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Auburn's Colby Wooden speaks softly but plays fiercely ByPhillip Marshall 7-9 minutes Colby Wooden was disappointed. He’d enrolled at Auburn in January of 2019 and hoped to work his way into the playing rotation on the defensive line. Instead, though he played in three games, he was redshirted. But that year, he says, was the first step toward learning about the demanding life of a Southeastern Conference defensive lineman. He watched tackle Derrick Brown and end Marlon Davidson, both bound for the NFL, and he learned. “I learned to approach practice like you want to play in the game, which is what I do now,” Wooden said. “Practice every day, hustle, effort, give it all, play like you’re playing on Saturday. So that way when the game comes, I’m ready for it.” Wooden, 6-foot-5 and 278 pounds with uncanny quickness, turned heads in the spring of 2020. By the time the season started, he’d earned a starting job as a redshirt freshman. He was third in the SEC with 9.5 tackles for loss and was named to the Freshman All-SEC team. Today, Wooden is a force on Auburn’s defensive line. He is fifth on the team in tackles with 40, a high number for a defensive lineman. He leads the team with seven. He and defensive end Derick Hall share the team lead in sacks. Quiet and unassuming off the field, Wooden is a fierce competitor on the field. He has a winning mindset, first-year head coach Bryan Harsin says, to go with his considerable physical gifts. “I think he’s got an intensity about him,” Harsin said. “When he gets in meetings, when he gets into practice, that shows up each day. And then obviously shows up come game time.” None of it comes as a surprise to Andy Dyer, Wooden’s coach at Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Ga. “He was a very hard worker in the weight room, on the practice field and always played well on Friday night,” Dyer said. “You could always count him. There were times he would slant all the way across the front and make the play on the other side. I’ve seen him do that even in college. Even if he doesn’t make the tackle, he sets it up. He’s going to play his tail off. I love him to death.” Wooden has emerged as an alpha leader on an Auburn defense that has improved steadily under coordinator Derek Mason as the season as gone on. The Tigers are on a run of six consecutive quarters without giving up a touchdown, and Wooden has been crucial to that effort. “Last year was almost like re-finding your love for the game,” Wooden said. “Coming from high school and being that guy to my freshman year sitting down to last year playing to this year we just keep getting better and better as the weeks go on. My time here has been great, to say the least.” Hall, from Gulfport, Miss., and Wooden have been friends from the time they arrived at Auburn. On the field, they are a powerful combination. “That’s my dog,” Hall said. “Me and Colby came in together. I love him. We’ve been through the storm together with Coach G and now he has Coach (Nick) Eason and I have Coach (Bert) Watts, but we still work together a lot throughout practice. He’s a guy that’s going to be really good with his size in the near future. “… That’s my guy. He’s very physical. He’s very aggressive. He can pass rush well. He loves the game of football. Just seeing him produce and knowing where we come from and where we are now, especially the way his game has developed, is huge.” It didn’t take long for Wooden to attract the attention of college recruiters. Georgia, located just 22 ½ miles from his house, offered him a scholarship as a freshman. That was just the start. Offers came from all over. In the end, he would narrow his choices to Auburn, Georgia and Clemson. His parents, Nicole and Irvin Wooden, helped him work through the hectic recruiting process. “It was just a lot for him,” Wooden’s mother said. “It was a good problem to have. He had family support. I can only imagine those that don’t. In the ninth grade, he got his first offer from Georgia. They stayed on him. He went to the camps and stuff like that. We went to the games. I was elated. “As things started to pick up, he’d say ‘Mom, I got this.’ They were calling him like crazy, getting him on Facetime. Then he’d shove the phone in my face because they wanted to talk to me. He had so many choices.” From early in the process, Auburn stood out to Wooden and to his parents. They liked the family atmosphere. They liked defensive line coach Rodney Garner, defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and head coach Gus Malzahn. But the real difference-maker was not a coach. “We’d been to Auburn several times, been to Georgia several times and been to Clemson several times,” Wooden’s mother said. “Every time we went to one of those schools, I loved it. Auburn, for me, what really did it was Kristi (Malzahn). Kristi was the key to everything. “We are very family-oriented. We do things together, we go to church together, all of that. When we met with Malzahn, Kristi said ‘This is our ministry. My goal is to see through a mother’s eye what the men and Gus don’t see.’ For me, that was my prayer being answered. I knew that was what my child needed. He’s not a big talker. He will just suck it up and deal with it. For me, that was comforting to know.” As last season ended, everything suddenly changed. Malzahn was fired. Garner left for Tennessee. Harsin replaced Malzahn. Harsin hired former Auburn All-American Tracy Rocker to coach the defensive line, but Rocker left for the Philadelphia Eagles three weeks later and was finally replaced by Nick Eason. “When they were gone, I was sad,” Nicole Wooden said. “You’d hear rumors. Once they were gone, I was like wow, it’s really happening. I was so much in shock. I was really hoping that they were going to keep Coach G. I couldn’t even bring myself to call him. I knew he knew that I wished him the best.” Eason, with his NFL background, quickly made a strong impression. “He met with the guys, and within 48 hours of him being there he was calling the parents,” Nicole Wooden said. “I was impressed by that. He’s a good guy. He loves the kids. He coaches them hard. He’s honest with them and honest with the parents. He wants his guys to play hard because a lot of them have potential to go to that level.” Wooden and linebacker Owen Pappoe were practically neighbors. Pappoe played for Grayson High School in Lawrenceville. He knows Wooden better than most. They are roommates. “Seeing the growth that he's had from when we first got here up to now, man, I'm really proud of him,” Pappoe said. “The man's come a long way. He is making a lot of plays. I've seen this ups. I've seen his downs. I see the work that he puts in an offseason, see how hard he's going in the weight room in the extra work. He gets in the film work. it was no surprise that he's been making the impact that he made these past two years.” (Photo: Joe Robbins, Getty) Back home, Wooden remains a hero of sorts. Though it’s Georgia country, folks follow him closely and celebrate his success. “He’s having an awesome year,” Dyer said. “We are pumped. We are super proud of him. He was a great player in high school and even a greater kid. If he keeps rolling, maybe he can be a first-rounder.” 5COMMENTS Another Wooden will join the Auburn football team in January. Caleb Wooden, Colby’s younger, brother is a standout safety at Archer High School. Their mother says that, while Colby is quiet and almost shy, Caleb is outgoing and talkative. But they are alike more than they are different. “They are really good football players, great kids,” Dyer said. “We are very excited.” ">247Sports

