9.22.23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

 

Auburn Opponent Preview Texas AM offense

Jason Caldwell

4–5 minutes

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One of the biggest questions in college football for the 2023 season was how would Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino co-exist? Through three games, the answer has been pretty darn well. With strong-armed quarterback Conner Weigman leading the way, the Aggies are 12th nationally in scoring offense (44 ppg) and 11th nationally in passing offense (337.2 ypg). In three games, Weigman has already attempted 105 passes and has thrown for 909 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions.

With the success through the air has come some issues on the ground. Without Devan Achane, Texas A&M’s ground game has had some problems getting going this season. In three games, the Aggies are averaging 129.67 yards per game with 5-9, 205 sophomore Amari Daniels leading the way with 149 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries. Reuben Owens has added 83 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries with Le’Veon Moss going for 72 yards and a score in just two games.

The biggest threat for Auburn’s defense will likely come from a wide receiver group that is one of the most talented in the country. Back from an injury that cost him all of last season, speedy Ainias Smith has 13 catches for 194 yards this season, but super sophomore Evan Stewart is the guy that leads the way for the Aggies. A 6-0, 175-pounder, Stewart has 19 catches for 257 yards and two touchdowns already this season. Big Noah Thomas (6-6) adds a red zone threat for the Texas A&M offense. He has four touchdowns already to go along with 10 total receptions. Moose Muhammed is another threat on the outside for an Aggie offense that can challenge you all over the field in the passing game. At the tight end position, sophomore Jake Johnson can be another weapon for Weigman. This season he has nine catches for 58 yards.

Up front is where the issue lies for the Aggies. Veteran Layden Robinson (6-4, 315) leads the way with 23 career starts while Trey Zuhn (6-7, 315, So.), Chase Bisontis (6-6, 320) and Mak Nabou (6-4, 345) have joined him in the starting lineup for all three games. Both Bisontis and Nabou are true freshmen. 

Even though they have allowed just four sacks and 14 tackles for losses, the group has allowed pressure over and over again this season. In three games, Weigman and the Aggie quarterbacks have been pressured an incredible 47 times. Only five teams in the country have been pressured more, something that will be a key for Auburn’s defense when the game kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning.

