 times. The unit has put up at least 40 points 27 times, and at least 50 points a total of 14 times. Those scoring outbursts have come because of the ability to throw the ball, something Samford has this season in senior quarterback Michael Hiers. A Briarwood Christian product that spent time at Northwest (Mississippi) Community College, the 6-1, 215 graduate is the preseason SoCon Offensive Player of the Year after a huge 2022 season that saw him throw for 3,544 yards and 36 touchdowns while completing 76.6 percent of his passes. This season Hiers has thrown for 690 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions and is completing 71 percent of his passes. Much of that came in the opener against Shorter College when he was 28-35 for 375 yards and five touchdowns. Hiers will spread the ball around with 13 different players catching passes in the first two games. Senior Chandler Smith has been the top target with 11 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns this year while fellow senior Ty King has been the big-play threat, catching eight balls for 157 yards. Phenix City native DJ Rias has added eight receptions for 144 yards in two games. Averaging just 84 yards on the ground, Samford’s rushing attack is led by senior Jay Stanton. He’s got 11 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown this year. Junior Damonta Witherspoon has added 17 carries for 41 yards and two scores. Third-teamer Mychael Hamilton (6-0, 192, Sr.) has 11 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns in mostly a reserve role for the Bulldogs. Up front, one of the leaders of the Samford offensive line is left tackle Chris Noble. A transfer from UAB, Noble started all 13 games last season for the Bulldogs and had six starts in 2021. As a group the Samford offensive line has struggled this season protecting Hiers, allowing seven sacks for 40 yards in losses in just two games. OFFENSE QB 10 Micheal Hiers 6-1 215 Gr. Birmingham, Ala. / NW Miss CC 2 Quincy Crittendon 5-11 200 Jr. Decatur, Ala. / Austin RB 20 Jay Stanton 6-0 193 Sr. Crestview, Fla. / Crestview HS 31 Damonta Witherspoon 5-8 210 Jr. East St. Louis, Ill. / Murray State X 12 Ty King 6-0 175 Gr. Wrens, Ga. / Jefferson County HS 3 E. Jai Mason 6-1 205 Jr. Jackson, Miss. / NW Miss CC LT 58 Chris Noble 6-4 287 Gr. Brewton, Ala. / UAB 75 Jayme Motley-Simmons 6-7 290 Sr. Alabaster, Ala. / UAB LG 62 Jabari Brooks 6-3 335 Sr. Sandersville, Ga. /Washington County High 70 Brett Johnson 6-4 290 Jr. Maplesville, Ala /UAB C 57 Cooper Frazier 6-4 305 Sr. Corinth, Miss./Corinth HS 63 Zach Bond 6-3 290 Jr. McHenry, Miss. / NW Miss CC RG 54 Luke Byrne 6-4 307 Gr. Forsyth, Ga./Mary Persons HS 79 Donovan Hawkins 6-1 310 Sr. Pinson, Ala. / Pinson Valley HS RT 77 Zach Brown 6-4 280 Jr. Loretto, Tenn. / Loretto HS 50 Darrian King 6-3 295 Jr. Oak Grove, Miss / East Mississippi CC H 8 RJ Starkey 6-1 220 Gr. Atlanta, Ga. / Penn 86 Michael Vice 6-4 250 Gr. Vestavia Hills, Ala. / Troy Y 5 Chandler Smith 5-10 186 Gr. Marietta, Ga. / Walton HS 37 Peyton Ringer 5-7 160 Gr. Lithonia, Ga. / The Lovett School Z 7 DJ Rias 5-9 190 Sr. Phenix City, Ala. / Alabama 84 Brendan Jenkins 6-1, 200 Fr. Hoschton, Ga. /Mill Creek HS

theplainsman.com Players to watch, keys to victory against Samford 7–9 minutes The Tigers return home this week following a 14-10 West Coast win last Saturday at California to take on the Samford Bulldogs in the annual homecoming game. While the Bulldogs are a team Auburn has had nothing but success against in the past, a 28-0-1 record all time in the series, the Tigers will have to continue the success, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, to remain undefeated prior to conference play. “(Chris) Hatcher and I've known each other for years," said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. “I mean, I think he's one of the better offensive coaches in football. He's done a remarkable job there, and he will have his kids excited and well prepared to play here. I have no doubt and they'll test you in the passing game for sure and throw it all around.” Hatcher, a storied head coach in the FCS ranks, has led nine teams to NCAA postseason play during his career, including the 2016, 2017 and 2022 FCS Playoffs with the Bulldogs. For Hatcher, the name of the game is the offense. Over the last eight seasons, the Samford offense has scored at least 30 points 49 times. The unit has put up at least 40 points 27 times, and at least 50 points a total of 14 times. The Bulldog offense could have a tough assignment on Saturday with an Auburn defense that leads the SEC in red zone defense percentage, .333%, second nationally behind Syracuse, and in third down conversion percentage defense at .185%. “And I was so proud of just the leadership on that side of the ball that just we got you,” Freeze said. “And Eugene Asante played his tail off and as did others I don't want to get to pointing them out. But we played really well. Jalen McLeod makes us different when he's playing. So there's so much to build on from that because we're gonna