2 Minute Drill: Auburn looking to rebound with Miss. State coming to town For a defense that finds itself 24th nationally in scoring defense and 16th nationally in red zone touchdown percentage, allowing just 15 touchdowns in 33 red zone possessions, Coach Derek Mason’s group will have its hands full on Saturday morning against a Mississippi State offense that is playing very well in the second year of the Mike Leach era in Starkville. Fourth in the country in passing offense at 376 yards per game, the Bulldogs are led by quarterback Will Rogers, who is completing 75 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. The team with the most passing attempts this season, Mississippi State’s offense will put the pressure on the Auburn defense. The first order of business for the Tigers is to tackle and tackle very well. TACKLE Mississippi State throws the ball more than any team in the country, but they average just 6.9 yards per attempt. That’s exactly the same number as Auburn is averaging this season. The Bulldogs have just nine passing plays of 30 yards or more, two less than Auburn has this year. What does that mean? They are an offense that can complete passes, but has a problem making big plays. That’s how you find yourself 72nd in scoring offense despite the big offensive numbers through the air. That’s the plan for the Tigers again this week. When Mississippi State completes the underneath throws, Auburn has to get them on the ground. Do that and you force the Bulldogs to put together long drives of multiple plays to score. As we have seen with Auburn’s offense, that ups the difficulty dramatically. TURNOVERS Through nine games this season, Auburn’s defense has forced just eight total turnovers. With an offense that is struggling at the moment, getting the ball back and giving Bo Nix and company extra possessions is a huge piece of the puzzle for success. Offensively, Auburn has turned it over just nine times. That’s tied for 22nd nationally. When you look at success, one of the things that can often be the difference for teams is turnover margin. Cincinnati leads the nation in that category with UTSA, Wake Forest, Oregon, Houston, Oklahoma, Alabama, BYU, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Baylor, Michigan State and Pitt all in the Top 30 nationally. If Auburn’s defense wants to take things to the next level, creating turnovers is a big way to change a game in a hurry. TRESPASS One of the ways to create turnovers against a team that is going to throw the ball 50+ times is to get after the quarterback. Mississippi State is tied for 98th nationally this season, allowing 25 sacks in nine games. On the flip side, Auburn is 47th in the country with 22 total sacks as a team. The group that wins this battle on Saturday may just determine the game. Last season in a 24-10 victory in Starkville, Auburn’s defense had six sacks for 45 yards in losses and eight total tackles behind the line of scrimmage. For an offense that isn’t a big play group, Mississippi State needs to stay on schedule much like the Tigers do. Putting them in second and third and long situations means holding onto the ball longer to allow routes to develop. That’s an opportunity for Derick Hall, T.D. Moultry, Eku Leota, Colby Wooden, Marcus Harris and company to get home. This could also be the game that Auburn’s linebackers get heavily involved in the pass rush. This season ZaKoby McClain’s two sacks are it for the trio of him, Owen Pappoe and Chandler Wooten. That group needs to have an impact on the pass rush in this game to help the Tigers come out of Saturday’s game with a victory. ">247Sports

i would say you mean when paul got tired of sitting on that pillar for seven years? i have already stated my feelings about abortion and yet here you are bringing it up. i am pretty sure trump was named by his lawyer for paying for an abortion or two. that makes trump evil and i am betting the farm you voted for him. so tell me what does that make you? from a biblical perspective of course................

let us hope so!

bird quit preening those feathers and tell me why you never say this about golf? we know he is legend.................

my grandfather was in the calvary in WW1 and i know he fought in the Argonne forest. he also served in WW2 helping to rebuild Japan. he was one of the most honorable men i ever met.When i was a rugrat everyone in Auburn knew him and called him sarge. he left the army at the end of his career and served in the air force at maxwell air force base. i guess he wanted to build his retirement up. he never spoke of what he saw much but i remember him in one of the few times he ever got mad at me was when i picked up a sack off the sidewalk. he told me to never to do that because it could be boobytrapped. he used to tell us the story of bloody bones to all the grandkids delight. out of all my family he is probably the one i miss most. he never owned a car because my mom said he was the worst driver you ever saw times ten. and how weird is it he lived in three different rentals on the same block on east glenn ave on the end close to town. i guess they did this because he walked to town every single day. i sure miss him.