QUARTERBACKS

15 Conner Weigman(7/6) 6-3 215 So-1L Cypress, TX

14 Max Johnson (3/0) 6-6 230 So-1L Athens, GA

RUNNING BACKS

4 Amari Daniels (3/2) 5-9 205 Jr-1L Miami, FL

24 Earnest Crownover (2/0) 6-3 235 Gr-3L Grandview, TX

8 Le’veon Moss(3/0) 6-0 210 So-1L Walker, LA

2 Rueben Owens (1/0) 6-0 200 Fr-HS El Campo, TX

OFFENSIVE LINE

64 Layden Robinson (25/23) 6-4 315 Gr-4L Manvel, TX

60 Trey Zuhn III (14/9) 6-7 315 So-1L Ft. Collins, CO

71 Chase Bisontis (3/3) 6-6 320 Fr-HS Ramsey, NJ

54 Mark Nabou Jr. 6-4 345 Fr-HS Lynwood, WA

75 Kam Dewberry (6/1) 6-4 330 So-1L Humble, TX

78 Demetrius Crownover (1/0) 6-7 315 So-1L Grandview, TX

76 Reuben Fatheree II (21/0) 6-8 315 Jr-2L Richmond, TX

61 Bryce Foster (18/0) 6-5 330 So-2L Katy, TX

74 Aki Ogunbiyi (8/0) 6-4 315 Jr-2L Houston, TX 

66 Jordan Spasojevic-Moko (2/0) 6-6 325 Jr-1L Brisbane, Australia

WIDE RECEIVERS

0 AiniasSmith  (27/1) 5-10 200 Gr-4L Missouri City, TX

1 Evan Stewart (10/0) 6-0 175 So-1L Frisco, TX

3 Noah Thomas (6/6) 6-6 200 So-1L Pearland, TX

9 Jahdae Walker (1/1) 6-4 210 Jr-TR Cleveland, OH

7 Moose Muhammad III (7/0) 6-1 205 Jr-3L Charlotte, NC

TIGHT ENDS

19 Jake Johnson (1/1) 6-6 240 So-1L Athens, GA

42 Max Wright (10/0) 6-4 260 Gr-5L Katy, TX

18 Donovan Green (4/0) 6-4 245 So-1L Dickinson, TX

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si.com

 

Auburn leads the SEC in rushing three games into the season

Andrew Stefaniak

~3 minutes

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Auburn's rushing attack leads the SEC and is still improving week by week.

Before the season, if you would have told Auburn fans that three games into the season, Auburn leads the SEC in rushing, and Jarquez Hunter only has 90 yards, they would have laughed at you. 

But this is reality as Auburn's 647 rushing yards lead the SEC, with the next closest team being Tennessee at 615 yards. 

The Tigers also lead the SEC in yards per game and are third in yards per attempt at 5.18 behind Tennessee (5.40) and Kentucky (5.63). 

The most exciting thing about this is that Auburn really hasn't hit their stride in the running game yet. 

Hunter still needs to get himself going, and many Auburn fans expect that to happen soon. 

Payton Thorne's 140 yards on the ground helps boost these numbers, as he ran for 123 yards against the Samford Bulldogs. 

One way the Auburn Tigers will try and attack the Texas A&M Aggies is with a balanced attack. With Auburn's talented rushing attack and A&M's weak secondary, Philip Montgomery and Coach Freeze should be able to create plenty of balance. 

Seeing Auburn atop the SEC in rushing yards is exciting since, historically, they should be near or at the top every season. 

Hopefully, this holds up throughout the rest of the 2023 season, and if it does, the Auburn Tigers will undoubtedly exceed expectations. 

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collegefootballnews.com

 

Auburn vs Texas A&M Prediction Game Preview

Pete Fiutak

3–4 minutes

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Auburn vs Texas A&M prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 4, Saturday, September 23

© John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn vs Texas A&M How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 23
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Kyle Field, College Station, TX
How To Watch: ESPN
2023 Record: Auburn (3-0), Texas A&M (2-1)
Pete Fiutak on X | CFN on X
College Football News on Facebook

Auburn vs Texas A&M Prediction and Preview

Why Auburn Will Win

The Tigers haven’t been perfect, but they’ve been good enough through two layup games and a tough trip to Cal.

They’re starting to sharpen up the passing game a bit after rolling through Samford, the defense tightened up in a big way against the run after allowing over five yards per carry - that’s slightly inflated in a blowout - against UMass, and they should be ready for the step up.

Texas A&M has been just okay on the ground, the secondary that got bombed on by Miami a few weeks ago will get tested, Auburn has been wonderful defensively on third downs, and …

- 2023 Team Schedules, Results
Bowl Projections | Week 3 Rankings
Heisman Race | Who's Alive for CFP

Why Texas A&M Will Win

Can Auburn stop with the turnovers?

The Tigers miraculously got away with the four giveaways in the win over Cal, and they turned it over three times last week against Samford. The defense hasn’t been bad at forcing mistakes - multiple in each of the first three games - but A&M has been clean in two of the three games.

The Aggie run defense has been terrific so far. Overall the D is third in the nation in third down stops, the passing game in the offense under Bobby Petrino has become fantastic, and …

- Week 4 Experts Picks
- NFL Experts Picks

 

Recommended for You

 

Auburn vs Texas A&M Who Will Win

Auburn is getting better and will be dangerous throughout the SEC season, but Texas A&M might be on the verge of playing like everyone was expecting.

The turnovers were the killer against Miami, but the offense worked. Again, the D has been great against the run, it’ll force Payton Thorne to push it a bit, and a few takeaways will be enough to push ahead.

