9.19.23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

 

PMARSHONAU A victory for the ages propelled Auburn to a championship

Phillip Marshall

4–6 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama - As Auburn players and coaches streamed into their locker room at Kyle Field on the afternoon of Oct. 19, 2013, they felt the joy and satisfaction known only to those who have faced a great challenge, met it head-on and emerged victorious.

In a game that lives still in the history of Auburn football, the Tigers of 2013 scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to wipe out a 10-point deficit and then turned Texas A&M and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel away in the red zone to leave the happy score, for Auburn folks, flaming in lights. Auburn 45, Texas A&M 41.

In the locker room, they hugged, they laughed, they cried. They screamed for sheer joy. They sang "War Eagle" at the top of their lungs. It was a victory for the ages.

Above the happy din, first-year head coach Gus Malzahn called his players to gather around. A year earlier they had been 1-6. On this day, they were 6-1.

"You guys deserve all the credit, and I'm unbelievably proud of you guys," Malzahn told his team. "... We beat one of the top programs in the country on their home field with the Heisman Trophy winner."

For players who suffered through the 2012 season, who watched Texas A&M romp to a 63-21 victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium, it was a moment so sweet as to defy description.

It wasn't easy. Lord knows, it wasn't easy. No. 7 Texas A&M had lost only a 49-42 shootout against Alabama and was a 10-point favorite. Manziel and his teammates did not give in easily. Manziel and remarkably talented wide receiver Mike Evans made play after play. It seemed for a time they had made enough, then that they hadn't, then that they had again.

But junior Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall made play after play, too. He passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Tre Mason, on his way to the most prolific rushing season in Auburn history, ran for 178 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. And perhaps most importantly, Auburn's offensive line not-so-politely put a beating on the Aggies' defenders up front to the tune of 379 rushing yards.

Marshall directed touchdown drives of 75, 69 and 75 yards in the final quarter.

There were other heroes. Freshman Marcus Davis, now Auburn’s wide receivers coach, made a remarkable third-down catch for 27 yards on Auburn’s final touchdown drive, reaching around the defender to snag the ball with one hand. On Texas A&M’s final drive, on third-and-18 at Auburn’s 26, Manziel broke contain and seemed headed for what would have likely been the winning touchdown. Linebacker Kris Fost raced from the middle of the field and caught him on the sideline for a 5-yard again. On the next play, relentless Dee Ford chased Manziel down and sacked him for a 22-yard loss, his second sack in three plays. Ryan White, who had moved from cornerback to safety because of an injury to Josh Holsey, stopped an earlier Texas A&M drive with a red-zone interception.

Auburn trailed 34-24 starting the fourth quarter. That’s when things got wild.

The Tigers drove 75 yards in seven plays to Marhsall’s 13-yard touchdown run to make it 34-31. After forcing a punt, they drove 69 yards in five plays. Backup running back Cameron Artis-Payne got the touchdown on a two-yard run to give Auburn a 38-34 lead. Texas A&M answered with a 75-yard drive in 12 plays. Manziel scored from the 1, and the Aggies led 41-38. Auburn answered, driving 75 yards in 13 plays. Mason scored on a 5-yard run and Auburn led 45-41.

Quarterback Nick Marshall ran for two touchdowns and threw for two in Auburn's victory. (Photo: Auburn University Athletics)

The Aggies started from their own 35 with 1:19 left in the game and got as far as the Auburn 18. Ford sacked Manziel for an 8-yard loss, setting the stage for the biggest sack of his college career.

The defense gave up 602 yards. Most days that would be cause for concern, but on this day, good defense was holding Texas A&M to fewer points than you got. And the men who played defense for Auburn did it.

Just about everybody who had anything to do with Auburn football was feeling good as night fell on that October Saturday. Auburn football was back. Still to come were an SEC championship and a trip to the BCS Championship Game.

Auburn goes back to College Station on Saturday, this time with a 3-0 record. Like 2013, there aren’t many believers. On Saturday, another story will be told.

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al.com

Auburn football: Hugh Freeze and the talent gap he inherited

Published: Sep. 19, 2023, 6:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

When he got to Auburn, one of the first things head coach Hugh Freeze did was start recruiting. He had to. He was already behind before he began.

College football remains in an arms race, with life-changing NIL deals, TV money and conference realignment so drastically changing the sport. It all hinges on recruiting, and the spectacle to land the most talented high school players in the nation.

Auburn’s recruiting had dipped during former head coach Bryan Harsin’s tenure. Multiple high school coaches within the state of Alabama said they just hadn’t heard from Auburn, one of the two preeminent programs in the state, in two years before Freeze was hired.

So, Freeze inherited a talent gap. A big one. It’s fitting his first game in SEC play in his return to the league would come against one of the best recruiting programs in the nation.

When 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick flipped from Georgia to Auburn, he became Auburn’s first five-star recruit since Owen Pappoe in 2019.

In that same time, Texas A&M landed 14 five-stars. That’s Auburn’s opponent this week at 11 a.m. central time Saturday.

That’s followed by games against No. 1 Georgia and defending SEC West champion LSU — which have both recruited at a level much closer to Texas A&M than that of Auburn.

Freeze knows it.

“I’m probably too candid and honest sometimes for some people, let’s just be really clear,” Freeze said during his Monday press conference. “You’re playing the best recruits in the nation. We’re going to be there soon, and that doesn’t mean you can’t compete and win the game, there’s a reason they are third in the nation on third down defense. They’ve got a bunch of 5-stars in the defensive line and at linebacker and at safety and at corner. They are really, really talented.”

The SEC West is maybe college football’s most difficult division. In a short time as Auburn’s head coach, Freeze has already done much to catch up. Auburn’s two biggest rivals have been the two best programs in college football over the last decade. But Freeze has already flipped a 5-star recruit away from Georgia in Riddick and another 5-star away from Alabama in Perry Thompson.

Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class is currently ranked 14th in the nation, per 247Sports. But Auburn’s class is sixth overall based on the average recruiting ranking of the players in its class. All three of Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M are in those five spots above Auburn.

It’s just the beginning of the process to catch up.

Freeze has been insightful in this process. He seems aware this isn’t the team that’s going to vault Auburn to where it wants to be in the SEC. Asked back in August about how to end Auburn’s drought of 1,000-yard wide receivers, Freeze said the solution isn’t on the roster right now.