have some adverse situations in this league, particularly at the point we are in our program.” Despite the Auburn offense only putting up 230 total yards, the fewest for the program in a win since a 34-3 home win over Arkansas in 2018, and the constant missed opportunities and turnovers, the defense kept giving Freeze’s squad a chance to pull out a victory in the end. “You just don't win many games like that. And so we're very fortunate," Freeze said. "I know this, I don't know that I've ever had a season where you didn't have a game where you felt like God we easily could have lost that game but our kids found a way and you can build on stuff like that and just really proud of our staff and kids." Players to Watch: Samford Bulldogs: Micheal Hiers (QB) Preseason All-American Micheal Hiers returns to the Bulldogs this season following a Southern Conference Championship season in 2022 in which he threw the ball for 3,544 yards and a program record-tying 36 touchdowns. Named the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Hiers threw for 300 or more yards in five games and tossed a season-high four touchdowns in seven games. Last Saturday in a loss at Western Carolina that featured a nearly six-hour weather delay, Hiers went 21-for-34 with 315 yards and one touchdown through the air against the Catamounts. Chandler Smith (WR) Named to the All-SoCon team this fall, Chandler Smith caught a team-high 100 passes for 1,071 yards and 11 touchdown a season ago. Smith, also a threat in the punt return game, returned eight punts for 48 yards with a long of 20 yards in 2022. Smith has 130 yards through the air this season with an average of 11.8 yards per catch and two touchdowns. Auburn Tigers: Rivaldo Fairweather (TE) After recording zero catches in the opener against UMass, Rivaldo Fairweather was crucial in must-have plays late on the touchdown drive to seal the deal at Cal. Fairweather led the team with 39 yards receiving and a crucial 28-yard completion to keep the final touchdown drive alive. After all the fall camp buzz around the FIU transfer, the Tigers could be unlocking a new weapon for this offense. Kayin Lee (CB) The Tigers have been plagued with multiple injuries in the defensive secondary, with the likes of Nehemiah Pritchett, an All-SEC defensive back, and J.D. Rhym both out, but Lee, the former 4-star recruit, has turned heads early in his freshman season. Lee is the Tiger’s fourth most played defender this year, with 101 snaps and two starts in the first two contests. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Auburn Plainsman delivered to your inbox “You know, we think he's gonna be really tough. He's really talented. He's gonna be really good. He's just young," Freeze said. “There's times I think he's still a little unsure about his confidence level and gives too much ground. There were a couple of those in the game. And obviously the 15 yard penalty, we didn’t need was critical at that juncture. But did he play well? Yes.” Eugene Asante (LB) Eugene Asante was named the SEC Defensive Co-Player of the Week after a career-best 12 tackles in Auburn’s first ever win in the state of California. Along with a sack, Asante, the North Carolina transfer, record two quarterback hurries, 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup in the contest. Keys to Victory: Samford Bulldogs: The Bulldogs have never beaten Auburn and haven’t won against an SEC team since defeating the Ole Miss Rebels 7-6 in 1934. If Samford wants to pull off the shocking upset it’ll have to be through the air. The Tigers secondary is thin due to injuries and Hiers, along with the receiving core, will have to make them pay. The turnovers will also be a huge factor if Samford wants to put itself in a position to win. Auburn gave the ball away four times on the road last week, and if the Bulldogs can limit the Tiger offense’s chances, it could go a long way to determine the outcome of the game. Auburn Tigers: With an offense that is very much still a work in progress, the defense will need to come through again for the Tigers to walk into College Station, Texas, undefeated next week. The Ron Roberts defense will look to slow down and contain a Hatcher offense that has had 183 scoring drives of two minutes or less and 82 that have lasted one minute or less during his eight seasons with Samford. Payton Thorne and the offensive side of the ball will look to improve upon last week's performance that had the Tigers entering the fourth quarter of play with just 46 yards through the air. With only three players recorded double digit receiving yards for Auburn last week, Freeze and company will certainly try to change that in Saturday’s matchup. Auburn and Samford will kick off from Jordan-Hare Stadium at 6 p.m. CST in the annual homecoming game. The television broadcast can be found on ESPN+/SECN+ and can be heard around the state of Alabama on the Auburn Sports Network. Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman. Share and discuss “Players to watch, keys to victory against Samford” on social media.