From fringe prospect to future 1st-rounder, Roger McCreary was built for this By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com 10-13 minutes Antonio Coleman remembers texting Travis Williams five years ago, insisting that the then-Auburn assistant coach should evaluate this defensive back out of Mobile. Coleman, a former Auburn player himself, had just been promoted to defensive coordinator at Williamson High and thought this scrawny-looking soon-to-be junior named Roger McCreary — then just 5-11 and about 160 pounds — had potential to be something special. Coleman had seen him in the weight room, benching 355 pounds, and he took note of how McCreary carried himself on and off the field. Read more Auburn football: Can Auburn stop Mississippi State QB Will Rogers? Statistically speaking: Auburn’s defense has turned it around in the red zone Auburn defense “not satisfied” despite not allowing any touchdowns against Texas A&M That’s when Coleman began to message Williams, who he had known from Williams’ days as a defensive graduate assistant when Coleman played at Auburn. First there were texts. Then short video clips of McCreary in action, followed by some of his stats. Coleman even sent along an entire highlight reel to try to get Williams’ attention. “Travis, you really need to check him out, man,” Coleman said. Eventually, Auburn’s coaching staff gave McCreary a look. They reviewed his film, visited his school and got to know him, but a scholarship offer wasn’t on the table. At least not yet. It took a while for McCreary to get noticed by most programs. He was a bit undersized in high school, and it wasn’t clear what position he would play at the next level. At Williamson, he did a little bit of everything. He played defensive back and linebacker, quarterback and running back. He was a jack of all trades but a master of none. South Alabama offered him the spring before his senior season, and McCreary committed to the Jaguars, believing it was the best offer he was going to get. It wasn’t until after the end of his senior season that recruiting picked up for him. McCreary had eight interceptions and more than 100 tackles for Williamson that fall, and he racked up more than 2,100 yards of offense too. Auburn circled back to him in early December, and then-defensive coordinator Kevin Steele had one question for Coleman: Is he fast? Coleman assured Steele that McCreary was “probably one of the fastest guys” in Alabama, but he was raw and may need time to develop. He promised Steele that McCreary would “be one of the best kids in the nation” once he focused on one position. “If I had a guy that was fast and can run, why would I go anywhere else if I have a kid in my backyard?” Steele told Coleman. An offer came Dec. 12. McCreary was shocked, and a day later, he decommitted from South Alabama. By late January, after an official visit to the Plains and in-home visits from Steele and Gus Malzahn, McCreary committed to the Tigers. He was the third-lowest rated signee in Auburn’s 2018 class — a three-star prospect and borderline top-1,000 recruit in the country — but four years later, McCreary has developed into one of the top cornerbacks in college football and a projected first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. “To see him grow and become a force like that, man, in a sport that’s so big and with so many great defensive backs and great defensive players period, that’s real big,” Coleman said. *** Antonio Coleman knew early on that Roger McCreary was different. He could tell just from the way McCreary approached everything with intention. He first noticed it in the weight room, when the 160-pound McCreary benched 220 percent of his body weight. Then on the field, when McCreary clocked a 40-yard time in the low-4.4 range “without any technique.” In the meeting room, he absorbed everything Coleman and Williamson’s coaches threw at him. There was something almost balletic about the way McCreary moved on the field, whether it was bending his body and repositioning himself midair to intercept a pass, or if it was identifying a seam in the defense and breaking off an 80-yard run for a touchdown. But there was a destructive element, too, in the way he tackled with aggression on defense. “Like, how can he do that? Just his DNA, his makeup and his mindset and how smart he was, how in-tune to the game he was, it put him on a whole different level,” Coleman said. “He was playing on a high school level, but as far as his thinking process and how he regurgitates everything that you teach him, it blew my mind.” In hindsight, none of it should have come as too much of a surprise to Coleman, who’d known McCreary since he was a young child. Coleman grew up in Mobile with McCreary’s mother, Felicia James, and knew the caliber of athlete she was. James played basketball, baseball and softball growing up. She also played Pop Warner football with Coleman at the RV Taylor Boys and Girls Club. There were a few girls playing Pop Warner back then, but none who played like James. Coleman recalls a couple instances when James tackled a boy and knocked them out of the game entirely; there was a ferocity to her game. “That was the type of impact she brought when she played,” Coleman said. “She was a heck of a football player, man. That’s why I tell people all the time, he got it honest. It’s in his genes and it’s in his blood.” James always made sure sports were a focal point in her son’s life. She was still in high school at Williamson when she had him, and she would bring him to basketball practices and games when he was just a couple years old. By the time he was 4-years old, weekends were spent at the park. James took him to football games and “let him run around and just get a feel for the game.” She taught him how to throw a baseball, too. He also picked up on soccer and basketball, and eventually ran track. Seasons often overlapped, and McCreary would have to hustle from game to game, uniform to uniform. There was always something going on, and that was by design. “There was nothing else we needed to do on a Saturday but go watch sports,” James said. “I always tried to introduce him to something positive other than the streets. There was so much going on in the streets, I didn’t want him to deviate from where he needed to be.” Sports, and the bond they built between McCreary and his mom, were such a central part of McCreary’s life that James claims her son sent her into labor when she was pregnant with his sister, Tadaisha. James recalls her and McCreary playing around on a court before one of his basketball games when he was 9-years old and she was nine months pregnant with Tadaisha. McCreary tried to blow by his mom to get to the basket, and James — against her better judgment — tried to block his shot, falling on top of him and to the ground in the process. The next morning, James said with a laugh, she was in labor. At Williamson, the same school where he watched his mom play basketball when he was an infant, McCreary lettered on the hardwood and in track, but football was where he shined brightest. He earned Class 5A All-State first-team honors as a senior before signing with Auburn. “I always saw something special in him,” James said. “He’s strong. He’s powerful. He’s humble and just tenacious, competitive and he wants to see himself succeed. He’s going after his dream.” *** Roger McCreary faced a decision in January: return to Auburn for his senior season or declare early for the NFL Draft. It wasn’t an easy one to mull, but McCreary was thorough in his process. He submitted paperwork to the NFL for a pre-draft evaluation, and the feedback had him as a possible third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He consulted Coleman, his high school defensive coordinator and a former NFL player, as well as former Auburn teammates who made it to the league. He also talked through it with his mother, who wanted him to return to school and earn his degree. “The conversations were scary at one point, because I actually thought he was going to go,” James said. McCreary weighed his options. He had already come so far, and the NFL dream was within reach. Coleman thought he should listen to his mom and return to school. Former teammates told him that, unless he really believed he needed to leave Auburn, he should give it one more year. James was convinced her son was going to turn pro, but something changed during the process, and McCreary informed his mom he was going back to Auburn. More than anything, he told her, he wanted his degree and the chance to become a first-generation college graduate. “I don’t know if he did it for me or if he did it for himself,” James said. “I hope he did it for himself, but I am very proud of him for that… but I was at a loss for words.” McCreary earned his degree in August. That brought tears of joy to his mother’s face, and it allowed him to shift his focus this fall to his other goal — improving his draft stock. His decision to bet on himself has paid off through Auburn’s first nine games. He has 34 tackles, nine pass breakups (tied for 10th in the country) and two interceptions, including a pick-six against Alabama State. He has posted the highest coverage grade (90.1) among all cornerbacks in the SEC this season, as well as the most forced incompletions (14) in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Though Auburn has shifted to more zone coverage under defensive coordinator Derek Mason, McCreary has still been an asset in man-to-man, logging the fourth-most reps in press coverage (125) among SEC defenders. “I told (Auburn’s coaches), and it sticks to this day: He’s not short of talent,” Coleman said. “It’s all about developing him as a corner vs. him playing five or six positions in high school. Once you develop him as a corner, he’ll be one of the best kids in the nation.… This kid, he works his tail off and he deserves everything he’s getting right now.” McCreary is on pace to be the latest in a growing pipeline of Auburn defensive backs to make it to the NFL, following in the footsteps of Jamel Dean, Carlton Davis, Noah Igbinoghene, Daniel Thomas and Jamien Sherwood. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has McCreary projected as a first-round pick and the No. 3 cornerback in the 2022 draft class, while The Athletic has him pegged as the 15th-best overall prospect in the draft. McCreary’s ascension from fringe top-1,000 recruit to one of the top corners in all of college football has been nothing short of meteoric. “When he got the opportunity to go out and show that he was one of the best in the country, he did it,” safety Smoke Monday said. “…He went out and showed people, hey, he’s Roger McCreary, and he’s going to go out and lock people down.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