“And I hope every recruit that I’m recruiting for receiver is listening to me, we’ve got to change that here, and you’ve gotta change that through recruiting,” Freeze said on Aug. 17. “Those receivers are a priority for us, the ones that are coming into the ‘24 and ‘25 class.”

But those guys aren’t here yet.

To get a roster he believes could compete early in his tenure, Freeze hit the transfer portal. He brought in a top-five-ranked transfer portal class, including 11 four-star-rated transfers. Led by Avery Jones, the top-rated interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal.

“We know people are going to be watching this game just based off of the D-line and us wanting to play good against them,” Jones said Monday. “We all have a chip on our shoulder. We all came here for a reason, to play in these types of games and be on this stage and compete against the best.”

From a pure talent perspective, Auburn’s roster doesn’t match Texas A&M’s. Freeze sees that on film.

For this year, Auburn is relying on players that had routes like Jones of earning his way up from playing well at a smaller school. Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod won at Texas A&M last year playing with Appalachian State. But with Auburn, where an upset wouldn’t be as dramatic, McLeod said these games are about earning respect.

McLeod is excited to play the five-stars. So are his teammates.

A&M currently has eight five-stars on its roster. Auburn has none. So, the chip on Auburn’s shoulder lasts for now but Freeze still plans to close the gap.

“It’s a tall, tall challenge for us in year one to stand toe-to-toe with A&M and Georgia next week and LSU the following week,” Freeze said. “It’s our goal to get there, but that’s what reality is. We’ve had about eight months to recruit a half a class. These others have been stacking it.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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247sports.com

Cobb brings something a little different for Auburn offense

Jason Caldwell

4–5 minutes

VIDEO: Late Kick: Colorado is "the story" of the entire sport of football

One of Auburn’s most important positions on either side of the ball will be missing its top player for the foreseeable future.

Keionte Scott suffered a high-ankle sprain against Samford, a source close to the situation told Auburn Undercover, and Hugh Freeze said Monday that Scott will undergo surgery and miss “considerable time.” The No. 2 returning tackler from last season’s time, Scott’s injury now leaves a sizable void in the middle of coordinator Ron Roberts’ defense — and "it's a great challenge," Freeze said.

The role now falls to redshirt junior Donovan Kaufman, who missed the Samford win after entering concussion protocol the previous game at Cal. Freeze said "I think (Kaufman) will be fine," after it seemed he was held out against Samford as a precaution.

"We met this morning, and we're just toying with all the different combinations with our current injuries back there," Freeze said.

When Scott went down on the first drive of the game against Samford, Auburn turned to Caleb Wooden at the star position. The younger brother of former Auburn defensive lineman Colby Wooden, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Packers earlier this year, Caleb had easily the best game of his college career against Samford. The redshirt freshman led Auburn with six tackles, plus 1.5 tackles for loss. According to Pro Football Focus, Wooden had three solo stops in the game — meaning three individual plays that constitute an offensive failure — and finished with Auburn's highest tackling grade (82.1).

"Solid, but he's got a lot to learn and help with — because that star position's got to help get us lined up a lot," Freeze said of Wooden. "(Samford) threw a lot at you now, I'll say that. Stuff that we really hadn't seen."

Freeze floated the idea of sophomore cornerback J.D. Rhym working some at nickel, which could allow Wooden so slide back and see the field some at safety if Kaufman plays.

Rhym missed the first two games of the season while recovering from a lower-body injury from the offseason, but he returned with a bang Saturday against Samford. The sophomore snatched his first career interception in the second quarter.

“I’m glad to see him out there again,” safety Jaylin Simpson said after the game. “He’s been hurt. He’s been through a lot. Just glad to see him out there and for his first game back when he’s actually playing, going in there and getting a pick. That’s what I know he can do. It’s been hurting all of us that he can’t play.”

The Tigers are now one of only 24 teams in the country with at least five interceptions on the season, a trend they'll hope to continue Saturday. Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman is top 20 nationally in attempts this season, already with 909 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions through three games.

"To get some turnovers in these games, particularly on the road, would be extremely helpful if we can take care of the ball," Freeze said. "We’ve got to continue to work on that. Turnovers would play a huge role if we could pick off a few of those in this game."

The health of senior cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett will be a factor in the Tigers’ secondary equation, too. After returning to school in hopes of being part of one of the SEC’s best coverage duos with D.J. James, Pritchett has yet to play this season while dealing with an ankle injury.

True freshman Kayin Lee has been strong stepping into that spot, but Pritchett’s potential return in the team’s first SEC matchup would be significant for Auburn’s depth in the secondary. He'd look to add to Auburn's success generating takeaways at defensive back this year.

"We've got to have two deep to function, and we're just trying to figure out what the best combination is there," Freeze said. "And we're not real sure, just yet, what that looks like."

Auburn begins SEC play this Saturday at Texas A&M, with kickoff set for 11 a.m. CDT on ESPN. Auburn had previously won four straight in College Station before losing 20-3 in 2021.

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si.com

 

Hugh Freeze on RB Jeremiah Cobb: 'we'll always be finding ways to get him touches'

Jack Singley

~3 minutes

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Freeze highlighted the need to get Cobb on the field.

True freshmen rarely see the light of day in the SEC, but running backs seem to be the exception to that rule. Auburn hopes Jeremiah Cobb can be an excellent rotational back similar to how Jarquez Hunter, JaTarvious Whitlow, and Tank Bigsby were used in their freshman season. 

Freeze was asked about the process of getting Cobb on the field during his Monday morning press conference. "Draw up a play we want to run with him and get him out on the field," Freeze said. 

So far this season that plan has seemed to work, during his first three games for the Tigers, Cobb has had 12 carries for 80 yards and an impressive touchdown against UMass. He also has three receptions for 18 yards.

The coaching staff has made it a point to get him touches and snaps in any way possible. Cobb lined up at wide receiver a few times during the Samford game, a position he doesn't find to be odd as during his senior season at Montgomery Catholic he had almost 400 receiving yards on the year with five touchdowns. 

This ability is something Freeze wants to utilize. "It is a matter of figuring out what we can handle within the scheme and what he can handle while understanding that we'll always be finding ways to get him touches," he said.