si.com Auburn Briefing: Tigers dominating defensively on third down Lance Dawe 2–3 minutes Could the Tigers' strong presence on third down through two games continue this season? Auburn hasn't been perfect two games into the season, but they've been dominant in one statistical category; getting stops on third down. The Tigers currently lead the SEC in opponent third down conversion percentage at 18.5%. That's also good for fourth nationally. In the season opener against UMass, the Minutemen were 1-of-9 on third down. The following weekend, Cal was 4-of-18. While the Golden Bears converted three of their six fourth down tries, Auburn did a great job of holding Cal on third down. Working on first and second down defense will be a priority for Auburn, which gave up 19 first downs to Cal despite only allowing seven total conversions on third and fourth down. Could Auburn's ability to get off the field when needed help them in SEC contests through the rest of the season? We wrote it We now have seen a big enough sample size to start learning about Auburn quarterbacks Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford. Two games into the season, they have produced some very interesting stats after the wins over Cal and UMass.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs Samford Brian Hauch 4–5 minutes The Samford Bulldogs travel to Jordan-Hare stadium to wish undefeated Auburn a happy homecoming this Saturday at 7 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs are coming off a rough 30-7 loss at the hands of conference opponent Western Carolina, while the Tigers head into this game without a loss, most recently beating California in Berkeley 14-10. Buy Tigers Tickets It is clear Auburn has the edge in this game, not only from a pure talent standpoint but also because of the emotional advantage of a homecoming game. ESPN FPI gives the Tigers a 98.7% chance of winning and improving to 3-0 on Saturday, a record Auburn hasn’t achieved since 2019, when they started the season 5-0. Most of the country will check off this week three showdown as a blowout, but will the tale of the tape show us this game could be closer than most think? The quarterback matchup is fairly interesting heading into this one. Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne has been serviceable this season, completing 19/31 passes for 235 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He has also fumbled once. Robby Ashford has also seen ample playing time for the Tigers, completing 3/9 passes for three yards. Most of his damage has been done on the ground, where he has rushed for 59 yards on 13 carries, finding the end zone thrice. On the other side, Samford quarterback Michael Heirs has been absolutely electric for the Bulldogs since he transferred to the school in 2022. Heirs was the 2022 SoCon Offensive Player of the Year last season, collecting 3,544 yards through the air and tying the school record with 36 touchdown passes. The 36 touchdowns and 3,544 yards were fourth and sixth in the entire nation, respectively. Heirs also checks in at 6″1 tall and 215 pounds. While you would expect an FCS quarterback to be undersized, his attributes are very comparable to Thorne, who stands 6″2 and weighs in at 203 pounds. With all that being said, the clear edge in quarterback play still goes to Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford, as the experience and quality wins against FBS opponents outweigh the accolades of Heirs. A more clear advantage for Auburn is on the defensive side of the ball, where they shined in week two against Cal. The Tigers’ defense has been decent against the pass this season but struggled against the run in week one against UMass. The good news for Auburn is that run defense seemed to fix itself in week two. The front seven was able to hold NFL talent Jaydn Ott to 3.9 YPC off the back of linebacker Eugene Asante’s SEC co-defensive player of the week performance. The even better news for Auburn is Samford does not run the ball, as their running backs combined for just 14 carries a week ago. The Bulldogs passing attack is better than most FCS teams, but Auburn’s defensive strength so far in 2023 has been against the pass. As for Samford’s defense, the glaring stat is the 25.4 PPG they gave up in 2022 to FCS teams. The number itself is respectable, Auburn is much steeper competition. Auburn gets the edge in defense. The final edge to Auburn goes in the sheer size department. Auburn’s offensive line weighs an average of 313 pounds. The average weight of Samford’s interior defensive lineman is 270 pounds. Discrepancies like that exist throughout the field. Even if the Bulldogs play a great game, the physical tool endured by them may be too much by the time the second half rolls around. Auburn kicks off its homecoming game against Samford at 7 PM CST on Saturday at Jordan-Hare. It should be a very happy homecoming for Tiger fans. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

