aubiefifty

no sir. i am an old hippy and wanted to bad but we all know hippies have mostly never had any money. thanx for posting!

i hope you guys found something to read or watch or both. there is quite a selection today.as always.........WAR DAMN EAGLE!

Five reasons why Auburn beats California on Saturday Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes After watching week one’s action, it is clear to see that Auburn is evenly matched with California ahead of their Saturday meeting. Both teams have valuable quarterback options, a solid running game, and a defense that can disrupt a passing game. How can Auburn come away with the victory on Saturday night? Buy Tigers Tickets Thursday, we broke down the five reasons why Auburn may lose to the Golden Bears on Saturday, but now it is time to examine the reasons why Auburn could have an advantage. There are several aspects that make Auburn and California similar, but if Auburn can take advantage of Cal’s vulnerable characteristics, the Tigers may earn a valuable win. Here are five ways that Auburn can defeat California on Saturday. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports California has two solid transfer quarterbacks in Ben Finley and Sam Jackson V. The Bears had to rely on Finley last week at North Texas after Jackson was deemed unavailable. Finley would go on to pass for 289 yards and a touchdown in Cal’s 58-21 win. This week, head coach Justin Wilcox said that there is a possibility both Finley and Jackson will play against Auburn. Will chemistry continue to flow despite who is behind center? Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports California rushed for 347 yards last Saturday at North Texas, with running back Jadyn Ott accounting for 178 of those yards. However, looking at California’s grades on Pro Football Focus, the run-blocking aspect of their offense received a low grade of 54.2. The highest-graded offensive lineman was left guard Matthew Wykoff, who graded out at 65.6. Auburn allowed UMass to gain several big runs last week, so that is an area of improvement as well for the Tigers. However, if Auburn finds a way to break down a vulnerable position for California, their chances to win rise. © Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK Both California and Auburn produced excellent offensive numbers last week, but the most glaring stat between the two was Cal’s offensive output. Last week, the Golden Bears ran 95 plays opposed to Auburn’s 69. Auburn will need to find a way to slow down California’s offense, and the best way to do that is to win the time of possession battle while making the most of the time they have. John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Instead of leaving the day before the game, Auburn left Thursday in an effort to better prepare themselves for the time change. The playing field becomes more level if Auburn adjusts in adequate time. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports California running back Jadyn Ott provided Auburn with bulletin board material earlier this week. He said “There’s a lot of focus on the name Auburn. But what I see on film is not really in comparison to what their name is. I just want to get that into my guys’ heads that a name doesn’t mean anything.” Auburn hired Hugh Freeze to change the reputation of its “name”, and the perfect time to show signs of improvement would be Saturday night against California. Follow all your favorite Alabama teams at Auburn Wire and Roll Tide Wire!

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Auburn has more talent but will that be enough Phillip Marshall 4–5 minutes Is Auburn’s football team talented enough to beat California on Saturday night in Berkley? It almost certainly is. But that does not mean it will happen. So much in this game seems to be in Cal’s favor. It will be Auburn’s second game with a new head coach, mostly new assistants and dozens of newcomers on the roster. Traveling across the country and playing at 9:30 p.m. CDT is a challenge like no Auburn team has faced. The 2002 team played USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but it was the first game of the season on Monday night. The 2013 team played in the BCS Championship Game at the Rose Bowl, but it was there for a week before the game. This feels different and is different. Auburn’s football team arrived Thursday night, some 48 hours before Saturday night’s game. Head coach Hugh Freeze said he would have preferred to go Friday and not have all that time to wait. But, as anyone who traveled to the West Coast knows, it takes time for body clocks to adjust. And, while Auburn’s team might be bigger and faster and more athletic, Cal is good enough to win if the Tigers are not the best they