With the staff and Cobb seeming to agree to forego a potential redshirt, expect to see him emerge both in the running game and the receiving game as the season progresses.

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Hugh Freeze press conference review: Texas A&M week

Taylor Jones

12–16 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers are 3-0 and are now shifting their focus to College Station, Texas.

Auburn will travel to Texas A&M to face the Aggies on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. CT for the SEC opener. SEC Nation will be on hand to preview the game between two of the top teams within the SEC West.

Buy Tigers Tickets

One of the biggest areas of concern for Auburn through three games is the quarterback rotation of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford. In last week’s win over Samford, head coach Hugh Freeze elected to use Thorne more. Thorne used the opportunity to gain 402 yards of total offense.

How will Auburn use their quarterbacks this week? Freeze addressed the rotation during Monday’s press conference.

“That’s the plan, as long as we are playing well. Look, this is like life. You got to do your job well, and if you do your job well, things usually work out and if you don’t, things usually don’t work out. We have confidence and I thought he (Thorne) threw it really well the other night. He made one bad decision, I thought, but the others, we kind of shed on as coaches, and so I hope he continues to build on that. The guy was 18 yards from doing something that an Auburn quarterback hasn’t done in a really long time, maybe ever. So, I hope we build on that and gain confidence from that. At the same time, I’ve been clear about Robby (Ashford) having a role and I do believe that, particularly against the level of athleticism we are about to see. I think there is a role for him, too. He threw it well when he came in the other night, but you can’t be ‘herky-jerky, in-and-out’ and that’s something we all agree on.”

The head coach covered everything on Monday from injury concerns, red zone woes, and setting up to battle Bobby Petrino’s offense. Here’s everything Hugh Freeze said ahead of this Saturday’s game at Texas A&M.

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

“I’m excited to be 3-0. Another great crowd at Jordan-Hare, and I’m thankful for our great fans, students, band, and cheerleaders. I just continue to be amazed by the support that you receive here at this place, and I’m excited about any time we get to play at home. Obviously, we’ve gotta go on the road this week but thrilled to be 3-0. There were some good things and then some things we’ve got to improve on, for sure. We played a lot of kids, which is good, but a lot of young kids tend to make mistakes, and we had quite a few of those also. We’ve got to continue to work on not turning the ball over, particularly in the red zone. Out of our possessions we had offensively, outside of the two turnovers, we were pretty efficient offensively. Defensively, I thought we were solid, particularly with the older guys, and there was a lot thrown at them. They had a good plan to try to stay close and shorten the game, and I thought our older guys did fairly well with it, but the younger guys made some – a lot of mistakes, truthfully, and we’ve got to bring them along, because we’re going to need them as the season progresses. But I’m excited to be 3-0 and head into conference play.”

© Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

“We really didn’t run the ball as well as I had hoped in this past game, but some of that, they were committed to stopping the run. I mean, they were really anchored in there, and bringing the safeties down to the box with us. We got some explosive pass plays. We’ve said all along that we feel good about that room, and I think it’s important that we keep them fresh and rotate those guys and try to play to some of their strengths, all four of them and Sean (Jackson) too. So, we’ll continue to keep rotating them and trying to use them in different packages. Jeremiah (Cobb) really gives us some flexibility. I think he can do a lot of things that we haven’t even gotten to yet, even in the pass game. He’s dangerous with the ball in his hand, so we’ll continue to explore ways to get our best guys on the field.”

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

“We were actually down (two), (Ja’Varrius Johnson), our second (returner). He couldn’t play, so we were down to our third guy, and we’ve got to get some reps in this week. Unfortunately, Keionte did not get a good report, and that hurts us a lot. He’s our leader back there, and he’s going to have surgery today. It just hasn’t been a good year for us with injuries. Losing him and (Austin) Keys on the defensive side stings. It hurts, and our prayers are with him for quick healing for sure, but we’ll be without him for a considerable time.”

Jamie Holt /Auburn Tigers

“That is a great challenge. We have to get some young guys ready. They are going to get baptized into the SEC pretty good in front of A&M’s crowd and the talent on that team. You know Keionte (Scott) he is down, Izavion (Miller) and (Kam) Stutts didn’t finish the game the other night. So I don’t really know where they stand right now. I think (Donovan Kaufman) will be fine. We need all these guys on Saturday, so hopefully we will have a good week of rehab and they will be ready to go. It is concerning right now that list that they gave me this morning.”

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

“He is going to be really valuable with his presence in the back end right now. We will start catching punts with a lot of different people today. Koy Moore has done it, Caleb Burton has done it. We will get on the Jugs twice this week and make sure we feel comfortable with who that is, and Jaylin may be one of them too.”

Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

“That would be a blessing if we could continue that trend. To get some turnovers in these games, particularly on the road, would be extremely helpful. Particularly if we can take care of the ball. We have to continue to work on that. Turnovers would play a huge role if we could pick off a few of those in this game.”

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

“I was disappointed in that a little bit. Truthfully, I don’t mind the first one, but I did not like the second one. I think we have to approach that differently, and I think I have made that clear. Sometimes you put it in your quarterback’s hands, and he needs to know, but I think we should put it on us for something like that. And don’t give him that option if we are not okay with him throwing it.”

The Montgomery Advertiser

“We are still learning who we are, truthfully, in the wide receiver room. So, I think that will continue to be a rotation. The biggest goal for this week against such a talented team and one that is good on third down is you got to keep yourself in third-and-manageable. You can’t survive in the third-and-longs. You’re not going to drop back and win a lot of routes against them. So, we have to keep it in third-and-manageable, hopefully short, to where we can run or pass.”

Michael Chang/Getty Images

“He’s solid, but he has a lot to learn. That star position has to help get us lined up a lot. They threw a lot at you though, I’ll say that. Stuff that we really haven’t seen. That was a difficult challenge. Truthfully, we met this morning, and we were just toying with all the different combinations with our current injuries back there. On what’s best and hopefully DK can play and move into the star position. Also, maybe move J.D. (Rhym) there, play the younger corners, and leave Caleb at the high safety. We are not sure. We got to have two deep to function, and we are just trying to figure out what the best combination is. We are not real sure just yet, but Caleb will be a part of it. Either at the star or one of the safeties.”

Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

“A lot the other night. I’m not sure how many completions Payton (Thorne) had, but I bet 10 or 12 of them were on runs. It’s really a box count issue – if you have six guys to block in the box and there is a seventh (defensive) hat that is present, then the ball should be thrown. That’s about as simple as I can put it. The other night we were efficient at the RPOs. Robby was also efficient. He was 2-for-2 on RPOs.”

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

“He had his best game on Saturday and he started to learn obviously. They’re just young. I like all these young guys. I think our young DBs will be good too. But they are still swimming a bit. Learning everything that can get thrown in a game at you at this level. But he had his best game for sure. And we’re going to need him moving forward to continue to improve, but he’s got the ability to do that.”

Austin Perryman/Auburn Athletics

“We haven’t done really well rushing the passer with just the front. Jalen McLeod has been hurt two of the three games and hasn’t been able to perform. He’s probably our best pass rusher and we’ve missed having him healthy for sure. We’ve had to create it in other ways; they present a great challenge. Their quarterback has thrown for 900 yards and eight TDs. They have great receivers, One of the best I’ve ever seen in (Evan) Stewart. He’s really talented and I think they’re doing some really good things offensively. They’re going to be a great challenge for us to try to keep them under. Hopefully keeping them from having explosive plays, particularly ones that lead points.”

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

“Not our best game. Though our pad level was high. Again, they were really committed to stopping the run. Their backers were two yards deep. And their safeties were down in a hurry, but we could’ve have played more physically. I did believe that. So, it wasn’t our best. It wasn’t as good as the Cal game or the UMass game. I think (Kam) Stutts kind of sets the tone and to losing him; he’s kind of the leader and the bell cow of that group.”

Michael Chang/Getty Images

“Draw up a play that we want to run with him and get him on the field. That’s usually the way it works. Let’s go with these personnel and put him here and let’s see if we can get him a touch or two, because I think he’s the fastest kid we have in that room and speed is a good thing. I like all of those guys, but they are just a little different. With the ball in his hands on the perimeter is a little different than the others. It’s just a matter of us figuring out what we can handle within the scheme of what we are doing, what he can handle, and the understanding that we have within it. We’ll always be trying to find a few ways to get him some touches.”

Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers

“Well, two of the three games, we have played a lot of kids and that is helpful to get live reps. Do we want to be different at A&M? Yes. It is a different skillset they are going to play against, a different environment and I don’t know exactly how they’ll respond but we are forced into it at some spots, truthfully, and they’re going to have to grow up pretty fast.”

© Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

“He’s very good schematically, very good at scheming. Obviously checks a lot of his runs based on the looks that you have. That makes it difficult and he’s usually right. I think we have to do a great job at disguising things. He’s going to make you stop 12 personnel and spread sets and everything that makes it challenging. And then you combine the talent level he’s coaching with his balance of offensive play action and passes and runs and a quarterback that can extend his legs when he needs to. It’s a very difficult task.”

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

“Every game you are going to have an idea that something is advantageous for you to do, some of it you’ve done, some of it you haven’t. That’s pretty normal from game to game. You pick up on a few things you see on tape and think, ‘Hey, we have this, or we might use it this week.’ There will be some things but obviously if you are going to be really good at something, you have to practice it. So, you can’t do too many other things than what your kids have already done – particularly, us with our young receivers and they are just now feeling their way around with all this. I would hate to change too much on them but you’re always going to look for a few things that can help you compete in the game.”

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

“It is a great concern. I want to be really clear; we are getting ready to play three teams that have – over the last four to five years – ranked in the top seven to five in recruiting. You are playing the best recruits in the nation. We are going to be there soon. That doesn’t mean you can’t compete. There is a reason they are third in the nation on third-down defense. They have a bunch of five-stars in the defensive line, linebacker and that safety, and that corner. They are really talented. When you put on the film you see that. Their closing speed is incredible. They are physical up front, and it is a tall challenge for us in year one to stand toe to toe with A&M and Georgia next week and LSU the following week. It is our goal to get there. But that is what reality is, we have had about eight months to recruit about half a class and these others have been stacking it, and that is why they are ranked third in the country (on third-down defense).”

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theplainsman.com

Auburn cornerback set to undergo surgery after ankle injury

~4 minutes

Junior cornerback Keionte Scott is said to be out indefinitely after an ankle injury in Auburn's third game of the season, against Samford. 

“Unfortunately, Keionte did not get a good report, and that hurts us a lot," said head coach Hugh Freeze "He’s our leader back there, and he’s going to have surgery today. It just hasn’t been a good year for us with injuries."

Scott obtained the injury in his first drive against the Bulldogs, and was later seen wearing a boot on the sidelines. He is said to be out for a “considerable time.” 

Scott has been an effective player for the Tigers so far this season. Within his 88 snaps, Scott has secured 10 tackles and is Auburn’s 10th-most-played defensive player as of game three. Last season, Scott made his mark with 53 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.

Since Scott and Ja’Varrius Johnson, Auburn's second punt returner, are both injured, that leaves Auburn leaning on its third string to fill Scott's shoes. Senior Jaylin Simpson, who received one punt against Samford, will be the replacement." 

"He is going to be really valuable with his presence in the back end right now," Freeze said. "We will start catching punts with a lot of different people today. Koy Moore has done it, Caleb Burton has done it. We will get on the jugs twice this week and make sure we feel comfortable with who that is, and Jaylin may be one of them too."

Potential Tigers to play in place of Scott in the secondary are Donovan Kaufman, who also missed the Samford game, and Caleb Wooden, who secured six tackles for the Tigers in place of Scott after his departure.

Auburn is not shy of early season injuries, especially with its experienced players. Alongside Scott, senior offensive lineman Kam Stutts and junior Izavion Miller didn’t finish Saturday’s game because of injuries.

Starting linebacker Austin Keys also remains out because of hand surgery following the season opener against UMass.  

“We need all these guys on Saturday, so hopefully we will have a good week of rehab and they will be ready to go," Freeze said. "It is concerning right now that list that they gave me this morning."

Because of injured veterans recovering from injuries, many newer players face the potential of seeing the field for Auburn this upcoming weekend. 

“That is a great challenge. We have to get some young guys ready," Freeze said. "They are going to get baptized into the SEC pretty good in front of A&M’s crowd and the talent on that team."

The 3-0 team heads to its first game of conference play this upcoming weekend with a combination of injured veterans, prepared returners and eager freshmen close at hand. Game time is set for 11 a.m. CST at Kyle Field and will be televised on ESPN.