No. 17 Auburn vs. Mississippi State TV info, key matchups, what to watch for By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com 4-5 minutes Head 2 Head: Auburn vs Mississippi State No. 17 Auburn (6-3, 3-2 SEC) vs. Mississippi State (5-4, 3-3) When: 11 a.m. CT, Saturday Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn TV: ESPN Line: Auburn -5.5 This game will determine... Whether Auburn can bounce back from a tough defeat at the hands of Texas A&M and stay in the mix for the SEC West title. The Tigers will need to win out and have the Aggies drop one of their remaining two SEC games to have a chance to claim the division crown. How Texas A&M fares is out of Auburn’s control, but the Tigers must handle business on their end. Read more Auburn football: From fringe prospect to future first-round pick, Roger McCreary was built for this Auburn wants to be ‘relentless’ in getting pass rush back on track Can Auburn stop Mississippi State QB Will Rogers? Three things to look for... 1. Can Auburn’s offense snap out of its rut? The Tigers have gone six quarters without an offensive touchdown, and the team is coming off its worst offensive showing in years. Auburn will try to get back on track against Mississippi State, needing better execution, more explosive plays and a better early-down success to set up more manageable third-down situations. 2. Can Auburn’s defense keep it up? Auburn’s offensive struggles have aligned with a resurgence from the Tigers’ defense, which has not allowed a touchdown in the last six quarters of play yet wasn’t satisfied despite a stalwart performance in a losing effort last week. Now the unit will try to ground Mississippi State’s pass-happy Air Raid attack. 3. How will Auburn’s offensive line shake out? Auburn saw more rotation along the offensive line amid last week’s struggles, with starting left guard Brandon Council sidelined with an undisclosed injury. That thrust Alec Jackson into a spot start at guard, though the Tigers continued to rotate personnel in the trenches. Bryan Harsin indicated Council could return this week, which would put Auburn’s offensive line back to full strength. If he can’t go, though, it will be interesting to see if the Tigers stick with the same five from last week or switch things up in search of more success at the line of scrimmage. Key matchup Auburn’s pass defense against Mississippi State’s Air Raid offense. Mississippi State passes the ball more than any team in the country, with 491 attempts on the season. The Bulldogs also complete more of their passes than anyone else, with quarterback Will Rogers boasting a 75.2 percent completion rate this year while throwing for 3,309 yards (third among FBS quarterbacks) and 23 touchdowns. It will be a handful for Auburn’s secondary, which ranks 105th in the country in opponent completion rate (64.3 percent) and 65th in team passing efficiency defense. By the numbers 75.2 — Mississippi State’s 75.2 percent completion rate this season is the best among FBS teams. Key injuries Auburn — DT Jeremiah Wright (ACL) out, OL Brandon Council (undisclosed) questionable, DB Zion Puckett (lower body) questionable, WR Malcolm Johnson Jr. (undisclosed) questionable, DE Caleb Johnson (undisclosed) questionable, EDGE Romello Height (undisclosed) questionable. Mississippi State — QB Jack Abraham (concussion) out, WR Trip Wilson (legal problems) out. Mississippi State player to watch Emmanuel Forbes, cornerback. The sophomore defensive back is the SEC’s active career leader in interceptions with eight and is tied for the FBS lead since the start of last season. He’s also the SEC’s active leader in defensive touchdowns (three). Though none of those scores have come this season, Forbes has 41 tackles, with 3.5 for a loss, to go with three interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

5 questions for a Mississippi State beat writer By Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com 3-4 minutes Bryan Harsin wanted to play in meaningful games in November during his first season on the Plains. His wish is still valid despite Auburn losing last week at Texas A&M. If the No. 16 Tigers (6-3, 3-2) want contests against South Carolina and Alabama to maintain relevancy, they must get a win Saturday against Mississippi State (5-3, 3-2) 11 a.m. at Jordan-Hare. Auburn has to worry about stopping Bulldog quarterback Will Rogers, who has a 75% completion rate. Rogers puts up big-time stats in Mike Leach’s offense adding intrigue to the matchup against the Tigers’ stingy defense. We reached out to Mississippi State beat writer Andy Kostka of the Clairon-Ledger for insight into the Bulldogs. You can follow Kosta on Twitter at @afkosta for more intel on Mississippi State. 1.) What makes Will Rogers special? Any quarterback who throws the ball as frequently as Will Rogers does in Mike Leach’s Air Raid will put up passing yards. Rogers has already broken Mississippi State’s single-season completion record. But what makes him unique is how he takes care of the football. Barring the three interceptions against Alabama and two against Vanderbilt, Rogers has thrown three interceptions compared to 19 touchdowns in his other seven games. A lot of that comes from Rogers opting to take what the defense gives him. Most teams drop plenty of defensive backs in zone coverage, leaving the underneath open. But when he does take shots downfield, Rogers has been dangerous — according to Pro Football Focus, Rogers has thrown eight touchdown passes in 33 attempts with a depth of target longer than 20 yards downfield. 2.) Is MSU the team Bama beat by 30 points or the team that beat Texas A&M? That’s a great question and something we won’t know the answer to until Saturday. But it seems as if this Mississippi State team is closer to its Texas A&M self than its Alabama self. The defense struggled to stop Arkansas’ running game, though, which doesn’t bode well for facing Tank Bigsby. 3.) What is covering Mike Leach like on a day-to-day basis? You never really know what Mike Leach might say. After last week’s game, he announced an open tryout for kickers. That was the centerpiece of Monday’s press conference, too, which prompted Leach to mention five million Mongol soldiers on horseback. 4.) Did you try out for kicker? Would that I could, harkening back to my soccer-playing days. Mike Leach said the team has heard from about 40 students and Mississippi State plans for an open tryout next week. We’ll learn more after that tryout if any kickers are particularly impressive enough to hang around on the team. 5.) Name a player on offense other than Rogers that Auburn fans should know and one on defense? Auburn fans should watch for Jo’quavious Marks. He’s a running back in a pass-heavy offense, but Marks is a dual-threat. He can make defenders miss on carries or catches, and he is second in the SEC behind Mississippi State wide receiver Makai Polk in receptions. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