can be at this point in the building process. That means, among other things, not turning the ball over, not getting needless penalties and resolving the alignment problems that surfaced on defense in a 59-14 victory over UMass. Auburn played last week without cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett, Jack defender Jalen McLeod and running back Jarquez Hunter. Pritchett and McLeod are expected to play. Their return should be helpful. Hunter, who was suspended for the first game, made the trip, but his status is uncertain. Middle linebacker Austin Keys is out indefinitely. That will not help. Most of the Auburn newcomers were enthralled by the atmosphere in their first game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Now, they have to deal with playing on the road before a sellout crowd. Auburn fans will be there and be heard, but it will be a hostile environment. That will be another first for those newcomers. A win would allow the Tigers to almost certainly go to Texas A&M in two weeks with a 3-0 record and lots of momentum. A loss would be disappointing but certainly not season-destroying. So it is going to be in more games than not as this team pursues its destiny. SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS Pregame yapping Pregame talk is just that. It’s talk. I have never seen a game decided by what someone said before the game. The biggest potential impact is on the talker. I have been quoting the late Pat Dye a good bit recently, but here is another Dyeism: “The less you say, the less you have to take back.” SEC teams still have points to prove How many SEC teams have proved themselves going into the second full weekend of the season? None, to be exact. The ones who were tested in Week 1 – LSU, South Carolina and Florida – failed miserably, all losing by double digits. Everybody else feasted on cupcakes. There will be some legitimate tests this weekend, but also more cupcakes. We are just getting started. Is it time to waive the waivers? The NCAA’s final ruling is that wide receiver Tez Walker is ineligible for the 2023 season, and North Carolina coach Mack Brown is going off on the NCAA. Would Brown be as incensed if Walker was a walk-on instead of a player who could help him win? Of course he wouldn’t. It seems the NCAA is now strictly enforcing the rule that athletes get one-time penalty free transfers. After that, they have to sit out a year. I have no problem with that. In fact, I believe it should be automatic. You get one bite at the apple. After that, you must sit out – no hardship waivers or any other kinds of waivers. The attempts to frame the NCAA as some evil organization out to do harm really is just wrong. The NCAA is the membership. The membership can change rules. The presidents have final say. The NCAA has made plenty of bad decisions in recent years, more because of inaction than action. But if there are no rules, what then? Maybe the power programs will eventually pull out of the NCAA, though I doubt it. Even if that were to happen, there would be rules that had to be enforced.

l.com Bo Nix can be himself at Oregon, felt Auburn legacy pressure: ‘This school has changed my life’ Updated: Sep. 08, 2023, 6:04 a.m.|Published: Sep. 08, 2023, 5:57 a.m. ~3 minutes How has Oregon impacted Bo Nix Bo Nix said this week playing at Oregon has allowed him to be himself. By doing so, he escaped what he described as Auburn legacy pressure. The 2023 Heisman Trophy contender was explaining what being a Duck meant to him, and the former Auburn quarterback revealed the pressure of playing on The Plains. “This school has changed my life,” Nix said of Oregon. “This school just gave me an opportunity to be myself again and get out of the spotlight of, ‘You’re playing because your dad played here,’ or ‘You are only doing it because you are an Auburn fan’ or this and that. But now I can just go do it because I love playing quarterback. “I love being around a group of guys, and love leading a group out there with a common mission to win. We were fortunate enough to do a lot of that last season but we came up short in some other times, so now, another reason you came back to have another try at it, and learn from what you did right, learn from what you did wrong and go out and fix it.” Nix threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns before heading for the bench early in the third quarter and No. 15 Oregon built a 43-point halftime lead en route to an 81-7 victory over Portland State on Saturday. Nix left Auburn after an up-and-down three seasons. Still, the Auburn legacy and former five-star prospect finished his career on the Plains as the No. 3 passer in program history, finishing with 7,251 career passing yards. That’s just 48 yards shy of Jason Campbell’s record at No. 2 on the list. Nix completed 59.4 percent of his passes over the last three seasons, threw for 39 touchdowns and accounted for 57 total scores during his time with the Tigers. He’s also second in program history in career pass attempts with 1,057 and second in career pass completions with 628. Both of those records would have been in reach had Nix either returned for his senior season or finished his junior campaign healthy. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of