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247sports.com

First look at Auburn AM opens SEC play with the Tigers

Jeff Tarpley

5–6 minutes

VIDEO: Decision date looming for 5-Star ATH Terry Bussey | College Football Recruiting Show

1. Texas A&M and Auburn are both better than they were last season but for different reasons. The Aggies brought most of their two deep back who are a year older both physically and mentally. In contrast, Auburn used the NCAA transfer portal to change over the look of their team, especially on offense (a unit that was awful last season). Hugh Freeze has been an aggressive coach in the past and his schemes and makeover of this team reflects his mentality.

2. Former Tulsa head coach and new offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery is from the Art Briles tree and you'll see the Tigers go with wideouts along the numbers to spread the field as much as possible. This means that the passing game has tags for vertical choice routes (posts that can turn into a hitch depending on the coverage) down the field. They use more zone runs (split zone, inside zone, outside zone) than gap runs (iso, power, counter).

3. Quarterback Payton Thorne is a Michigan State transfer who’s near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency. He struggled in Auburn’s road game versus Cal and he’ll turn it over more than you would like. Robby Ashford comes in on short yardage scenarios, he’s athletic, and he can make you pay on the zone read if you don’t play assignment football. However, they really try to limit his passing.

4. Thorne’s running on RPOs (6.36 yards per carry) may be better than his passing. Daman Alston and Jarquez Hunter split the load at running back. Hunter is probably perceived as a more of a home run hitter.

5. Jay Fair (5 foot 10, 186 pounds) works the slot and he’s more quick than fast. However, he works well in the red zone. The Tigers roll with multiple tight ends but they’re okay blockers and Rivaldo Fairweather is going to be most involved in the passing game. As with most spread offenses, the alignments of the wideouts outside the boundary occasionally facilitates the deep ball and creates space for the running game.

6. The offensive line is totally revamped from last season. Left tackle Dillon Wade, center Avery Jones, and left guard Gunner Britton were three of the top five linemen available in the transfer portal. Jones is better as a run blocker while Wade and Britton (zero pressures allowed between them) have been quality pass protectors. Overall, Auburn is the fourth most efficient pass blocking team in the SEC per Pro Football Focus and they lead the league in rushing yards per game (a bit misleading since they’ve played UMass and Samford).

7. Their new defensive coordinator is former Baylor assistant Ron Roberts who is using the 3-3-5 that is becoming more and more popular. They’ve forced seven turnovers which leads the league and have blitzed on about 50% of all downs.

8. The front six was reloaded with multiple transfers and they've got size in 338 pound nose Jayson Jones (who plays high at times due to his 6-foot-6 frame), 346 pound Justin Rogers, and 310 pound Lawrence Johnson. However, end Marcus Harris (a holdover from the previous regime) is the most active player up front (three tackles for loss). They rotate three guys at the Jack or edge spot but none of them have been particularly forceful players.

9. Those guys are supposed to make it hard to get to the back seven. Eugene Asante (formerly at North Carolina) and Larry Nixon (formerly at North Texas) have been freed up to the run to the ball, especially Asante as the Will.

10. CornersNehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James were supposed to be of the better tandems in the SEC but Pritchett hasn’t been available due to injury. James has held up his end of the bargain by allowing just seven receptions on 13 targets. Nickel Donovan Kaufman is just 5-foot-10 but is a great tackler. He missed the Samford game last week due to injury. Free safety Jaylin Simpson is good in coverage but tends to miss tackles.

11. So far, the Tigers have played UMass (one of the worst FBS teams around), Cal, and Samford (a FCS school). They struggled to beat Cal (although that was a late start on the West Coast). A&M has at least played a team that has allowed it to figure out its strengths and weaknesses.

12. A&M is going to have to slow down Auburn’s RPO game on offense and the Tigers have had issues turning over the ball (seven of them so far this season). They can pass protect which could be an issue for A&M. Defensively, Auburn has a lot of people flying to the ball and they’re bigger and faster than they were in 2022. They like to bring blitzes like Miami did. However, they haven’t seen a passing attack like that of the Aggies. If they don’t communicate well on the back end of the defense and decide to play a lot of man coverage, that could create a lot of big play opportunities for the Aggies on that side of the ball.

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Hugh Freeze speaks to daunting task of facing Texas A&M, Georgia and LSU

Mark Kern | 15 hours ago

~3 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers are 3-0 entering their matchup against Texas A&M this week. In fact, this game starts a very difficult 3-game stretch that sees the Tigers playing the Aggies, followed by Georgia and LSU.

Coach Hugh Freeze said the Tigers are about to play a very difficult stretch against extremely talented teams, starting with Texas A&M.

 

“I want to be really clear, I am probably too candid and honest sometimes for some people, but let’s be really clear,” Freeze said. “We are getting ready to play 3 teams over the last 4 to 5 years have been ranked from 7 to 5 in recruiting. You are playing the best recruits in the nation and we are going to be there soon, but they have a bunch of 5 stars. They are really really talented.”

Injuries have been an issue for Auburn, as the team is pretty banged up in a lot of places. Auburn is going to have play some young players, and Freeze knows they are going to get introduced to SEC football.

“It is a great challenge, we have to get some young guys ready,” Freeze said. “They are going to get baptized to the SEC pretty good in front of A&M’s crowd and the talent on that team.”

The Tigers are looking for their first 4-0 start since 2019, and kickoff against Texas A&M is scheduled for 12 pm ET in College Station on ESPN.

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al.com

Auburn football: Hugh Freeze and the talent gap he inherited

Published: Sep. 19, 2023, 6:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

When he got to Auburn, one of the first things head coach Hugh Freeze did was start recruiting. He had to. He was already behind before he began.

College football remains in an arms race, with life-changing NIL deals, TV money and conference realignment so drastically changing the sport. It all hinges on recruiting, and the spectacle to land the most talented high school players in the nation.

Auburn’s recruiting had dipped during former head coach Bryan Harsin’s tenure. Multiple high school coaches within the state of Alabama said they just hadn’t heard from Auburn, one of the two preeminent programs in the state, in two years before Freeze was hired.

So, Freeze inherited a talent gap. A big one. It’s fitting his first game in SEC play in his return to the league would come against one of the best recruiting programs in the nation.

