11/23.22 Auburn Articles

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Cadillac Williams explains in detail how he’ll enjoy Thanksgiving: ‘Lord knows I value the food’

Keith Farner

2–3 minutes

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Cadillac Williams is in the midst of a busy week preparing for the Iron Bowl, but that won’t get in the way of the interim coach at Auburn enjoying Thanksgiving.

He explained what that means in a detailed response about how he views the holiday.

“I’m going to eat my chitlins, I’m going to eat my dressing, my cornbread, my momma’s famous cornbread,” he said. “Turkey, greens, Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the best times of the year regardless of what I’ve got going on. I value my family time and Lord knows I value the food. I am going to enjoy Thanksgiving, yes I am.”

Food aside, Williams is trying to also keep Auburn’s momentum going after Williams took over and helped lead the Tigers to a 2-game winning streak. Williams has already energized Auburn’s team and fan base heading into Saturday’s game with the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa and sparked talk that he should be considered for the full-time job.

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Auburn WR reportedly withdraws name from NCAA transfer portal

Cole Thompson

3–4 minutes

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Landen King might have been a prospect to watch for in the transfer portal prior to the start of the offseason. Now, he’s made his future intentions clear.

According to Auburn247’s Nathan King, Landen King will return to The Plains for the 2022 season. King will have 3 years of eligibility remaining after playing in just 1 game.

King, a native of Beaumont, Texas, elected to enter the transfer portal midseason following his decreasing reps in then-coach Bryan Harsin’s offense. Before leaving, King played against Penn State in the Tigers’ 41-12 loss and recorded 1 catch for 24 yards. For his career, the 6-5 pass-catcher has totaled 6 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

King could be heading back to the SEC West program now that Harsin is no longer leading the charge. Following the hiring of new athletic director John Cohen, Harsin was fired after going 9-12 to begin his tenure with the program.

Auburn is currently in the midst of a hiring process for its 3rd coach in 4 years. According to multiple reports, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is the favorite to land the job following the Rebels’ season-finale matchup against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. Kiffin, 47, has vehemently denied the reports entering Rivalry Week.

Other favorites to land the job include Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Liberty’s Hugh Freeze, Jackson State’s Deion Sanders and former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule. The Tigers will face Alabama in the Iron Bowl on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

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Simpson's move to safety gives Auburn defense a boost

Jason Caldwell

~4 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama—Early in his Auburn career, Jaylin Simpson worked as a safety for the Tigers despite not having ideal size for the position. When he arrived on campus, then defensive coordinator Kevin Steele liked his instincts on the back end of the defense and his nose for the football. Eventually he moved to cornerback, but when Donovan Kaufman was injured this season and Auburn needing help at the position, Simpson jumped back into the safety role with both feet and the results have been dramatic.

Following a rough first quarter at Mississippi State when Will Rogers completed 14 of his first 16 passes for 145 yards, the Tigers have been lights out against the pass despite facing some pass-happy opponents each of the last three games.

In the last six quarters, Auburn’s defense has allowed 70 completions in 138 attempts for 633 yards. That might seem like a pretty big number, but when you break it down you see just how good the Tigers have been over this stretch.

The 633 yards on 138 passing attempts comes out to an average of 4.59 yards per attempt. Right now the Iowa Hawkeyes lead the nation in that category, giving up 5.2 yards per attempt over the course of the year. That’s almost a full yard less than the best team in the country when you look at what the Tigers have done recently. There are only nine teams in the nation that are allowing less than six yards per pass attempt. Auburn would be a full yard ahead of that when looking at the last 10 quarters..

Simpson’s emergence has played a big part in the resurgence of the Auburn pass defense as they prepare for the Crimson Tide.

“I think there is no question he has done a great job. It was kind of recognized by our defense Friday night before the game because he has had to play a lot different spots. The same at safety–there are a lot of different spots at the safety position whether into the boundary or to the field going down on a number two receiver. He has been all over the place.

“He has accepted the challenge. He is a good athlete and brings good athleticism to the position, and he also has some true instincts at the position. That was recognized way back and Coach Etheridge talked about that. Circumstances, what they are, sometimes the opportunity presents itself and you either step up or you don’t. He has, so we are really proud of him.”

A group that is now 49th in the country in pass defense, allowing just 211.6 yards per game this season, Auburn is looking to keep the momentum from the last three weeks heading into the Iron Bowl. If that happens, Simpson is going to be a big part of things for the Tigers as they try to deal with Bryce Young and company.

2COMMENTS

A player that is confident in his ability and that of his defensive teammates, Simpson said he’s having fun playing a new role for the Tigers as they look to finish off an improbable finish to the 2022 regular season.