al.com Brian Battie’s addition, Keionte Scott’s improvement boosting Auburn’s special teams Published: Sep. 08, 2023, 5:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes Cornerbacks don’t have the ball in their hands all the time, so it’s hard to blame Keionte Scott for being so anxious to make a play. As Auburn’s punt returner, he stands back on his own all the way down the field, waiting for the ball to come to him and thinking about how he can impact the game with the ball in his hands. One problem. Scott was so giddy to start his return that he well, didn’t exactly make sure he had control of the ball. Fumbles were a key issue for Scott as a returner in 2022. He muffed two punts last season. Catching punts is something Scott said he had to work on over the offseason. “I had to learn a fair catch is not a bad play,” Scott said on Monday. “I felt like last year I was too antsy to make a play, like I was forcing it. This year it’ll be more of a -- hey, if I get the opportunity, I’ll make the play. If it hangs up there, make the fair catch and get the offense on the field.” It was a focus on confidence underneath the sailing ball, Scott said, that helped him improve this year, compared to plays like missed punt in last year’s Iron Bowl. Scott says he has that confidence now, and he showed it Saturday. Standing inside Auburn’s 30-yard-line, Scott fielded a UMass punt that bounced a few yards in front of him. His blockers immediately created a seam which Scott burst through before cutting left around the Auburn 45-yard-line. He swung all the way over to the left sideline and kept racing past the potential UMass tacklers all the way to inside the UMass redzone. The 56-yard return set up for a touchdown from quarterback Robby Ashford, and the beginning of Auburn pulling away UMass for good. “Oh, 100%,” Scott said when asked if he thought he could have scored on the return. “I watched it 60 times on Sunday to see if I could’ve cut it back. I don’t think I could have. But I’m definitely excited this year. I’m looking to get into the end zone, for sure. There too was Brian Battie, a transfer from USF who quickly slotted in as Auburn’s top kick returner. He had previously been an All-American at the position. He too, quickly gave Auburn a boost on special teams as he brought the game’s opening kickoff from deep in the endzone out to Auburn’s 38-yard-line. It set up Auburn with good field position to ultimately score a touchdown via a Damari Alston run on the game’s opening drive. Battie had 117 all-purpose yards in the win — 86 of which were kick return yards. He averaged 29 yards per return. Scott finished with 67 punt return yards over his two punts. “I thought our special teams, the positives were we started really fast,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said in his Monday press conference. “I think we had 131 return yards in the first quarter, which is pretty awesome. Average first half starting field position was the plus-35, plus-48 for the whole game. So that’s really good.” But compare that to Auburn’s return stats from a year ago to see just how much of an impact Battie and Scott gave Auburn on special teams. As a team, Auburn averaged 8.5 yards per punt return last year. That was the 55th-best rate in the nation and eighth in the SEC. The 17.22 yards per kick return Auburn averaged last year was the second-worst in the SEC and ranked 114th nationally out of 130 teams. Sure, it’s just one game, but fast forward one season. Battie’s average kickoff returns put Auburn fifth in the SEC and 22nd nationally. Scott’s punt return average was third-best in the nation and second-best in the SEC. Their returns set up multiple Auburn touchdowns on a day where the team went on to score 59 points. The last time Auburn even scored more than 45 points was putting up 60 on Sept. 11, 2021, against Alabama A&M. Battie was never one of Auburn’s most talked about transfers. He’s listed as the third running back on Auburn’s depth chart. But as one of the nation’s better kick returns, something he’s proven throughout his career, he is setting up Auburn’s offense in strong positions. And Scott seems to be making sure he has the ball in his hands before making big plays, these days.