Auburn wants to be ‘relentless’ in getting pass rush back on track By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com 4-5 minutes These are the games Derick Hall looks forward to. Auburn’s defense knows what it’s getting when Mississippi State comes to Jordan-Hare Stadium this weekend. The Bulldogs are going to throw the ball—a lot; that’s the nature of Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense. Read more Auburn football: From fringe prospect to future first-round pick, Roger McCreary was built for this Can Auburn stop Mississippi State QB Will Rogers? Statistically speaking: Auburn’s defense has turned it around in the red zone For Hall and the rest of Auburn’s defensive front, that means one thing: an opportunity to affect the game in the pass rush. “You have opportunities throughout the season when you know the other team is really going to throw the ball a lot, but when that’s what they live and die by, you can be more loose and more relentless in your pass rush,” Hall said. “You don’t have to worry about a lot of play action and stuff like that…. It’s something you always look forward to, being able to get after the quarterback and showing what we’re able to do with our pass rush.” For as effective as Auburn’s defense has been this season under first-year defensive coordinator Derek Mason — including the unit’s current roll of six straight quarters without allowing a touchdown — pass rush has been an area of inconsistency for the Tigers. Auburn is eighth in the SEC and 45th nationally in sacks, averaging 2.44 per game this season. That’s despite the Tigers’ defense ranking second in the SEC and top-20 nationally in tackles for loss this season, with 67 total and 7.44 per game. “Lately here, I think we’ve been playing a lot of mobile quarterbacks, so it’s been more focused on just containing them and keeping them in the pocket and just letting the sack come to you,” Hall said of the discrepancy in those numbers. “But obviously, this will be our opportunity in (Mississippi State quarterback) Will Rogers; he’s a really good guy, a really good quarterback, completes a lot of passes and can move around a little bit. But I think we can be a little more relentless in our pass rush this week, so just being able to work that this week, knowing the opportunity that we have. “I think we know this Saturday we’ll have more opportunities to get sacks. And just to put that on display to be more relentless in our pass rush.” Auburn’s defense is coming off a stalwart performance last weekend against Texas A&M, albeit in a losing effort, but the unit failed to record a sack against the Aggies. It was just the second time in nine games this seasons the Tigers failed to record a sack, with the other being the early-season loss to Penn State. The defense has a prime opportunity to bounce back in that regard when it hosts Mississippi State at 11 a.m. Saturday. Not only do the Bulldogs pass the ball more than any team in the country — leading the nation with 54.6 pass attempts per game (completing 75.2 percent of them, to boot) — but they also rank 12th in the SEC and 97 nationally, out of 130 FBS teams, in sacks allowed (2.78 per game). In the Bulldogs’ four losses this season, they’ve allowed an average of 3.25 sacks per game, though that number is skewed by the seven given up to Alabama last month. The opportunity is there for Auburn’s defense to get home and try to impact Rogers while grounding Mississippi State’s Air Raid. It’s just a matter of whether the Tigers will take advantage of it. “Just coming into this week, I think building depth is going to be huge,” Hall said. “Just across the D-line and just being able to rush the passer. We know they throw the ball a lot, so we just have to be efficient this week in delivering our pass rush and making sure we’re doing the right efforts and technique to make sure it shows up on Saturdays.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Long ago, when sailing ships ruled the waves, a captain and his crew were in danger of being boarded by a pirate ship. As the crew became frantic, the captain bellowed to his First Mate, “Bring me my red shirt!” The First Mate quickly retrieved the captain’s red shirt, which the captain put on and led the crew to battle the pirate boarding party. Although some casualties occurred among the crew, the pirates were repelled. Later that day, the lookout screamed that there were two pirate vessels sending boarding parties. The crew cowered in fear, but the captain, calm as ever, bellowed, “Bring me my red shirt!” Once again the battle was on. However, the Captain and his crew repelled both boarding parties, though this time more casualties occurred. Weary from the battles, the men sat around on deck that night recounting the day’s occurrences when an ensign looked to the Captain and asked, “Sir, why did you call for your red shirt before the battle?” The Captain, giving the ensign a look that only a captain can give, exhorted, “If I am wounded in battle, the red shirt does not show the wound and thus, you men will continue to fight unafraid.” The men sat in silence marvelling at the courage of such a man. As dawn came the next morning, the lookout screamed that there were pirate ships, 10 of them, all with boarding parties on their way. The men became silent and looked to the Captain, their leader, for his usual command. The Captain, calm as ever, bellowed, “Bring me my brown pants!” lets hope Auburn makes the Pirate wear his brown pants tomorrow...............grins