When 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick flipped from Georgia to Auburn, he became Auburn’s first five-star recruit since Owen Pappoe in 2019.

In that same time, Texas A&M landed 14 five-stars. That’s Auburn’s opponent this week at 11 a.m. central time Saturday.

That’s followed by games against No. 1 Georgia and defending SEC West champion LSU — which have both recruited at a level much closer to Texas A&M than that of Auburn.

Freeze knows it.

“I’m probably too candid and honest sometimes for some people, let’s just be really clear,” Freeze said during his Monday press conference. “You’re playing the best recruits in the nation. We’re going to be there soon, and that doesn’t mean you can’t compete and win the game, there’s a reason they are third in the nation on third down defense. They’ve got a bunch of 5-stars in the defensive line and at linebacker and at safety and at corner. They are really, really talented.”

The SEC West is maybe college football’s most difficult division. In a short time as Auburn’s head coach, Freeze has already done much to catch up. Auburn’s two biggest rivals have been the two best programs in college football over the last decade. But Freeze has already flipped a 5-star recruit away from Georgia in Riddick and another 5-star away from Alabama in Perry Thompson.

Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class is currently ranked 14th in the nation, per 247Sports. But Auburn’s class is sixth overall based on the average recruiting ranking of the players in its class. All three of Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M are in those five spots above Auburn.

It’s just the beginning of the process to catch up.

Freeze has been insightful in this process. He seems aware this isn’t the team that’s going to vault Auburn to where it wants to be in the SEC. Asked back in August about how to end Auburn’s drought of 1,000-yard wide receivers, Freeze said the solution isn’t on the roster right now.

“And I hope every recruit that I’m recruiting for receiver is listening to me, we’ve got to change that here, and you’ve gotta change that through recruiting,” Freeze said on Aug. 17. “Those receivers are a priority for us, the ones that are coming into the ‘24 and ‘25 class.”

But those guys aren’t here yet.

To get a roster he believes could compete early in his tenure, Freeze hit the transfer portal. He brought in a top-five-ranked transfer portal class, including 11 four-star-rated transfers. Led by Avery Jones, the top-rated interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal.

“We know people are going to be watching this game just based off of the D-line and us wanting to play good against them,” Jones said Monday. “We all have a chip on our shoulder. We all came here for a reason, to play in these types of games and be on this stage and compete against the best.”

From a pure talent perspective, Auburn’s roster doesn’t match Texas A&M’s. Freeze sees that on film.

For this year, Auburn is relying on players that had routes like Jones of earning his way up from playing well at a smaller school. Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod won at Texas A&M last year playing with Appalachian State. But with Auburn, where an upset wouldn’t be as dramatic, McLeod said these games are about earning respect.

McLeod is excited to play the five-stars. So are his teammates.

A&M currently has eight five-stars on its roster. Auburn has none. So, the chip on Auburn’s shoulder lasts for now but Freeze still plans to close the gap.

“It’s a tall, tall challenge for us in year one to stand toe-to-toe with A&M and Georgia next week and LSU the following week,” Freeze said. “It’s our goal to get there, but that’s what reality is. We’ve had about eight months to recruit a half a class. These others have been stacking it.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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al.com

Everything Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher said ahead of Auburn’s visit to College Station

Published: Sep. 18, 2023, 3:00 p.m.

6–7 minutes

Last year’s matchup between Auburn and Texas A&M at Jordan-Hare Stadium was a doozy.

To outsiders, it felt like a meaningless battle as the Tigers and Aggies were both tied for last in the SEC West. But for the two participating programs, there was a lot of pride on the line. That was especially the case for Auburn as it was in its second game under interim head coach Cadillac Williams, who was still looking for his first win with the interim tag.

Auburn went on to win last year’s low-scoring affair 13-10.

On Saturday, the two teams are set to renew the matchup, this time at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field.

Here’s everything Texas A&M (2-1) said ahead of the Tigers’ (3-0) visit to College Station on Saturday afternoon:

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher

On last week’s 47-3 win over Louisiana-Munroe: “Happy with the guys and the performance on Saturday to come out very focus with great intent. What I was happy about, we executed throughout the ball game, played to really good standard and played well. But then didn’t let up and stayed focused... Moved the ball on offense, made plays on defense, special team guys did a really good job.”

On turning the attention to Auburn: “We played a really solid game and they stayed playing that way all the way through the game and kept a good standard. And we’re going to have to this week. We’re playing a very good Auburn team. Auburn is 3-0 and is very physical, as always.

On Auburn’s defense: Auburn is always a physical football team defensively, upfront and inside they’re big, man. 50 (Marcus Harris) and those inside guys are physical. Really strong, big guys that are hard to move once you get their guys inside. And like I said, 99 (Jayson Jones) and 50 are great, big guys. The linebacker, 9 (Eugene Asante) can run like heck. I know 6 (Austin Keys) has got a broken thumb, I don’t know if he’ll be back or not. But Nixon does a great job. In the secondary, (DJ) James is a really good player. The Nickle 0 (Keionte Scott), the Nickle 5 (Donovan Kaufman), those guys standout. Safeties tackle well. 1 (Nehemiah Pritchett) hasn’t played all year... Pritchett... but he along with the other corners (Kayin) Lee and those guys, they’re all really good players. And he’s played so to get those guys back, so it’ll be good in the secondary. Constant pressures, different coverages, mixing coverages in the secondary.”

On Auburn’s offense: “Quarterback Payton Thorne has played a lot of football at Michigan State. Was a starter — a two- or three-year starter, I believe. Had a great week last week as he rushed for, I think, 127 yards and threw for 260, 270 or whatever it was. He can throw the football. (Robby) Ashford behind him is athletic, big strong... they use him in the red zone, tight zone and he runs the football and mixes things in different packages. But the quarterback is a really good player. The (running backs)... (Jarquez) Hunter is strong, the other backs are fast, athletic. Jay Fair, the receiver, we knew he was from Texas, we recruited him and he transferred back into there. A slot that does a great job for them. The big guy (Shane) Hooks from Jackson State is a very good player. Tight end, athletic. 13 (Rivaldo Fairweather) can catch and run and vert. Tackles are big and physical.”