al.com Heading west for Auburn-Cal? Here are the NorCal Auburn Club’s plans and suggestions Updated: Sep. 07, 2023, 10:55 a.m.|Published: Sep. 07, 2023, 10:38 a.m. 5–6 minutes Shortly after moving to California in 2009, Josh Blissett learned the Auburn family is far-reaching. Growing up in Alabama, Blissett was often faced with the “Tide or Tigers?” question. But it wasn’t until a college friend of his brought him along for the LSU-Auburn game in 2000 that Blissett, who attended UAB, decided to place his loyalty with the Tigers. “I’ve been a huge Auburn fan ever since,” Blissett said. “Fell in love with the culture on campus, the Auburn Family and that whole deal.” Blissett went on to work for hall-of-fame chef Frank Stitt at Birmingham’s Bottega Café, and was eventually pulled out west by California’s wine industry. Fortunately, when Blissett arrived in the Bay Area in 2009, the NorCal Auburn Club — an official arm of the Auburn Alumni Association — was there to take him in. Ever since, the NorCal Auburn Club has been Blissett’s refuge on gamedays, which typically hold watch parties hosted at local bars and restaurants. But when Auburn and Cal announced their home-and-home matchups in 2016, Blissett and the rest of the NorCal Auburn Club knew they’d finally have an opportunity at a gameday experience that didn’t mean watching on television or flying east to see the Tigers in action. When Blissett began working in club leadership in 2019, he immediately wanted to look towards the Auburn-Cal game, which was initially scheduled for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, when Auburn added Penn State to their schedules, the games against Cal were moved back — which only gave Blissett and the NorCal Auburn club more time to prepare. “Frankly, everything that we’ve been doing since 2019 has been to drive interaction and engagement from a club level so that we had the infrastructure in place for this week and that we could be good hosts,” Blissett said. ”We know a lot of people are coming from the south.” The NorCal Auburn Club’s full week of Auburn-spirited activities started Thursday with the Tiger Trot 5K run and continues Friday with a Lands End Hike and a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge. Signing up for such events benefits the club’s scholarship, which is given to an incoming Auburn freshman from the Northern California area. The club is also having sponsored Happy Hours on Thursday and Friday night from 6-10 p.m. Thursday’s Happy Hour is being hosted at Mad Oak in Oakland, while Friday’s Happy Hour is being hosted at San Francisco’s Mad Dog in the Fog. Auburn-themed specialty cocktails that benefit the NorCal Auburn Club’s scholarship will be available at both bars and Aubie the Tiger is slated to make an appearance at Mad Dog in the Fog Friday night. But even if not with one of the club’s sponsored events, Blissett hopes visiting Auburn fans take this weekend to explore California’s Bay Area — especially considering how rare an Auburn football visit is. The last time Auburn came to Northern California for a football game was in 1936 when the Tigers came to play the University of Santa Clara Broncos, whose football program has since been nixed. “We want people to have a really memorable experience in the Bay Area,” Blissett said. “Most of us who live here love it here for a reason. This place is incredible. It’s gorgeous. Yes, it has its problems like any other major city does, but it’s definitely gorgeous.” The NorCal Auburn Club’s website encourages fans to try to arrive to the Bay Area early or at least stay a few days afterwards to experience all the Bay Area has to offer. That said, Blissett remembers from his time in Alabama that everyone will be eyeing the best tailgate opportunities. It’s been the No. 1 question he’s been asked as the game approaches, he says. Unfortunately, Auburn fans might be in, or a bit of a shock come gameday. “This is not a tailgating culture here,” Blissett said. “It’s not a tailgating campus. It’s built on a mountainside... there’s no 85-acre parking lot where everyone is pulled up with barbeques... It’s not a tailgating culture.” To cook with an open flame in Berkeley requires a permit, Blissett says. Instead, Blissett encourages Auburn fans to spend the morning at one of the area’s farmer’s markets. “But then again, I’m a huge food guy,” Blissett heeds. Then, as Auburn and Cal’s 7:30 p.m. PT kickoff approaches, Blissett advises that fans hop around some of the local bars. You can find the Club’s full list of suggestions towards the bottom of its gameday guide, though The Tap Haus, Jupiter and Henry’s are among the favorites. The NorCal Auburn Club’s full guide for this weekend — from club-sponsored events during the week to an Auburn party bus traveling to and from Memorial Stadium — visit here. 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.

ok sports fans this looks to be it for the morning. i will check back during the day for updates.

i am sure not many like to watch our band but some do and here it is...............

i was a gunner fan but now i am a huge gunner fan! i believe he is a true Auburn man! now back to our regular programing..........