Fearless Football Forecasters: Week 11 ByPhillip Marshall 9-12 minutes In the late Pat Dye’s time, the Tigers played Florida, Georgia and Alabama in November. Dye dubbed it Amen Corner after the three-hole stretch at Augusta National Golf Club that has derailed many a championship run. Auburn’s version of Amen Corner is no more, but November still presents challenges. Bryan Harsin’s first season as head coach will be largely defined by the next three weeks, when the No. 16 Tigers play Mississippi State at home, at South Carolina and Alabama at home. A win over Mississippi State and Mike Leach’s air raid offense in Saturday’s 11 a.m. game will keep the Tigers alive in the race for the West Division championship. A loss, and they will be out of the running. Last weekend was a rough one for your Fearless Forecasters – Phillip Marshall, Keith Niebuhr, Mark Murphy, Jason Caldwell, Ronnie Sanders and Nathan King. The race has tightened down the stretch. Here are the standings going into Week 11: Phillip 11-9/144-53 Keith 15-5/141-56 Mark 10-9/137-60 Jason 15-5/134-63 Ronnie 12-8/130-67 Nathan 14-6/131-66 On to another week: MISSISSIPPI STATE (5-4, 3-3) AUBURN (6-3, 3-2) How Phillip sees it: This is a very dangerous game for Auburn. Mississippi State’s passing game is on a roll with quarterback Will Rogers piling up yards at a frightful rate in Mike Leach’s air raid offense. The Bulldogs can even run the ball. Auburn’s secondary, led by projected first-round draft pick Roger McCreary, will carry a heavy load. Auburn’s offense will need to reawaken against another strong defense. Playing at home, I look for that to happen. But it will be a fourth-quarter game. Auburn 38, Mississippi State 31 How Keith sees it: Auburn is a different team at home and that will help. But the entire offense will have to perform at a higher level this week if the Tigers are to win. The good news: While Mike Leach’s defense isn’t bad, it’s not at the level of Texas A&M. This should be a tough game. Auburn 30, Mississippi State 29 How Mark sees it: Normally it is safe to pick the Tigers to defeat Mississippi State in games at Jordan-Hare Stadium. However, it is not normal for the Tigers come into a game on a six-quarter drought without a touchdown. Auburn played very well against The Pirate and his Air Raid attack last year, but the Tigers now have a different scheme, different coaches and the Mississippi State offense has made progress since the last time the teams met. Since Auburn’s defense has played well in the red zone and because Mississippi State’s field goal kicking is shaky, I will go with the Tigers. Auburn 23, Mississippi State 17 How Jason sees it: This is one of the most interesting games of the season for Auburn after the loss to Texas A&M. The Tigers played one of their better defensive games of the year in a win in Starkville last season and it should be a good matchup for Derek Mason’s group this time around as well. Can Auburn’s offense make enough plays to win? That’s my only question. Even though this isn’t an air raid offense, defenses have figured out if you don’t give up the big play to the Tigers it makes it tough for them to score. Bo Nix has to play better this week, no doubt about it, but he also needs someone to step up and make a play. How many times does an offense throw an eight-yard pass that turns into a 40-yard gain? Happens all the time. When is the last time we have seen that for this offense? Finding enough plays is the name of the game for the Auburn offense. I think they’ll do it against a pretty darn good Mississippi State defense, but it won’t be easy. Auburn 27, Mississippi State 23 How Ronnie sees it: An early kickoff at Jordan-Hare is not the same as a night game - and a good Mississippi State team will come in ready to play. The Auburn offense will have to score more points if the Tigers are to win the game. We’ll see some new wrinkles, but will it be enough? Auburn 34, Mississippi State 30 How Nathan sees it: This feels like a trap spot for Auburn as it attempts to bounce back on offense against another stout defensive unit in Mississippi State. If the Tigers' defense can affect Will Rogers in a similar fashion to their performance last season, they'll be fine — and I think they have a good chance to do so. Colby Wooden and Derick Hall are playing at a high level, as is the rest of the defense for that matter. I don't see a complete offensive turnaround coming, but I do think Auburn can score enough at home. But Mississippi State is tricky on both sides of the ball and will hang around for four quarters — and cover. Auburn 23, Mississippi State 20 SEC GAME OF THE WEEK TEXAS A&M (7-2, 4-2) AT OLE MISS (7-2, 3-2) How Phillip sees it: Ole Miss is catching Texas A&M at a good time, coming off a significant victory and going on the road. If the Rebels can slow down the Texas A&M running game, they’ll have a good shot at winning. I don’t see that happening, at least not consistently. Texas A&M 31, Ole Miss 23 How Keith sees it: The Aggies have such a solid defense that should give them a slight edge. Texas A&M 27, Ole Miss 25 How Mark sees it: The Aggies are on a four-game winning streak since losing to Mississippi State and should have a talent edge that is large enough to overcome homefield advantage as well as the Rebels having a more dynamic offense. Texas A&M 34, Ole Miss 28 How Jason sees it: Another very interesting game here with the Aggies coming off a big win against an Ole Miss team that has to be worn down following the stretch of games they’ve faced this season. I just don’t like this matchup for the Rebels. Texas A&M can run the ball and they’ve got a strong defense. Texas A&M 34, Ole Miss 20 How Ronnie sees it: The Texas A&M defense is playing lights out, while the Ole Miss offense is ranked No. 4 nationally. Saturday night in Oxford should be a lotta fun. Ole Miss 34, Texas A&M 31 How Nathan sees it: Ole Miss' defense is exactly the group Texas A&M needs right now to open up things on offense and make a bigger impact on the scoreboard. The Aggies' defense is playing at an incredibly high level right now, and I think they could do enough to bother Matt Corral and a depleted offense. Texas A&M 31, Ole Miss 24 OTHER SEC GAMES How Phillip sees them: Georgia 45 Tennessee 20 Missouri 35, South Carolina 31 Florida 42, Samford 14 Alabama 56, New Mexico State 7 Kentucky 30, Vanderbilt 20 LSU 28, Arkansas 27 How Keith sees them: Georgia 30, Tennessee 27 Missouri 31, South Carolina 27 Florida 23, Samford 10 Alabama 44, New Mexico State 10 Kentucky 31, Vanderbilt 10 LSU 35, Arkansas 24 How Mark sees them: Georgia 48, Tennessee 10 South Carolina 38, Missouri 21 Florida 38, Samford 10 Alabama 63, New Mexico State 7 Kentucky 31, Vanderbilt 13 Arkansas 31, LSU 20 How Jason sees them: Georgia 30, Tennessee 27 Missouri 31, South Carolina 30 Florida 42, Samford 17 Alabama 56, New Mexico State 10 Kentucky 35, Vanderbilt 13 Arkansas 38, LSU 24 How Ronnie sees them: Georgia 27, Tennessee 21 South Carolina 27, Missouri 24 Florida 31, Samford 10 Alabama 52, New Mexico State 14 Kentucky 33, Vanderbilt 9 LSU 31, Arkansas 30 How Nathan sees them: Georgia 38, Tennessee 24 South Carolina 30, Missouri 17 Florida 51, Samford 13 Alabama 62, New Mexico State 7 Kentucky 41, Vanderbilt 17 Arkansas 20, LSU 17 OTHER GAMES How Phillip sees them: Oklahoma 38, Baylor 34 Ohio State 41, Purdue 28 Penn State 24, Michigan 23 Iowa 27, Minnesota 21 Michigan State 42, Maryland 31 Pittsburgh 45, North Carolina 42 Boston College 21, Georgia Tech 20 Miami 33, Florida State 31 Wake Forest 38, North Carolina State 35 Notre Dame 27, Virginia 24 Oklahoma State 35, TCU 21 Oregon 28, Washington State 24 Iowa State 41, Texas Tech 28 How Keith sees them: Baylor 33, Oklahoma 30 Ohio State 31, Purdue 20 Michigan 27, Penn State 23 Iowa 20, Minnesota 17 Michigan State 30, Maryland 20 Pittsburgh 34, North Carolina 30 Boston College 34, Georgia Tech 24 Miami 30, Florida State 26 Wake Forest 37, North Carolina State 34 Notre Dame 38, Virginia 27 Oklahoma State 37, TCU 33 Oregon 37, Washington State 26 Iowa State 35, Texas Tech 27 How Mark sees them: Oklahoma 38, Baylor 24 Ohio State 38, Purdue 17 Michigan 23, Penn State 20 Iowa 21, Minnesota 17 Michigan State 31, Maryland 13 Pittsburgh 38, North Carolina 34 Boston College 28, Georgia Tech 24 Miami 30, Florida State 20 North Carolina State 41, Wake Forest 31 Notre Dame 38, Virginia 20 Oklahoma State 31, TCU 14 Oregon 37, Washington State 17 Iowa State 34, Texas Tech14 How Jason sees them: Oklahoma 30, Baylor 26 Ohio State 54, Purdue 24 Penn State 27, Michigan 23 Iowa 20, Minnesota 18 Michigan State 38, Maryland 28 Pittsburgh 49, North Carolina 44 Georgia Tech 27, Boston College 23 Miami 31, Florida State 27 North Carolina State 30, Wake Forest 28 Virginia 34, Notre Dame 30 Oklahoma State 24, TCU 9 Oregon 31, Washington State 20 Iowa State 34, Texas Tech 19 How Ronnie sees them: Baylor 41, Oklahoma 38 Ohio State 31, Purdue 20 Michigan 33, Penn State 27 Iowa 28, Minnesota 24 Michigan State 38, Maryland 24 Pittsburgh 31, North Carolina 27 Boston College 30, Georgia Tech 20 Miami 33, Florida State 27 Wake Forest 34, North Carolina State 30 Virginia 31, Notre Dame 28 Oklahoma State 37, TCU 20 Oregon 42, Washington State 40 Iowa State 37, Texas Tech 31 How Nathan sees them: Oklahoma 35, Baylor 31 Ohio State 48, Purdue 31 Michigan 33, Penn State 20 Minnesota 23, Iowa 20 Michigan State 34, Maryland 21 Pitt 48, North Carolina 41 Boston College 28, Georgia Tech 21 Miami 41, Florida State 31 Wake Forest 34, NC State 31 Notre Dame 28, Virginia 21 Oklahoma State 24, TCU 21 1COMMENTS Oregon 28, Washington State 13 Iowa State 37, Texas Tech 20