al.com The tale of Aubie the Tiger's first football game, which was 44 years ago today Updated: Sep. 15, 2023, 11:03 a.m.|Published: Sep. 15, 2023, 10:55 a.m. 4–5 minutes The Auburn Tigers won the football game that hot afternoon in Jordan-Hare Stadium. But that isn’t what people remember about Auburn’s game against Kansas State on Sept. 15, 1979. Instead, that afternoon is best remembered as the day a refrigerator box was planted on the 50-yard line well before kickoff. Well, maybe not the box itself, but rather what was inside the box. As fans filed into the stands of Jordan-Hare Stadium, they couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the deal with the box at midfield? Inside the box was Barry Mask, who toed the line of a heat stroke the entire time as he waited to make his grand entrance. “Nobody knew what was going to happen,” Mask said in a 2019 interview with AL.com. Eventually, Auburn stadium announcer Carl Stephens broke the ice. “Introducing a new Auburn tradition, Aubie the Tiger,” Stephens said over the PA. The Auburn marching band struck up a tune and Mask jumped from the box, dressed as Aubie the Tiger, and began dancing to the delight of Tigers’ fans. When Mask finished with his antics, he said he was seeing stars as he went back to the tunnel. The thermometer taped to his chest read 115 degrees. For the full story, which was told by AL.com’s Tom Wofford in 2019, click here. For nearly 20 years to that point, Aubie was often featured on the covers of Auburn’s football programs — but it wasn’t until then that he was brought to life. Phil Neel of the Birmingham-Post Herald is credited for creating Aubie, who first appeared on a football program on Oct. 3, 1959 ahead of the Tigers’ matchup against Hardin-Simmons. Despite Aubie’s humble beginnings, he was a good-luck charm for the Auburn football team, which won its first nine games with Aubie on the cover of its programs. Initially, Aubie’s presence on the sidelines was an anomaly. In the late 1970s, many college football teams used live animals as their mascots. At Auburn, a golden eagle who was ironically named “Tiger” was used. Meanwhile, costumed mascots were unheard of. At the time, Boston College’s “Baldy” the eagle was about the only costumed mascot that existed. But Auburn student government spirit chairman James Lloyd wanted to find a way to entice fans to come to Jordan-Hare Stadium earlier on game days. And he figured the antics of a costumed mascot could be the ticket. Lloyd sent clippings of Neel’s illustrations to Brooks Van-Horn — a famed costume shop in New York. And after dishing out $1,350 for the original costume in 1978, the Aubie costume was born. Lloyd himself went on to wear the costume as Aubie made his first-ever appearance at the SEC basketball championships in Birmingham on Feb. 28, 1979. Auburn went on to upset Georgia and Vanderbilt to punch its ticket to the semi-finals. But Lloyd wasn’t sold on acting as Aubie long-term. So auditions were held and 32 people showed up. After narrowing it down, the university decided it would announce the audition winner at Toomer’s Corner the Thursday prior to the spring football game. Mask said not one person showed up to learn who would be wearing the Aubie costume. But thanks to his background in theater and preparation heading into the audition process, it was Mask who got the nod. “Some people assumed it would just be someone in a suit walking around,” Mask said in 2019. “But I decided this was going to be a real character, like Phil Neel created. I decided Aubie should be loveable, a good dancer, a harmless flirt, and a good-natured prankster. And I drew inspiration from the Pink Panther, especially because the costume’s feet.” Forty-four years later, it’s thanks to the creativity of Neel, the initiative of Lloyd and the literal out-of-the-box thinking of Mask that we still get to enjoy the unpredictable antics of Aubie the Tiger on Saturdays.