Auburn has yet to see a decent passing game. It’s about to.

- Week 4 Schedule, Previews, Predictions

Auburn vs Texas A&M Prediction, Line

Texas A&M 30, Auburn 21
Auburn vs Texas A&M Line: Texas A&M -8.5, o/u: 51.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Auburn vs Texas A&M Must See Rating (out of 5): 3.5

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cbssports.com

Texas A&M vs. Auburn prediction, pick, spread, football game odds, live stream, watch online, TV channel

Dean Straka

5–6 minutes

Texas A&M and Auburn open their respective SEC schedules against one another on Saturday as the Aggies host the Tigers in a battle of West division foes. Both cruised victories at home against nonconference opponents in Week 3. Texas A&M defeated ULM while Auburn took care of business against Samford. Now, two teams that finished at the bottom of the division a year ago will go head to head as they each look to garner some momentum early within the conference slate.

For Auburn, 2023 brings a new frontier as the program navigates its first season under coach Hugh Freeze. A proven winner in the SEC during his tenure at Ole Miss from 2012-16, Freeze finds himself looking to reinvigorate a Tigers program coming out of a tumultuous stretch under former coach Bryan Harsin, who was fired last October after less than two seasons on the job. The opening three games of the Freeze era included a 14-10 win at Cal that was far from pretty, but Auburn nonetheless sits 3-0 and is already halfway to bowl eligibility after going 5-7 overall last year with a 2-6 mark in SEC play.

As for Texas A&M, which finished 2022 with those exact same respective records, patience doesn't exactly abound given the results that coach Jimbo Fisher has overseen into his sixth season. The Aggies once again already have a loss within the first month of the season after falling on the road to Miami in Week 2. Failing to get past a rebuilding Auburn team at home would do nothing to cool a seat that, despite a mammoth contract featuring a $75 million buyout, has only become warmer and warmer for Fisher of late. 

Let's go a bit deeper on the matchup in College Station, Texas, as the schools prepare for this much-anticipated SEC meeting. 

Texas A&M vs. Auburn: Need to know

Tigers finding their identity: Saturday's game should provide more clarity on where Auburn is headed in its first season under Freeze. Through three contests, the Tigers have limited opponents to just 155 passing yards and 12.33 points per contest, both top-20 marks in the FBS, but containing Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman and the rest of the Aggies' new-look offense under coordinator Bobby Petrino will be the biggest test yet. Offensively, Auburn's rushing attack has been its strength. The Tigers rank 18th among FBS teams, averaging 215.7 rushing yards. On the other hand, a passing attack centered around Michigan State transfer quarterback Payton Thorne has struggled to get going. The Tigers rank 89th, averaging 212.3 yards through the air with only five touchdowns to show.

Aggies defense under a microscope: For all the talent on Texas A&M's roster, the Aggies defense, namely the secondary, could be a liability. That much was clear during Texas A&M's Week 2 loss at Miami in which the Hurricanes torched the Aggies for 374 yards and five touchdowns through the air. That Texas A&M struggled to establish any consistent pass rush in that defeat didn't alleviate defensive concerns either. Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin's unit caught a breather in Week 3 against ULM, but the jury is still out regarding how Texas A&M will fare come SEC play. If the Aggies find themselves struggling to contain an Auburn passing offense that ranks in the bottom half of the FBS, it may sound more alarm bells among the 12th Man.

Jimbo feeling the pressure: Auburn might not be a "must-win" game for Fisher, but losing the SEC opener as a touchdown favorite at home would do him zero favors. Through 63 games as Texas A&M's coach, Fisher's 41-22 mark is essentially a wash compared to his predecessor, Kevin Sumlin, who was 44-19 on that same timeline before he was fired after a 7-5 finish in Year 6. It's now Year 6 for Fisher and Texas A&M has still started 2-0 just once (2021) under his watch. The Fisher era has frequently seen the Aggies play some marquee opponents early, but more is expected under a coach with a contract exceeding $90 million. In a year where Texas A&M's offense looks much improved and the SEC West appears fairly wide open, the Aggies need to make the most of every opportunity.