athlonsports.com Mississippi State vs. Auburn Football Prediction and Preview Mike Bainbridge 5-6 minutes SEC West teams looking to bounce back will face off when the Bulldogs and Tigers meet on Saturday Two SEC West teams suffering disappointing losses last weekend face off on Saturday with the Mississippi State Bulldogs hitting the road to take on the Auburn Tigers. The division is probably locked up at this point with Alabama sitting atop the standings at 5-1, but second place is more than attainable for both the Mississippi State (5-4, 3-3 SEC) and Auburn (6-3, 3-2) currently looking up at Texas A&M, which sits just one game ahead in the division. Better conference standing means better bowl location — and more money — at the end of the season, so there is plenty of incentive for both teams this weekend. This will be the 95th all-time meeting between the two SEC West rivals (Auburn leads 67-25-2), with the Tigers winning four of the last five matchups. Mississippi State at No. 17 Auburn Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. ET TV: ESPN Spread: Auburn -5.5 When Mississippi State Has the Ball It's funny to think that there was a legitimate quarterback competition this past offseason for Mississippi State with some thinking that Will Rogers could potentially lose his grip on the starting job. The sophomore quarterback has played some outstanding football this season, completing 75 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Rogers ranks second in the country, averaging 368 yards per game through the air and has thrown four touchdowns in two of the last three games. Against Arkansas last week, Rogers pushed the ball downfield a bit more than he’s accustomed to with an aDOT (average depth of target) at 7.6 yards, which was his highest mark of the season. Auburn is 57th in the country at defending the pass but has not allowed a single passing touchdown in the last two weeks. As has been the case for years under Mike Leach, his team ranks dead last in the country in run play percentage on offense at a 27.5 percent clip, but his running backs are featured heavily in the passing game. After leading the team in receptions, a year ago, sophomore Jo’quavious Marks is second in both targets (70) and catches (63). Former California transfer Makai Polk has been a welcomed addition to the receiving corps, tied for seventh in the country with 71 catches, while true freshman Rara Thomas has begun to emerge the last three games with four touchdowns in that span. When Auburn Has the Ball Nothing went right offensively last week against the Aggies, as Auburn was held to a season-low three points and 226 yards of offense. Normally one of the better teams in the SEC at third-down efficiency, the Tigers were just 4-of-16 on the day and converted just one of three attempts on fourth down. The lone positive on offense for Auburn was the play of sophomore running back Tank Bigsby, who rushed for 69 yards on 15 attempts (4.6 ypc) and has looked healthy the last two weeks following the bye after not being 100 percent earlier in the year. Normally stout against the run, fielding a top-10 defense for much of the year, Mississippi State was gashed last week by Arkansas for a season-high 202 yards and two scores on the ground. Quarterback Bo Nix had been playing some of his best ball of the season leading up to last Saturday, completing over 70 percent of his throws against Arkansas and Ole Miss, but was harassed all game long against A&M, sacked four times en route to one of his worst performances of the season. Nix should have more time to throw this week with an experienced offensive line ahead of him, as the Bulldogs are just 12th out of 14 SEC teams in sacks (19). Nix would also be aided with better performances out of his wide receivers this week since that group combined for just five receptions against the Aggies. Tight ends and running backs accounted for 15 of the 20 catches. Final Analysis The last five matchups between Mississippi State and Auburn have all been decided by at least two touchdowns. This figures to be a closer contest, as there is really no particular advantage, either offensively or defensively, between the two teams. The Bulldogs have played well of late, rattling off two straight wins before losing a tightly-contested battle on the road at Arkansas last week, and Will Rogers has been lights out of late at the quarterback position. We’ll go with the home team here in Auburn in a narrow victory, but expect this one to come down to the last few possessions. Prediction: Auburn 27, Mississippi State 24 Podcast: Week 11 Preview, Predictions + Picks Against the Spread & the Latest in Coaching and Realignment News — Written by Mike Bainbridge, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Bainbridge is a graduate of Northern Illinois University. Follow him on Twitter @MBainbridgeCFF.

Mississippi State vs. Auburn: Who has the edge? Stefan Krajisnik Daily Journal 3-4 minutes Quarterbacks Will Rogers has gone from a player with consistency concerns to someone who has kept MSU in games during crucial stretches. His SEC-best passing numbers (passing yards and completion percentage) are proving to be about more than just a result of the Air Raid offense. "Bad Bo" Nix showed up for Auburn at Texas A&M. With his inconsistency, perhaps he is due for a big game this week. Still, his numbers don't compare to Rogers. Edge: Mississippi State Running backs Auburn's Tank Bigsby is among the more exciting backs in the SEC. His 735 rushing yards rank fourth in the conference. Jarquez Hunter is just four spots below Bigsby in the SEC with ranks with 544 rushing yards, but he leads the conference with 7.45 yards per rush. MSU has ran the ball 61 times in its previous two games. Jo'quavious Marks continues to put his stamp on the passing game. But it's hard to matchup with Auburn's duo in the backfield. Edge: Auburn Receivers/Tight ends Freshman Rara Thomas is rising quickly in MSU's receiving ranks. He has four touchdowns in MSU's previous three games. Christian Ford, who earned a scholarship last week, had two crucial catches late in MSU's loss at Arkansas. With these two making a rise, it opens more opportunities for Makai Polk, Jaden Walley and Austin Williams. Edge: Mississippi State Offensive line Auburn is No. 25 in the nation with 13 sacks allowed this season. Mississippi State is No. 98 with 25 sacks allowed. Edge: Auburn Defensive line Auburn is third in the SEC with 7.44 tackles for loss per game. Its 67 tackles for loss rank No. 17 nationally. Auburn has just three more sacks than Mississippi State this season. MSU allowed 202 rushing yards against a run-heavy Arkansas team but remains the nation's 11th-best rush defense — thanks in large part to the work its defensive line does. Edge: Even Linebackers Much of those numbers mentioned in the defensive line section apply to what each team's linebackers do. Auburn's running backs aren't very involved in the passing game, so Auburn's linebackers will be tested more matching up with Marks and Dillon Johnson in the Air Raid. Auburn's Zakoby McClain is fifth in the SEC with 71 tackles. Jett Johnson is just outside the top-10 with 64, but with MSU's depth no one player will shine. Linebacker could be the position to determine this one. Edge: Even Secondary MSU and Auburn have struggled with breakdowns in the secondary on occasion. Auburn has just five interceptions this season to MSU's 10, but both teams allow about 220 passing yards per game. Edge: Even Special teams Special teams have become the talk of Starkville. What will MSU's kicking situation look like Saturday? MSU head coach Mike Leach said his team will hold tryouts next week after about 40 kickers showed interesting in joining State as walk-ons. Until then, Brandon Ruiz and Nolan McCord have worked on the basics such as the plant foot. MSU returner Lideatrick Griffin's status for Saturday remains unclear. MSU might be 8-1 this season had it had an average special teams unit. Edge: Auburn