247sports.com PMARSHONAU Gunner Britton finds his football home at Auburn Phillip Marshall 6–8 minutes Gunner Britton played three OL positions against UMass. (Photo: Kyle Okita, 247Sports) AUBURN, Alabama – After Western Kentucky lost to Auburn 41-17 last November at Jordan-Hare Stadium, offensive tackle Gunner Britton’s father was waiting in the tunnel as he left the field. “He told me ‘Dad, if I don’t go in the draft, I want to be at a place like this,'” John Britton tells Auburn Undercover. "He said 'I want to play in front of 90,000 people, and this is a place I would love to be.’” Gunner had secured his degree at Western Kentucky in 2021. He had gotten feedback that he could go into the NFL draft and probably be a mid-round pick. But not long after that day at Auburn, he went into the transfer portal. Offers poured in from most SEC and ACC programs, some in the Big Ten and the Big 12. It was a far cry from what happened after he finished his career back home in South Carolina at Conway High School. He was a two-time all-state selection, a standout baseball player and an honor student. But recruiting interest wasn’t strong. “I had three FBS offers,” Gunner says. “I was a 2-star and the No. 54 player in the state.” He chuckles at the irony. On Jan. 7, Gunner made good on what he said last November. He signed with Auburn. On Saturday, he started at left guard and played three positions on the offensive line as Auburn blew out UMass 59-14. He got a 94 grade from his coaches. And he was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after his first Auburn game. John Britton was on a tractor working at his farm when he got the call from his son. And he wept with joy. “I had to tear it up then,” John says. “I mean, I love it for him. He has worked so hard. Football is his life now.” In Hugh Freeze’s first game as Auburn’s head coach, Jordan-Hare Stadium was packed with a record crowd. Tiger Walk was a mass of humanity. For Gunner, it the culmination of a long-time dream. “When you put on the pads and run out and see 90,000 people or even Tiger Walk walking in there, it's like, ‘Dang, I really do play at Auburn now.’ It’s special,” Gunner says. “I think the transfer portal is something crazy. I remember thinking when I prayed on the field, ‘I’m not supposed to be here.’ Ten years ago, this would’ve never been a thing for a guy to be able to transfer to a big school and play. “It was just a special moment. It was a special moment for my family. Something we’ll never forget is me running out the tunnel for the first time, me on Tiger Walk, just meeting so many people and people knowing my name and stuff, which is something that’s really special to me. I was emotional about it.” He wasn’t alone. Forty-nine family members and relatives were to share the moment, and to celebrate the determination of a young man who wouldn’t listen when people told him he wasn’t good enough. “In my life I’ve been doubted by a lot of people,” Gunner says. “For me to be able to walk into a stadium and there are 90,000 people cheering for me and wanting me to succeed, it’s a lot different. The first time I came to Jordan-Hare, there were 90,000 who didn’t want me to succeed. So to have that, it was really special.” Gunner Britton played three positions on the OL in his Auburn debut. (Photo: Auburn University Athletics) Gunner was born to compete. His first word was “ball.” His father coached him like he had coached John Henry and Will, the twin sons of John and Dina Britton, 10 years his seniors. John Britton is a former police officer. He works 200 acres of land left to him by his grandfather. He owns a landscaping company. He’s a coach. He’s a mentor. He went to work after high school instead of going to college, but he passed on his love for competition to his sons. His oldest sons played at Newberry College. And now his youngest has finally made his way to college football’s biggest stage. “Nobody deserves anything in this world,” John says. “You earn it. That’s what I believe. He wants to win. He wants to make a run. Some people say he deserves it. I say, no, he’s earned it.” Gunner could have been a graduate transfer any time after earning his degree in May of 2021. His father thought it would be a good idea, but Gunner did not feel he had finished his commitment to Western Kentucky. After last season, he was ready. “I knew in my heart that when he entered that portal, his phone would blow up,” John says. “And it did.” Gunner established a tight relationship with the late Mike Leach, Mississippi State’s head coach. Leach’s tragically passed away the day after Gunner’s visit to Starkville. His next visit was to Auburn, and it would be his last. “I went with him on the trip to Auburn, and that was it,” John says. “He’d planned to use three more visits. Deion Sanders had offered. Texas had come in. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. A bunch of Big Ten schools. When we went to Auburn, it was an automatic fit." John was convinced as Gunner finished his high school career that his son could play at a high level. He doesn’t understand to this day why there wasn’t more interest. “I knew he could,” John says. “I knew his body was young, and it was going to take some time for him to grow into it. I knew if he ever got a shot he could do it. I don’t understand this star system. I am sorry. I just don’t.” Gunner was 6-foot-5 and weighed 275 as a high school senior. He would have been a major league draft prospect had he not given baseball as a senior to graduate early and enroll at Western Kentucky. But even Gunner, who is listed now at 6-6 and 312 pounds, had his doubts. Gunner Britton played for four seasons at Western Kentucky. (Photo: Western Kentucky Athletics) “There were times at Western that if you would’ve told me I was going to play college football at this level, I would’ve been like, ‘There’s no way,’” Gunner says. “It all came to fruition. I get to play at Auburn. How special it is. That’s what I like to tell kids when I go to different elementary schools or I see a kid and he asks for an autograph. Just follow your dreams. I’m not supposed to be here, and look at me now.” The Brittons are long-time South Carolina supporters. John was, for years, a season-ticket holder. The Gunners, Britton and his family, have been welcomed and embraced even more than they could have imagined. They are Auburn people now. As Gunner neared the gate at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, a crowd of children were clamoring for autographs. He stopped and signed them all. It had taken him a while, but he knew he belonged.