How to watch Texas A&M vs. Auburn live

Date: Saturday, Sept. 23 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Kyle Field -- College Station, Texas
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)

Texas A&M vs. Auburn prediction, pick

Odds via SportsLine consensus

Of the 11 SEC meetings to date between the Aggies and Tigers, the only true blowout was the first in 2012 when a Johnny Manziel-led Texas A&M squad hung 63 points on Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Five of the matchups have been decided by a touchdown or less, including the Tigers' 13-10 home win last year. It's a bit tricky to forecast the tune of this game, but Texas A&M owns the clear-cut edge in the passing game with Weigman. If the Aggies can sufficiently protect their quarterback, they can be happy about their chances. Auburn keeps this one generally competitive, but Texas A&M ultimately wins -- and narrowly covers -- to move to 3-1. Pick: Texas A&M -7.5 

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247sports.com

 

Fearless Forecasters Our picks for Auburn at Texas AM other Week 4 games

Nathan King

12–16 minutes

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Can Auburn get an SEC-opening win on the road as an underdog?

Hugh Freeze's last win in the SEC came in a thriller at Texas A&M in 2016. He'll look to pick up where he left off this Saturday.

The Tigers (3-0) open conference play in a place they've been plenty successful: College Station, where Auburn has won four of its last five games on the road against Texas A&M (2-1). Both teams played a couple cupcake games ahead and went on the road in a Power Five matchup. The Tigers escaped with a 14-10 win at Cal, while Texas A&M lost a shootout at No. 20 Miami, 48-33. Kickoff from Kyle Field is set for 11 a.m. CDT on ESPN, as Auburn looks to make it two straight wins over the Aggies.

Our Fearless Forecasters dive into their picks — straight up, not against the spread — and predictions for Auburn's trip back out west to College Station, plus other SEC matchups and notable games across the country in Week 4.

 

WEEK 4 STANDINGS

 

Nathan: 48-10

Christian: 47-11

Matthew: 46-12

Dukes: 45-13

Phillip: 45-13

Jason: 44-14

Ronnie: 44-14

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AUBURN AT TEXAS A&M (-7.5)

 

(Kyle Okita, 247Sports)

Nathan King: "When Auburn has held onto the ball, it's actually been a decently efficient offense, currently No. 13 nationally in points per play. The biggest key to a strong day defensively is pressuring Conner Weigman. Texas A&M's pass protection has struggled, so Roberts will be licking his chops looking for ways to help his defensive backs slow down Bobby Petrino's pass-happy offense."

"I think this is a decent matchup for Auburn, and the Tigers should play loose in a 11 a.m. road kickoff, with nothing to lose. All the pressure here is on Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies. Still, Texas A&M's talent advantage on both sides of the ball is notable, and particularly along the defensive line of scrimmage, where Auburn may have tough sledding attempting to run the ball. Auburn's secondary has five picks through three games, and a couple more in this one could be a real boost for Auburn's field position and scoring. If the Tigers' defensive effort and execution are comparable to the Cal game, which I assume it will be, Auburn will have a chance. But this is a tough spot for an SEC opener on the road with the challenges of a new offensive system, and I don't see Payton Thorne and company scoring enough to keep up with the Aggies' dynamic playmakers."

Texas A&M 28, Auburn 21

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Christian Clemente: "This is up there for one of the toughest Auburn games I've had to pick. I'm going to pick the Tigers to win in a close shootout, but nothing in this game would be overly surprising. While yes, everyone thought the Cal game would be a shootout and it turned into a defensive and ugly slugfest, I believe this game has the potential to be a shootout. Auburn's defense still has been struggling mightily to get pressure from the defensive line, though it has a chance to get something going against an Aggies O-line that's really struggled in pass protection thus far. On the other side, the Texas A&M defense looked pretty terrible against Miami, but everyone knows the talent that is there while a banged up Auburn O-line tries to go on the road and deal with it.