si.com Top-rated corner in 2025 class to visit Auburn this weekend Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes Na'eem Offord, one of the highest-rated recruits in the class of 2025, is set to visit Auburn this weekend. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has put a major emphasis on the recruiting efforts by him and his staff. Those efforts have been put on display once again as one of the top recruits in the class of 2025 will be visiting Auburn this weekend. Na'eem Offord, a native of Birmingham, has received attention from every major program. According to 247Sports, Offord has a 0.9971 composite rating and is ranked No. 7 nationally, the No. 2 cornerback and the No. 2 player in the state of Alabama. Aside from Auburn, Offord has offers from programs such as Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and Ohio State. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder attends Parker High School. Offord took snaps at quarterback and wide receiver in addition to cornerback last season. He rushed for 360 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 10.3 yards per carry. He caught 18 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, Offord logged 13 tackles and a sack. If Freeze and company could land Offord's commitment, it would speak volumes as to how much improvement Auburn has made on the recruiting trail. Landing top talent from the state of Alabama would make a statement about Auburn reclaiming its spot as one of the top brands in college football.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Five reasons why Auburn will beat Samford on Saturday Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes Auburn welcomes Samford to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday evening and hopes to work out several kinks ahead of next Saturday’s SEC opener at Texas A&M. One of the major aspects that head coach Hugh Freeze wants to build on is consistency at the quarterback position. The rotation of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford has seen its ups and downs through two games, and Freeze wants to keep working to figure out the right way to utilize both players. Buy Tigers Tickets “That’s a big challenge, and I do not like the way the other night went with it,” Freeze said during his weekly press conference on Monday. “At the same time, I think Robby (Ashford) has to get his touches. That is absolutely on my mind, and we have to figure it out.” There are many reasons why Auburn has the advantage over Samford, but we broke it down to five. Here are five reasons why Auburn should take care of business on Saturday night. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports There is no doubt that Auburn’s defense will need to watch out for Samford quarterback Michael Hiers. The senior QB has passed for 690 yards through two games, but the rest of the offense has not reached the same level. Expect Auburn’s offense to put up solid numbers and for the Tigers’ defense to slow down Hiers’ fast start. Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports After missing the first game, running back Jarquez Hunter returned to the Auburn running back rotation last Saturday at California. His performance did not live up to the hype, as he rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries in his season debut. Head coach Hugh Freeze said that he felt that Hunter was “rusty” last Saturday. The rust should be shaken off by Saturday, which will allow Hunter to compliment Damari Alston, Brian Battie, and Jeremiah Cobb in the best way. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Hugh Freeze has used a rotation of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford at the quarterback position in both games to this point. Neither quarterback has been able to find an identity yet, but it helps that Freeze has identified the issue within the quarterback rotation. If Freeze can figure out an adequate balance between Thorne and Ashford, the Tigers should roll to a big win. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Since Auburn and Samford play football on different levels, most assume that there is not much history between them. However, the Tigers and Bulldogs will square off for the 30th time in history on Saturday night. The Tigers hold a 28-0-1 advantage over Samford, with the lone tie coming in 1927. The trend of Auburn beating Samford should not change on Saturday. Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports Homecoming is such a treasured time for Auburn alumni. Do the players want to let their biggest supporters down? Absolutely not. The team will play lights out, which will end in a big-time victory. Follow all your favorite Alabama teams at Auburn Wire and Roll Tide Wire!