Mason, Harsin expect different looks from Mississippi State ByMark Murphy 4-5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–As his Auburn football defense prepares for Mississippi State's "Air Raid" offense, Defensive Coordinator Derek Mason said he likes how the Tigers are getting ready for the pass-happy Bulldogs, the 10th opponent of the season for the Tigers. "I don’t think we faced an offense like this one this season, but what I think we have done as a defensive unit is that this group has had to figure out, week in and week out, how to play against different offenses," Mason said Wednesday night on Tiger Talk, Auburn's weekly call-in show. "I don’t think there have been two offenses that have been alike for us this season.” Mississippi State’s offense averages just 56 rushing yards per game at 2.6 yards per carry while averaging 54.4 passes thrown per contest and 376 yards per contest through the air. “This group with Zakoby (McClain), Owen (Pappoe), D. (Derek) Hall and even Marcus Harris–you go up and down this group–Smoke Monday and these guys are fun to coach,” Mason said. “They love ball, they talk ball. They want to know how do we fix, how do we tinker, how do we adjust? To me that has been the best thing in the world. It is fun to be around guys that love football.” Mason said those players and others on defense have had a good week of practice so far. “These guys went after it today,” Mason said after Wednesday session practice that emphasized forcing turnovers, red zone stops and special situations. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason is in his first season with the Tigers. (Photo: Adam Sparks / Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports) Auburn head coach, Bryan Harsin, agreed with Mason during his Tiger Talk appearance that players have been focused in this week’s practices looking to bounce back from a disappointing 20-3 loss at Texas A&M. Also like his defensive coordinator, Harsin said that Mississippi State will give the Tigers different looks. “I can see them taking chances on the defensive side bringing pressures maybe a little more and they already do that quite a bit,” he said. “They have had some issues on special teams and have been vocal about that so they might do some things differently.” Harsin added, “Their defense is much different than some of the teams we have played. I have seen this defense from San Diego State, and this coordinator. It is a little like Rocky Long and what he had done before. They are all over the place and bring different pressures. “What I will say about Mississippi State’s personnel is they are very good. They are long and you can see how athletic they are...I think they utilize their personnel well because they use the right people in the right spot. That becomes a challenge for us.” Harsin added that the Bulldogs play “physical and fast” on defense, but added, “There are opportunities to make plays on them and you have to take advantage of that with what you do.” Auburn and Mississippi State will kick off shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN. Mississippi State, a 31-28 loser last Saturday at Arkansas, is 5-4 in Coach Mike Leach’s second season in charge of the program. The Bulldogs are 3-3 in the SEC. Auburn, which is 3-2 in the league, is 6-3 overall and ranked No. 16 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll and No. 20 in the coaches poll. 2COMMENTS The Tigers won last year’s game at Mississippi State 24-10 and lead the series 65-27-2. *** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops*** ">247Sports ByMark Murphy 4-5 minutes Fast Break: Auburn hoops off to impressive start AUBURN, Alabama–As his Auburn football defense prepares for Mississippi State's "Air Raid" offense, Defensive Coordinator Derek Mason said he likes how the Tigers are getting ready for the pass-happy Bulldogs, the 10th opponent of the season for the Tigers. "I don’t think we faced an offense like this one this season, but what I think we have done as a defensive unit is that this group has had to figure out, week in and week out, how to play against different offenses," Mason said Wednesday night on Tiger Talk, Auburn's weekly call-in show. "I don’t think there have been two offenses that have been alike for us this season.” Mississippi State’s offense averages just 56 rushing yards per game at 2.6 yards per carry while averaging 54.4 passes thrown per contest and 376 yards per contest through the air. “This group with Zakoby (McClain), Owen (Pappoe), D. (Derek) Hall and even Marcus Harris–you go up and down this group–Smoke Monday and these guys are fun to coach,” Mason said. “They love ball, they talk ball. They want to know how do we fix, how do we tinker, how do we adjust? To me that has been the best thing in the world. It is fun to be around guys that love football.” Mason said those players and others on defense have had a good week of practice so far. “These guys went after it today,” Mason said after Wednesday session practice that emphasized forcing turnovers, red zone stops and special situations. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason is in his first season with the Tigers. (Photo: Adam Sparks / Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports) Auburn head coach, Bryan Harsin, agreed with Mason during his Tiger Talk appearance that players have been focused in this week’s practices looking to bounce back from a disappointing 20-3 loss at Texas A&M. Also like his defensive coordinator, Harsin said that Mississippi State will give the Tigers different looks. “I can see them taking chances on the defensive side bringing pressures maybe a little more and they already do that quite a bit,” he said. “They have had some issues on special teams and have been vocal about that so they might do some things differently.” Harsin added, “Their defense is much different than some of the teams we have played. I have seen this defense from San Diego State, and this coordinator. It is a little like Rocky Long and what he had done before. They are all over the place and bring different pressures. “What I will say about Mississippi State’s personnel is they are very good. They are long and you can see how athletic they are...I think they utilize their personnel well because they use the right people in the right spot. That becomes a challenge for us.” Harsin added that the Bulldogs play “physical and fast” on defense, but added, “There are opportunities to make plays on them and you have to take advantage of that with what you do.” Auburn and Mississippi State will kick off shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN. Mississippi State, a 31-28 loser last Saturday at Arkansas, is 5-4 in Coach Mike Leach’s second season in charge of the program. The Bulldogs are 3-3 in the SEC. Auburn, which is 3-2 in the league, is 6-3 overall and ranked No. 16 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll and No. 20 in the coaches poll. 2COMMENTS The Tigers won last year’s game at Mississippi State 24-10 and lead the series 65-27-2. *** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops*** ">247Sports

auburnwire.usatoday.com Derick Hall is 'a really big key' for Auburn's defense Zac Blackerby 1-2 minutes The Auburn defense has been playing well over the last few games. Derick Hall is a big part of that. Hall’s ability to rush the passer and impact the opposing offense from the edge has helped Auburn’s defense at every level. Auburn linebacker and captain Chandler Wooten was asked about Hall’s game on the “Locked On Auburn” podcast. Here’s what he said about his teammate. “He’s just one of those guys where you look out on the field and you look at him and you know you’re good over there,” Wooten said. “I got Derick over here with me. He’s just a guy you have a lot of trust in and a guy who is going to set the edge and rush the quarterback and cause havoc in the backfield. Every time you see him out there, you know he’s going to do his job and he will do it to the best of his ability. Just to have a guy like that with that kind of speed and that kind of ability and size, and just the way he plays the game, he’s really a big key for our defense.” Contact/Follow us @theauburnwire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion.

to all that stood up when america needed you and to the men and women who supported our troops. blessings to all and long may you run.

yep. we have so many problems to correct i am taking nothing for granted.

in the transfer portal? he seems to have a solid record but i have paid little attention to him. i think tj is not going to get a lot of playing time if bo leaves or why not play him more now and let him get used to the system? DD i think has a lot of upside but they say he is really young so i doubt they would start him next year. so do we go after this guy for real help until we get who we want? i also understand bo might come back. and i am just guessing about the other qb's.

hell the ones with any sense to me are getting their arse kicked by their own party. trump made crazy normal. if we got rid of dark money and had term limits this country would be a lot better off. people are running to seek out their own ends and get rich at the expense of the country. troubled times indeed. and to be honest i am losing faith in the dems. we desperately need a political savior that the vast majority can get behind to stop all this crazy crap. not a shot but the indies need to up their game. i have never been anti indie at all. i am not sure what it would take but they need to be more relevant and this is the perfect time for them to make a serious move with all the craziness going on dkw. who do you know among them that could be a really good leader in your opinion david? i can call you david right? i kid i kid..........