al.com ‘I’m not supposed to be here’: Full of gratitude, Gunner Britton reflects on first game at Auburn Published: Sep. 07, 2023, 6:30 a.m. 7–9 minutes The first time Gunner Britton ran out onto Pat Dye Field at Jordan-Hare Stadium, he did so wearing a white and red jersey, looking at Auburn’s more than 80,000 fans from underneath Western Kentucky’s chrome helmets. A native of Conway, S.C., Britton was only rated a 2-star offensive lineman prospect out of high school and the Hilltoppers were one of just three FBS teams to come knocking with an offer. “I was No. 54 overall in South Carolina,” Britton said. “I wasn’t the most recruited guy, even at my own high school.” And in a world so caught up in stars and rankings, Britton spent much of his time at Western Kentucky thinking he was where he belonged. After redshirting during his first season in Bowling Green, Ky. in 2019, Britton worked his way into the Hilltoppers’ offensive line rotation in his following three seasons. But it wasn’t until the 2022 season that Britton was a consistent starter at WKU. Nonetheless, as the 2022 season approached, Britton knew — barring he played well — he might have the opportunity to transfer to a bigger program. During Week 2, the Hilltoppers went out to play Hawaii, where Britton and the WKU offensive line didn’t give up a sack despite 30 pass attempts. The next week at Indiana, Britton had another solid showing. But it wasn’t until later in the season Britton finally had himself convinced he could play among the “freak shows” in the SEC. Ironically, as fate would have it, Britton’s breakthrough came on Nov. 19 of last year when he and the Hilltoppers visited Auburn in a game that was dominated by the Tigers and their run game. While Western Kentucky’s defense was getting torn apart by Auburn running backs Jarquez Hunter and Tank Bigsby, who combined for 229 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Britton was holding his own against Auburn’s standout defensive end. “I got the chance to go block Derick Hall from Auburn University and everyone has seen what he’s done here and now he’s in the NFL and was a second-round pick,” Britton said. “And I’m like, okay if I can block this guy then I’m pretty confident I can go to the biggest stage and block seven SEC guys.” That did it. That convinced Britton it was time to ignore the stars and what all the recruiting services said about him out of high school and trust what he knew about himself. Britton entered the transfer portal on Nov. 29 – three days after WKU’s final regular season game of the 2022 season. By then, those same recruiting services that listed him as a 2-star out of high school, listed him as a 4-star transfer prospect and the fifth-best offensive tackle available in the transfer portal. Dillon Wade, who went on to transfer to Auburn from Tulsa, was rated the best tackle available in the portal. “It was a lot of prayers, a lot of discussion with my family,” Britton said of his decision to transfer. “Coach Thornton brought it up the other day about what I told him when I came on a visit was pretty much if I can play in the SEC, I’m gonna have a chance to play in the NFL… I felt like coming to Auburn gave me the best opportunity to do that. That made the decision easy.” Britton arrived to The Plains in January and it took him a while to get adjusted to the magnitude of things at Auburn. From Auburn’s Woltosz Football Performance Center, to taking a video of the dozen media members interviewing him during his first media availability so he could show his former teammates what it was like in the SEC — it was a lot to take in for a kid who for years thought he was only as good as his 2-star rating. Nonetheless, it didn’t take long for Britton cement himself as a vital piece of the offensive line first-year head coach Hugh Freeze and Jake Thornton were trying to build at Auburn. Auburn’s coaching staff toyed around with a number of different combinations along the offensive line throughout fall camp in search of the best rotations – something that’s imperative in an offense as fast-moving as Freeze’s. “He needs to be on the field, and we need to stay fresh because we do like to go fast,” Freeze said of Britton following Auburn’s win over UMass. “He gives us freedom to move some puzzle pieces around because of his flexibility. He’s really invaluable with that.” And Freeze didn’t wait to put that on display as Britton was asked to play three different spots along the offensive line on Saturday. However, if you were to ask him to talk about his play from Saturday, Britton would tell you he thought the Tigers’ offensive front played well and met both of their goals: keeping Auburn’s quarterbacks off their backs and helping Auburn rush for 6.7 yards per carry. But that might be all he’d have to say about the Xs and Os (Though it is worth mentioning Britton was named the SEC’s Offensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts). Now, if