On Auburn’s special teams: “The punter (Oscar Chapman) has about a 42-, 43-yard average with a 4.2 hang. He does a great job, the returners are good. The kickoff guy and field goal guy, (Alex) McPherson, his brother is the one in the NFL and we recruited this guy he’s a really good player. So I mean, they’re sound all the way across.”

On the matchup problems Rivaldo Fairweather creates and who the Aggies might use to defend him: “It just depends if you’re zone or man or how you’re playing or what your other schemes are. He’s long, he’s athletic... the verticality in tight ends how I measure those guys. Those guys can get vertical and catch a ball down the field, which he can. Great ball skills, man. It becomes hard a matchup. And they make you play the middle of the field. If you don’t have to respect the middle of the field, defensively, if you can be light there, you can double the guys outside and play. But when you can’t do that and the things he brings to the middle of the field, it makes it very tough. And the schemes they use, they’re very... they do a good job on offense. But he’s a good player, man. Athletic.”

On his feel for Auburn’s new coaching staff: “I think you go back to their histories or past histories, too. I mean, guys don’t every deviate very far. You’re not going to say... Guys don’t go from running the wishbone to running to the run and shoot. Now, how they use their players, that’s the thing... you know, who their feature guy is, what are they trying to do different. They’re probably still learning their guys too a little bit and certain talents, how to feature guys to get them the ball or different things. But it stays relatively similar. But then again, that’s why you’ve gotta teach offense and defense. You’re teaching concepts.”

On his history coaching against Hugh Freeze: “We opened up the season with them one year. They had AJ (Green), they had all those receivers... it was a shootout. They (Ole Miss) were ahead like 24-6 or something and we come back to win (35-34)... Listen, Hugh is gonna be open. He’s gonna be wide open. He’s gonna be aggressive on offense, he’s gonna be dynamic, gonna create things on special teams, not afraid to call a fake, not afraid to do things. Very good coach, going to have his guys motivated and ready to play. Hugh is a good guy and a very good football coach.”

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al.com

Auburn’s running backs sputtered against Samford. Can they find their footing vs. Texas A&M?

Updated: Sep. 18, 2023, 4:13 p.m.|Published: Sep. 18, 2023, 4:13 p.m.

6–7 minutes

Six different running backs have appeared on the field for Auburn through the Tigers’ first three games with Damari Alston, Brian Battie, Jeremiah Cobb and Jarquez Hunter all having double-digit carries.

However, not one of those guys is Auburn’s leading rusher.

Instead, that distinction goes to quarterback Payton Thorne, who leads all rushers with 140 yards on 22 carries. And while well over half of those rushing yards came against Auburn’s 45-13 win over Samford on Saturday night, it points to Auburn’s running back room sputtering and lacking identity.

“I thought we left some yards out there in the rushing game, particularly in the first half with what they were doing,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said following the game Saturday night. “I think our backs didn’t press it quite long enough to let it develop. Second half, I thought they were better.”

With Hunter, Alston, Cobb and Battie all getting carries in Saturday’s win over Samford, the quartet of running backs was only able to muster a combined 86 rushing yards, while Hunter was the only running back to find the goal line.

However, against Samford specifically, there were factors that attributed to the running back room’s struggles.

The Auburn offensive line took an early hit as it lost veteran guard Kam Stutts to an injury after the first series. Hunter also got “dinged up” and was “gimpy” in the second half, Freeze revealed after the game.

Samford’s defense was also committed to limiting the run game, Freeze says.

“We really didn’t didn’t run the ball as well as I’d hoped in this past game,” Freeze said in his press conference Monday morning. “But some of that they were committed to stopping the run. I mean, they were really anchored in there and bringing the safeties down to the box.”

Fortunately, the Bulldogs crashing in on Auburn’s run game on Saturday paved the way for the Tigers to capitalize on some explosive pass plays.

But if a defense like Stamford’s, which allowed Western Carolina to rush for 284 yards in Week 2, can give Auburn’s backfield fits, what does that say about the prospect of Texas A&M’s defense, which ranks 35th in the nation for rush defense?

Through three games, Texas A&M has held its opponents to less than a combined 300 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown and 3.39 yards per carry.

Auburn’s running backs averaged just 3.07 yards on 28 carries against Samford.

The Aggies’ defense — just as the rest of Texas A&M’s roster — is loaded down with former blue-chip prospects.

Every member of Texas A&M’s projected starting defensive line was either ranked a 4- or 5-star out of high school.

Guys like linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and defensive end Shemar Turner — two former 4-star recruits — are two guys who have tallied a handful of tackles for a loss through three games.

“They’ve got a bunch of 5-stars in the defensive line and at linebacker and at safety and at corner,” Freeze said of the Aggies’ defense. “They are really, really talented. When you put on the film you see that. Their closing speed is incredible. They are physical up front.”

That said, Auburn’s offensive line will need to do its part in helping the running game and bring its best stuff to College Station. But first, the Tigers’ offensive front needs to find its best stuff after being without it against Samford.

“We could’ve played more physically. I do believe that. It wasn’t our best,” Freeze said of Auburn’s offensive line against Samford. “It wasn’t as good as the Cal game or the UMass game.”

Despite Saturday’s struggles in the backfield, Freeze says he still feels good about Auburn’s running back room, just as he has all offseason and through the first three weeks of the regular season.

After scrimmages during fall camp, Freeze gushed about how confident he was in the Tigers’ running backs and even questioned whether Auburn had a really good run game or had a defense that struggled to stop the run.

However, now that Auburn is playing teams with a different name across the chest, the question has shifted to which kind of performance it’ll get out of its backfield on any given Saturday.

In Week 1 against UMass, Auburn’s running backs rushed for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the same group of guys neglected to rush for 100 yards against Samford.

The answer to that question will likely vary from week to week and ultimately fall somewhere in the middle as the Tigers are forced to play to what the opposing defense gives them.

But in this league, opposing defenses won’t be giving them much and that can especially be said of the Aggies.

And as much as Freeze likes to have the throttle wide open on offense and toss the ball around — which was evident in the win over Samford — his history in the SEC has taught him that a team having success on the ground is the lifeblood of an SEC offense.

“We’ve been able to run it,” Freeze said following Auburn’s second fall scrimmage. “Which, teams I’ve coached that have been able to do that, I think you’ve got a fighting chance.”