247sports.com PMARSHONAU About those college football opinions Phillip Marshall 9–11 minutes For college coaches, decisions can't be based on outside opinions Whether it is my opinion, a message board opinion, Paul Finebaum’s opinion, PFF’s opinion, the opinion of some dude on College Gameday or any other outside opinion, they are just opinions. Some are more informed than others, and nothing is wrong with that. But those opinions mean nothing at all to the people who have to make decisions on Saturdays. Whether it is Hugh Freeze, Nick Saban or some Division III coach, the men whose livelihoods depend on winning football games are, 100 percent of the time, going to play the players and call the plays they believe give them the best chance to be successful. Are they always going to be right? Of course not. No one is always right in any walk of life. But they know what worked and what didn’t work. They know why it worked or didn’t work. They watch practice live and on video every day. Nothing in football is easier than waiting to see if a play works or not and then declaring it a bad call if it doesn’t work. I understand our world of hot takes, amateurs “breaking down” video and the thirst for immediate gratification. But building a program can't be based on opinions. The 2023 Auburn football team, as Freeze reiterated on Tiger Talk on Thursday, is a work in progress. It will have good days and bad ones. It will certainly not go undefeated. With the brutal schedule ahead after playing Samford on Saturday, it might be beaten badly in a game or games. Auburn will beat Samford. It might or might not be as lopsided as fans want it to be. It won’t matter. Auburn’s three games after that are at Texas A&M, No. 1 Georgia at home and at LSU. All those teams have more talent across the board than Auburn does. Maybe Ole Miss, which follows LSU, does, too. Does that mean Auburn can’t win? Of course it doesn’t, but it means winning will be difficult. *** RANDOM THOUGHTS The story about a former Ole Miss defensive lineman suing Lane Kiffin and the university for claims that mental health issues were not properly dealt with is sad. I have not the slightest idea if he has a good case or if he doesn’t. But I know this: Mental illness is real. It’s real in football and real in life. I have seen it up close. I have seen it take the lives of people very close to me. I will never dismiss it. *** For all the criticism the NCAA gets, I believe it is on the right path in denying immediate eligibility for players who transfer for a second time. The rule is clear. Undergraduates can transfer once to the programs of their choices and be immediately eligible. If they transfer a second time, they must sit out a year. Graduate transfers can transfer at any time without penalty. For too long, waivers were handed out like candy. The NCAA issued guidance in January saying that would no longer be the case. Nobody is telling any player he can’t transfer. But allowing multiple transfers on demand would disrupt the game as much as NIL and penalty-free one-time transfers already have. *** Why all the talk about Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s “dynasty” after losing to Texas when another team in the same conference has won the last two national championships? That is not meant in any way as a knock on Saban, whose record speaks for itself. It just seems to be a strange time to be talking about a dynasty. As far as Alabama goes, it’s way too early to know what impact the loss to Texas will have on the season going forward. Alabama clearly has some issues, but one loss (or win) does not a season make. *** After watching Northwestern lose at Rutgers, I really thought the Wildcats would go 0-12. And then they turned around and blew out UTEP 38-7 in their home opener, scoring 31 points in the second half. Clearly, UTEP is not a good team. But after what Northwestern players have gone through this offseason, it had be very sweet to not only win, but win big. Interim head coach David Braun, who enthusiastically joined the locker room celebration after a 12-game losing streak ended, put it like this: “We don’t know what the long term looks like. That’s indicative of the title I’m carrying right now. And that’s OK. At the end of the day, regardless of how this plays out in the long term, my wife and I and this group are going to look back and say ‘You know what? We’re proud of the way we did it.’ We stewarded the program. We navigated it through a really difficult time and set it up to have success.” Inside the design process of Auburn's basketball's new uniforms Auburn’s last uniform update was ahead of the 2019-20 season VIDEO: Late Kick: Is 11 Tennessee on upset alert against Florida? Bruce Pearl will enter Year 10 coaching Auburn basketball with his team donning some snazzy new threads. The Tigers unveiled new uniforms earlier this month for use starting this season. The changes to all three sets — home whites, away blues and alternate oranges — are subtle but striking, with the most notable new feature being the return of the stripes that trim the collar and sleeves on the white and blue jerseys, now featured for the first time since Auburn’s uniforms in the early 