you were to ask Britton about his entire experience on Saturday, you’d better pull up a chair because he’s got plenty to say. Auburn’s Tiger Walk triggered Britton’s emotions; he told reporters Monday. “I’m walking down there and I’m high-fiving all these people and all these people are coming up to me and I’m like, man, this is college football,” Britton said. “This is what I signed up for.” But Britton’s walk through the sea of people along South Donahue Drive was just the start of his gameday experience. The last time Britton played a game in Jordan-Hare Stadium, there were more than 80,000 people cheering against him. However, the second Britton ran out from the tunnel Saturday, he learned quick that those folks weren’t cheering against him anymore. Instead, he had 88,043 fans – a new record at Jordan-Hare Stadium – cheering for him. “In my life I’ve been doubted by a lot of people, so for me to be able to walk into a stadium and there’s 90,000 people that are cheering for me and wanting me to succeed? It’s a lot different,” Britton said. After emerging from the tunnel on Saturday, Britton – like many Auburn players – take to the endzone to kneel and pray before kickoff. In that moment Britton thought to himself, “I’m not supposed to be here.” But his sizeable entourage that came to The Plains might argue otherwise. And in those stands filled to the brim with 90,000 people was Britton’s entire family. His parents, both sets of grandparents, his older brothers and his five nieces and nephews, his aunt and uncles – they were all a part of Saturday’s record-breaking crowd. And it was they who always knew a moment such as this would come one day. Britton’s older brother always told him he was going to be a great football player. But when you’re in high school waiting for offers to come or sitting the bench at Western Kentucky, it feels like your older brother is just saying that to be a good older brother. “To see them kind of rally around me as a player and now they get to kind of see the fruits of our labor and stuff — it was really, really special,” Britton said. Britton’s twin older brothers are 33 and came to The Plains Saturday with families of their own. Wristbands, towels and whatever else Britton could spare were given to his nieces and nephews after Saturday’s game. “I talk to them about living their dreams and chasing their dreams and what better example than they can look at their uncle and see that I’m living my dream,” Britton said. “They get to go and tell all their friends at school that their uncle plays at Auburn.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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247sports.com Deal and Auburn offense look to take the next step at Cal Jason Caldwell 3–4 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—Coming off a 59-14 victory over UMass in last Saturday’s season opener for the Auburn Tigers in the first game of the Hugh Freeze era, this week has been one of the most important of the year for the team. There is an old football saying that a team improves more from week one to week two than at any other time in the season. Auburn hopes that’s the case as the Tigers get ready to cross the country on Thursday ahead of Saturday night’s game against what looks to be an improved Cal Bear team. After rushing for 297 yards and throwing for another 203 with no turnovers against the Minutemen, senior tight end Luke Deal said the offense feels like they’re ready to take the next step. “We learned that we’re everything we talked about,” Deal said. “We have a chance to be really versatile, explosive, very dynamic. We saw flashes of that in this first game and hopefully we can carry that on. Everything we have been preaching about in the offseason of what this team has the potential to do, we were able to see it. We know each week is not going to be easy. We’ve got to keep putting one foot in front of the other and preparing and doing what we think we can do.” The competition level steps up dramatically this week for Deal and the Tigers versus a Cal defense that was strong in its opening win over North Texas. After allowing a pair of 75-yard touchdown drives as part of a 21-point first half, the Bears were dominant in the final 30 minutes against the Mean Green. North Texas had the ball six times in the second half, managing just 19 total yards and no first downs. “I see a really well-coached defense,” Deal said. “I see a very sound defense. I see guys who are in the right gaps and doing the right things, which is something you always look for in a defense because if one guy messes up it can be a touchdown. We’re going to definitely have to calculate each move. We’re going to have to out-physical them, play with speed, and play with great toughness each and every play.” Looking for win number two in the non-conference, Auburn’s schedule will only get tougher as the Tigers move into