Auburn isn’t favored to beat Texas A&M Saturday afternoon. ESPN currently gives the Tigers a mere 33% chance to win the game.

If the Tigers want “a fighting chance” to tally their first win in SEC play, they’ll likely need their running backs to put together a performance that mirrors that of Week 1′s showing against UMass. That means the full production — from the offensive line to the play calling — will have to put them in a position to succeed.

After all, Freeze feels the Tigers have the guys to do it.

“We’ve said all along we feel good about that room and I think it’s important that we keep them fresh and rotate those guys and try to play to some of their strengths,” Freeze said. “Like all four of them and like Sean (Jackson) too. So we’ll continue to keep rotating them and trying to use them in different packages.”

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247sports.com

Faulk showing plenty of promise as he continues to learn

Jason Caldwell

5–6 minutes

Big games against teams with big-time talent

AUBURN, Alabama – First-year Auburn coach Hugh Freeze went to work the day he arrived on closing the talent gap between his program and the SEC’s biggest bullies. But he acknowledged on Monday that the Tigers are about to get a closeup look at three of those bullies.

On Saturday, the Tigers play at Texas A&M. A week later, they play Georgia at home. After an open date, they go to LSU. Freeze said massive challenges await.

“I’m probably too candid and honest sometimes for some people, but let’s just be really clear,” Freeze said. “We’re getting ready to play three teams that have, over the last four or five years, ranked in the top 5-7 in recruiting. You’re playing the best recruits in the nation. We’re going to be there soon, and that doesn’t mean you can’t compete and win the game. But there’s a reason they are third in the nation on third-down defense. They’ve got a bunch of 5-stars in the defensive line and at linebacker and at safety and at corner.

“They are really, really talented. When you put on the film you see that. Their closing speed is incredible. They are physical up front. It’s a tall, tall challenge for us in year one to stand toe-to-toe with A&M and Georgia next week and LSU the following week. It’s our goal to get there, but that’s what reality is. We’ve had about eight months to recruit a half a class. These others have been stacking it.”

Freeze filled gaps with 20 transfers. His current recruiting class is ranked No. 14 with two 5-stars. But the massive hole left by a lost 2021 class can’t be easily overcome. Only running back Jarquez Hunter remains from that class.

Passes from the 1-yard line

Freeze didn’t like Auburn throwing from the 1-yard line on its first possession against Samford. He really didn’t like doing it twice.

“I was disappointed in that a little bit,” Freeze said. “I don't mind the first one, truthfully. I didn't like the second one. I think we've got to probably approach that differently. I think I've made that clear. Sometimes you put it in your quarterback's hands, and he probably needs to know. But I think we should put it on us for that, and don't give him that option if we're not OK with him throwing it.”

McLeod a Kyle Field veteran

Auburn edge rusher Jalen McLeod had one of his career highlights against Texas A&M Kyle Field. He and his Appalachian State went there and pulled off a stunning upset, winning 17-14 last season. He had a huge game with two sacks and two forced fumbles. He looks forward to going back.

“It’s a boost of confidence,” McLeod said. “It gets you like, ‘OK, now make it two times.’ Can’t have it be a one-trick pony. It was one game. Got to make it two times.”

Kickoff time is fine with Freeze

Unlike dealing with a 9:30 p.m. CDT kickoff at Cal, you won’t hear any complaints from Saturday’s 11 a.m. kickoff time for Saturday’s game.

“I love early kicks on the road,” Freeze said. “I think our kids will. I don't think that's a huge challenge, truthfully. It's the same time zone. We'll put them to bed a little earlier, eat a little earlier, but we did that all fall camp. We started early, so it truthfully will be just like a fall camp day. I don't think there's a huge adjustment to that at all. And I like the early kicks.”

A&M defensive line has Jones’ attention

Center Avery Jones has already watched plenty of Texas A&M video, and he recognizes what Auburn’s offensive line is up against.

“Definitely aggressive,” Jones said. “Definitely big, strong and fast. Definitely some NFL talent on the defensive line. We’re just going to prepare our tails off and do what we’ve got to do. I think our guys can handle it. It’s definitely a different league in the SEC compared to what we played in our first three games. We’ve just got to be ready to ball out.”

Crowd noise no concern for Fair

Wide receiver Jay Fair says crowd noise on the road – be it at Kyle Field or elsewhere – doesn’t bother him because he doesn’t even hear it.

Me personally, I kind of black out during all that,” Fair said. “I don’t really hear anything. Maybe coming out the tunnel is the only chance I get to hear the noise for real. But when I’m on the field, it’s just honing in on the call and the signals. I don’t really hear anything else.”

The Petrino effect

Bobby Petrino, once Auburn’s offensive coordinator and once head coach with Louisville, the Atlanta Falcons and Arkansas, will work his fourth game Saturday as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator. Freeze says his scheme provides major challenges.

“He's very good schematically, very good at scheming,” Freeze said. “Obviously, he checks a lot of his runs based on the looks that you have. That makes it difficult. He's usually right. The thing that we have to do a great job of is disguising things. You know, he's going to make you stop 12 personnel and spread sets and everything that makes it challenging. Then you combine the talent level he's coaching with his balance on offense — play-action, passes, runs, a quarterback that can extend it with his legs when he needs to — it's a very difficult task.”

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Kickoff time, TV channel announced for Deep South Oldest Rivalry

Taylor Jones

~2 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers welcome the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the 128th edition of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry on Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Southeastern Conference announced on Monday the start times and television networks for every game on Sept. 30, including Auburn’s date with Georgia. As has become a traditional time slot, the game will be televised live on CBS at 2:30 p.m. CT.

Buy Tigers Tickets

Week five will be the first full weekend of SEC play, as every member of the SEC will play a fellow conference member. The day will begin with Florida vs. Kentucky and Texas A&M vs. Arkansas at the 11 a.m. CT time slot. Games that will kick off after Auburn-Georgia are Missouri vs. Vanderbilt, LSU vs. Ole Miss, South Carolina vs. Tennessee, and Alabama vs. Mississippi State.

Georgia opened the SEC slate last Saturday by defeating South Carolina, 24-14. This week, the Bulldogs host UAB at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Georgia owns a 63-56-8 record in the series and has won six straight games over Auburn. The last time the Tigers earned a win over Georgia was in 2017, when Auburn defeated then No. 1 Georgia, 40-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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