"I have so many questions about both of these teams, but I'll give a slight nod to Auburn for going out on the road and winning — yes, against an inferior opponent compared to Miami — but still."

Auburn 38, Texas A&M 35

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Matthew Wallace: “Excluding interims, the last Auburn head coach to lose his first SEC game with the Tigers was Pat Dye in 1981. For Hugh Freeze, however, a trip to College Station is a tough task for a program that is still early in its rebuild.

"Auburn does not have a running back that averages over 45 yards per game and Texas A&M only gives up 98.3 yards per game on the ground, so the Auburn pass game will likely play a big part in the outcome. Fortunately for the Tigers, the Aggies’ pass defense was rough in its only Power Five test, allowing Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to throw for 374 yards and five touchdowns. Defense travels and the Auburn defense has played well enough to keep the Tigers in any game, but on the road in the SEC, the margin for error is thin. The Tigers have lost seven turnovers — more than every other SEC team but Vanderbilt. If that trend continues, Auburn will have a hard time overcoming the mistakes."

Texas A&M 28, Auburn 20

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Phillip Dukes: "Auburn has been struggling with their offensive identity, but due to a fairly soft schedule, sport a 3-0 record coming into this weekend's SEC showdown with Texas A&M.  Auburn's strength on defense so far this season has been its secondary, which bodes well for the Tigers as they prepare to face an Aggie receiver core that boasts top-tier talent. Texas A&M has a defensive line that is full of NFL talent, but it is also fairly short on experience.

"If the Auburn offense can figure out a way to outscheme the A&M defense, then they have a chance to close the gap in talent through gameplanning. I think that there is something special about this team and even though on paper this is not a bet I would take in favor of Auburn, I have a feeling the running game gets on track and the passing game does just enough to support it.  Give me Auburn by a field goal."

Auburn 31, Texas A&M 28

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Phillip Marshall: "Texas A&M will be, by far, the most talented team Auburn has played. The atmosphere will be the most hostile. Auburn has dealt with those things in College Station before and been successful, but most of this season's players have not. It's a tough place for transfers to play their first SEC game.

"To win, Auburn will have to hold its own on the line of scrimmage, limit turnovers, force some turnovers and take advantage of opportunities. All those things could happen, of course. But I don't think it's likely."

Texas A&M 30, Auburn 23

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Jason Caldwell: "Both teams have their share of issues heading into Saturday’s SEC opener, but Auburn’s injury problems are hard to overlook when you consider who all is out or could be limited on Saturday. I think the Tigers will score and move the football on the Aggies, but can Auburn slow down Conner Weigman and this offense enough to get the win?

"That’s the biggest concern for me. I think this one goes down to the wire with Payton Thorne and Auburn’s passing game the biggest key to success. The Tigers find just enough offense to get it done while the secondary comes up big against a really talented passing attack."

Auburn 27, Texas A&M 24

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Ronnie Sanders: "Auburn fans will see some familiar faces on the opposing sideline Saturday. Jimbo Fisher, Bobby Petrino and Dameyune Craig all spent time on the Plains. I’m not sure how much we know about either team. A&M didn’t look great in its loss at Miami, while Auburn played terrible offensively at Cal. Both teams also pounded two cupcakes. 

"This will be the first conference game of the season for both teams. The Tigers are 4-1 in College Station. Make that 5-1 after Saturday."

Auburn 30, Texas A&M 27

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GAME OF THE WEEK: NO. 6 OHIO STATE @ NO. 9 NOTRE DAME (+8.5)

 

(247Sports)

Nathan King: "You never like to pick against Ohio State and all its talent, and maybe this is the week the Buckeyes' offense starts to come together with Kyle McCord. But Notre Dame has an explosive offense to match with Sam Hartman at the helm, and if he cut down on mistakes and take what Jim Knowles' defense gives him, I think the Irish are in position here to take advantage of a big-time matchup, under the lights at home."