“I'm very comfortable back there,” he said. “It has its pros and cons. I like it; it's fun. I can actually see, I can see stuff now. We got good coaches that know they have a player they can use in other spots. They made a good decision by using me back there.”

">247Sports

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Auburn vs. Alabama odds, prediction, betting trends for Week 13 Iron Bowl matchup

Jovan Alford

6–7 minutes

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Tank Bigsby (L), Bryce Young (R)

The Auburn Tigers (5-6) will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama Saturday afternoon to play the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-2) in the Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS). The Tigers need one more win to become bowl eligible, while the Crimson Tide are trying to end the regular season on a high note and give themselves a chance to make the College Football Playoff.

The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series over the Tigers with a record of 47-32-1, winning three out of the past four contests. Last season, Alabama defeated Auburn 24-22 in four overtimes. Bryce Young threw for 317 yards and two TDs, including a 28-yard strike to Ja'Corey Brooks that tied the game with 24 seconds left in regulation.

Citi | Jeff McNeil | White Label

Auburn won their second consecutive game on Saturday, defeating Western Kentucky 41-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers leaned on the running back duo of Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, who rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers' defense forced Hilltoppers QB Austin Reed into two interceptions and shut out Western Kentucky's offense in the second half.

Meanwhile, Alabama crushed Austin Peay (FCS) 34-0 on Saturday for their second-straight win. Young had an efficient performance under center, completing 18-of-24 passes for 221 yards and two touchdown passes. Both touchdown passes went to junior wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who led both teams with seven receptions for 128 yards. The Tide also got a big performance from junior running back Jase McClellan, who produced 156 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Alabama ran for 263 yards and will look to carry that momentum into the Iron Bowl against a less-than-stellar Auburn run defense.

Below, we'll break down what you need to know before you bet on this Week 13 matchup between these SEC rivals.

2022 CFB ODDS: Heisman | CFP and National Champion

Auburn vs. Alabama odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

• Spread: Alabama -21.5
• Over/under: 49
• Moneyline: Auburn +950; Alabama -2000

Three trends to know  

— The Tigers are 4-2 against the spread in their past six games against the Crimson Tide.

— Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is 29-12 ATS as a favorite between 21.5-31 points, according to BetQL.com

—  Alabama is 20-0 straight up in their past 20 home games and 17-3 straight up in their past 20 games overall.

Take advantage of BetQL’s 3-day free trial and see all of our best bets across all sports, including college football, NFL, and MLB!

Three things to watch  

— Can the Tigers slow down the Crimson Tide's ground attack?: If the Tigers want to pull off the massive upset on Saturday, they will need their defense to win at the line of scrimmage and contain the Crimson Tide's ground attack. This season, Alabama is averaging 199.5 rushing yards per game, thanks in large part to junior running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs did not play in Saturday's game against Austin Peay because of an ankle injury. If Gibbs can play next week, it will give Alabama's offense an extra boost.

The Tigers' defense has struggled to stop the run this season, allowing 172.6 yards per game. In their past two wins against Western Kentucky and Texas A&M, Auburn only gave up 89.5 rushing yards per game. However, when they lost five-straight games earlier in the season, The Tigers' defense allowed 242.8 rushing yards per game.

—  What will Bryce Young do in his final home game?: With Young projected to be one of the top picks in next year's NFL Draft, next weekend's game against the Tigers could be his last game in Tuscaloosa. He isn't putting up the same numbers we saw last season (47 TDs and four INTs) en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. However, Young is playing solid football, completing 63.8 of his passes for 2,664 yards, 24 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Young has been flawless under center at home, completing 67.4 percent of his passes for 1,286 yards, 16 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. We should expect Young to have no problems against the Tigers' defense, which is giving up 27.7 points per game.

—  Can Tank Bigsby carry Auburn's offense?: The Tigers will be looking for their outstanding junior running back to lead the way next weekend against the Crimson Tide. This season, Bigsby has been one of the best running backs in the SEC, posting 907 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games this season. Bigsby faces a tough challenge against an Alabama defense that allows 107.8 rushing yards per game this season. In two previous games against Bama, Bigsby averaged just 51 yards per game.

Auburn vs. Alabama prediction 

Last season's Iron Bowl was a thriller between these two rivals, but we shouldn't expect the same result next weekend. The Crimson Tide will be looking to send a message to the CFP committee in their last regular season contest, as they won't be playing in the SEC Championship game. The Tigers' run defense is not great this season and will be exploited by Saban and Co. Take the Crimson Tide to cover in what should be a blowout win.

Final score: Alabama 45, Auburn 10. Alabama (-21.5) covers the spread, and the total goes OVER (49).

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