2000s. The Auburn logo on the shorts is no longer encased in a diamond design and now floats freely above the “power stripe” on the bottom of the uniform. The orange jerseys are similar to their previous model — still reading “Tigers” instead of “Auburn” like the other two jerseys — but now feature a vertical stripe on the pants, as compared to the horizontal one on the white and blue uniforms. Auburn’s last uniform update was ahead of the 2019-20 season, when the more retro-feeling uniforms gave their swan song at the Final Four and were replaced by jerseys with tighter, smaller text, and the diamond design around the logo on the shorts. pic.twitter.com/7MjzSMstfF — Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) September 4, 2023 The team’s head of equipment, Kevin Fuhrer, said the process of a new uniform for Under Armour programs starts about a year-and-a-half to two years out. This time last year was supposed to be when the new uniform cycle hit for Auburn, but COVID-19 deployed things. Tra’Cee Tanner, now the director of operations for Auburn women’s basketball, previously spearheaded communication with Under Armour during Auburn’s design process. Fuhrer took over July of last year, and the new jerseys were officially approved in September. “It’s as much back and forth as you want” during the design process, Fuhrer said, as Auburn submits its thoughts, and Under Armour offers some suggestions, too. Even during years when programs aren’t set to undergo uniform updates, Under Armour will still submit surveys to equipment staffs for feedback. “Under Armour does a great job working with all their schools to try to find those little things that make a jersey stand out,” Fuhrer said. “But you also have that base model for it and make sure everything works with the school traditions.” The material of Auburn’s new jerseys is the same as it’s been for the past several seasons — Under Armour’s “Ultimate,” which is its highest quality material, reserved for its top college programs. Around this time last year, blank samples of the new jerseys were sent to Auburn — as not to spoil the design plans — and to ensure the sizing chart is the same as the previous model, making adjustments if need be. Fuhrer was aided in the process by Auburn’s operations staff, namely Mike Burgomaster, Chad Prewett and Maduxx Jeffreys — all of whom received promotions on Pearl’s staff this offseason. Finally, after two years of communication, changes, deliberation and eventually a final design, the jerseys arrived. Auburn chose a trio of seniors — Johni Broome, Jaylin Williams and Chris Moore — to surprise the team in the locker room before a practice two weeks ago. “As the equipment guy, you’re always nervous,” Fuhrer said. “You go into it and have a little say in it, but you just hope everybody likes it because at the end of the day, they’re looking at you as the one front and center with it. I’m glad all the back and forth worked out and that everyone seems to really enjoy it.” Some college coaches prefer to have a higher level of involvement in off-the-court matters like uniform design, while others don’t give it much thought. What was Pearl like during the process? “He’s very much so worried about coaching and recruiting; he lets everyone else worry about their stuff,” Fuhrer said of Pearl. “Luckily he trusts us. So far I think we’ve done pretty well.” Auburn fans will get their first look at the new threads in a game setting when the Tigers face Auburn-Montgomery in their exhibition game Nov. 1 at Neville Arena, before the team opens its 2023-24 season against Baylor on Nov. 7 in Sioux Falls, North Dakota. “It’s been nothing but positive feedback, which makes my day,” Fuhrer said. “The players are happy, and that means the coaches are happy, and obviously that means I’m happy.”

saturdaydownsouth.com Hugh Freeze excited for Jarquez Hunter to ‘get back in flow of things’ Grant Bricker | 18 hours ago ~2 minutes Hugh Freeze commented on how excited he is when it comes to one of his running backs. Jarquez Hunter played in his first game for Auburn in Week 2. Freeze is looking forward to seeing what Hunter will become and for the Auburn RB to get back into the flow of things. “I’m excited to see what he’ll become… but he left a lot of yards out there,” said Freeze. “He’s getting back in the flow of things.” Auburn’s Hugh Freeze on the return of running back Jarquez Hunter last week: “I’m excited to see what he’ll become… but he left a lot of yards out there” because he was rushing things and was rusty. “He’s getting back in the flow of things.” — Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) September 14, 2023 Hunter had 11 carries for 53 yards rushing in Week 2. Hunter had the most touches out of any Auburn RB in that game. Hunter had 668 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns last season. Something to watch will be Hunter’s usage as the season goes on. Samford comes to town in Week 3. Samford and Auburn last played in 2019, as the Tigers came out on top 52-0. Auburn and Samford kick off Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

another side of this..........when we were kids if you were cited hoover it meant you sucked. grins