Notre Dame 31, Ohio State 28

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Christian Clemente: "Everything about this game screams Notre Dame and as a Sam Hartman believer, I truly believe the Fighting Irish will win. But I refuse to pick Notre Dame in any big games. Ever. Maybe this will be the week Ohio State gets its offense fully clicking."

Ohio State 28, Notre Dame 24

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Matthew Wallace: "Home-field advantage is important: Notre Dame is 10-1 in its last 11 night games at home. In a great strength versus strength matchup, both teams rank in the nation’s top 25 in pass offense but are also top 10 in pass defense.  If the passing games are shut down, Notre Dame has a slight edge in the run game which could be the difference."

Notre Dame 27, Ohio State 21

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Phillip Dukes: "I think this game comes down to experience at quarterback. Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord was just recently given the nod as the starter for the rest of the season after battling backup Devin Brown over the offseason and first two games of the season. Conversely, Notre Dame starting quarterback Sam Hartman will be starting his 50th game Saturday in South Bend after transferring in from Wake Forest where he had success. I think Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman gets his biggest win to date and the Irish thoroughly defeat the Buckeyes."

Notre Dame 42, Ohio State 31

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Phillip Marshall: "I honestly don't have a clue, but I will go with Notre Dame playing at home with a veteran quarterback."

Notre Dame 35, Ohio State 31

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Jason Caldwell: "This is a huge game when you consider the schedules ahead for both teams. Ohio State has struggled some and Notre Dame is rolling with Sam Hartman at quarterback. Should be on the Fighting Irish, but I just trust Ohio State more."

Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 28

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Ronnie Sanders: "The last time Notre Dame beat Ohio State was 1936. The Buckeyes are more talented, but the game is in South Bend. And Sam Hartman is playing lights out. I’m going green."

Notre Dame 36, Ohio State 30

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SEC GAMES

 

(Ole Miss Athletics )

KENTUCKY @ VANDERBILT

Nathan: Kentucky

Christian: Kentucky

Matthew: Kentucky

Dukes: Kentucky

Phillip: Kentucky

Jason: Kentucky

Ronnie: Kentucky

No. 15 OLE MISS @ No. 13 ALABAMA

Nathan: Alabama

Christian: Ole Miss

Matthew: Ole Miss

Dukes: Alabama

Phillip: Alabama

Jason: Alabama

Ronnie: Ole Miss

UTSA @ No. 23 TENNESSEE

Nathan: Tennessee

Christian: Tennessee

Matthew: Tennessee

Dukes: Tennessee

Phillip: Tennessee

Jason: Tennessee

Ronnie: Tennessee

ARKANSAS @ No. 12 LSU

Nathan: LSU

Christian: LSU

Matthew: LSU

Dukes: LSU

Phillip: LSU

Jason: LSU

Ronnie: LSU

CHARLOTTE @ No. 25 FLORIDA

Nathan: Florida

Christian: Florida

Matthew: Florida

Dukes: Florida

Phillip: Florida

Jason: Florida

Ronnie: Florida

UAB @ No. 1 GEORGIA

Nathan: Georgia

Christian: Georgia

Matthew: Georgia

Dukes: Georgia

Phillip: Georgia

Jason: Georgia

Ronnie: Georgia

MEMPHIS vs. MISSOURI (St. Louis)

Nathan: Memphis

Christian: Missouri

Matthew: Missouri

Dukes: Memphis

Phillip: Memphis

Jason: Missouri

Ronnie: Missouri

MISSISSIPPI STATE @ SOUTH CAROLINA

Nathan: South Carolina

Christian: South Carolina

Matthew: South Carolina

Dukes: South Carolina

Phillip: South Carolina

Jason: South Carolina

Ronnie: South Carolina

‌

 