SEC play in two weeks. Because of that, Deal said this weekend’s trip to California is a big opportunity for this team as they look to put the program back on the college football map. “There’s milestones in each season,” Deal said. “Your first game, how do you start? Your first road game, how do you react when you don’t have 90,000 people cheering you on? Whenever you get into conference play, that’s another milestone. Momentum is going to be huge. I just want to see us win the turnover battle, execute and run the football. That’s something you have to do on the road. I have learned that in big road games, if you want to go in and upset somebody you have to be able to run the football.” Kickoff for Saturday night’s game vs. the Cal Bears is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. central time and can be seen on ESPN.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Five ways Auburn can lose to Cal JD McCarthy 4–5 minutes The Auburn Tigers (1-0) are looking to keep the momentum going from their season-opening win last week when they take on the Cal Golden Bears (1-0). The game will be a much tougher test for Hugh Freeze’s team as they will be making the cross-country trek to Berkley, California for the game. The Golden Bears also have several talented players and are coming off a big win of their own after blowing out North Texas to open their season. Buy Tigers Tickets While Auburn is the more talented team, the Golden Bears match up well with Auburn and are certainly capable of pulling off the upset. Here are five ways they can hand Auburn its first loss of the season. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Ott is Cal’s top player and Auburn will need to have a plan to stop the talented running back. There were questions about Auburn’s ability to stop the run all offseason and those questions have not been answered. They were gashed at times by a UMass offense and will now have to deal with Ott who is capable of ripping off big runs at any time. He is coming in hot after rushing for 178 yards and two touchdowns last week, and if the Tigers can’t slow him down then it will be a long night for Auburn. Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Auburn’s trip to Cal is about as long a road trip as any college football team can make, it is 2,460 miles from Auburn to Berkley, California. The game is also scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. CT, much later than Auburn normally starts its games. Freeze made it very clear that he was not a fan of the travel needed for this game and it could easily have an impact on Auburn’s players. Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports Cal named Sam Jackson V the team’s starting quarterback ahead of their season opener but he played just 18 snaps in their game against North Texas before leaving with a shoulder injury. He was replaced by Ben Finley who answered the call, completing 24-of-34 passes for 289 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The two have very different skill sets, Jackson has elite speed and is a threat with his legs but is still developing as a passer. Finley is a pocket passer who has more experience but is not a threat to run the ball. Auburn’s defense will have to prepare for two different offenses and that could be a difference in the game. Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK Auburn’s running back room is clearly the strength of the offense with Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston and Brian Battie. While Hunter’s status for the game is still uncertain, the other running backs still give Auburn a potent rushing attack that can carry the offense. The Cal defense will pose a tough challenge for Auburn’s offense as they excel at stopping the run and are led by veteran linebacker Jackson Sirmon, who made 104 tackles last season. It’s a small sample size and against a less talented team, but they held North Texas to 41 yards rushing on 27 carries last week. More importantly, they held opponents to 149.58 yards rushing and 4.21 yards per carry last season. If they can make prevent Auburn from running the ball efficiently it will put more pressure on the unproven passing attack and it could spell disaster for the Tigers. Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK Auburn’s offense played with some tempo during the UMass game but they dialed it back during the second half. Cal did not make that decision and kept pushing the pace, they ended up running 95 offensive plays as they racked up 669 yards of offense and scored 58 points. That many plays will test Auburn’s defensive depth as they will be forced to rotate the reserves in to try and keep the starters fresh for the second half. If Auburn’s offense is unable to control the ball it will only get worse and could cause the defense to get worn down as the game goes on. Follow all your favorite Alabama teams at Auburn Wire and Roll Tide Wire!