OTHER GAMES

 

(Eric Canha, USA TODAY Sports)

WISCONSIN @ PURDUE

Nathan: Wisconsin

Christian: Purdue

Matthew: Wisconsin

Dukes: Purdue

Phillip: Wisconsin

Jason: Purdue

Ronnie: Wisconsin

No. 4 FLORIDA STATE @ CLEMSON

Nathan: Florida State

Christian: Florida State

Matthew: Clemson

Dukes: Clemson

Phillip: Florida State

Jason: Florida State

Ronnie: Florida State

SMU @ TCU

Nathan: TCU

Christian: SMU

Matthew: TCU

Dukes: SMU

Phillip: TCU

Jason: TCU

Ronnie: TCU

No. 19 COLORADO @ No. 10 OREGON

Nathan: Oregon

Christian: Oregon

Matthew: Oregon

Dukes: Oregon

Phillip: Oregon

Jason: Oregon

Ronnie: Oregon

No. 22 UCLA @ No. 11 UTAH

Nathan: Utah

Christian: UCLA

Matthew: Utah

Dukes: UCLA

Phillip: Utah

Jason: Utah

Ronnie: Utah

BYU @ KANSAS

Nathan: Kansas

Christian: Kansas

Matthew: Kansas

Dukes: Kansas

Phillip: Kansas

Jason: Kansas

Ronnie: BYU

No. 14 OREGON STATE @ No. 21 WASHINGTON STATE

Nathan: Washington State

Christian: Oregon State

Matthew: Washington State

Dukes: Washington State

Phillip: Washington State

Jason: Oregon State

Ronnie: Washington State

No. 24 IOWA @ No. 7 PENN STATE

Nathan: Penn State

Christian: Penn State

Matthew: Penn State

Dukes: Penn State

Phillip: Penn State

Jason: Penn State

Ronnie: Penn State

UCF @ KANSAS STATE

Nathan: Kansas State

Christian: Kansas State

Matthew: Kansas State

Dukes: UCF

Phillip: Kansas State

Jason: Kansas State

Ronnie: Kansas State

Live chat recap: Talking Auburn football recruiting

A recap of Thursday’s Auburn recruiting live chat.

VIDEO: Late Kick: Can Auburn pick up a road win against Texas A&M?

Auburn's on the road this week, meaning no gameday recruiting visits this weekend. But all of that gears up for one of the two biggest weekends of the year when Georgia comes to town next weekend.

For the first time in a few years, Auburn's current recruiting class actually sits in a pretty strong spot during the season — currently No. 14 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings — with the focus now on big flip targets and the 2025 class.

Got recruiting questions? Auburn Undercover is firing up a live chat to answer your questions about Auburn's recruiting all day on Thursday. Simply hop in the thread below, and we'll answer as many questions as possible. Let's go!

To read this full article and more, subscribe now —

SALE: One Month for Only $1

Get access to this article and all of the in-depth coverage from the 247Sports Network with this special offer.

Join Today

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247sports.com

 

GigEm247 Podcast Previewing AM Auburn with Cole Cubelic

Andrew Hattersley

~3 minutes

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Texas A&M (2-1, 0-0 SEC) will kick off the SEC portion of their schedule against Auburn (3-0, 0-0 SEC) at 11 a.m CT on Saturday.

The Maroon and White cruised to a 47-3 win over ULM in their final tune-up and now welcome the Tigers to College Station. Auburn is off to a 3-0 start in its first season under Hugh Freeze with wins over UMass, Cal and Samford.

To preview the matchup, GigEm247 caught up with ESPN and SEC Network host Cole Cubelic to talk about both the Auburn and the Aggies.

Both teams enter the matchup with some questions and also a lot to prove as SEC play gets going. With Bobby Petrino now in College Station, the A&M offense has been humming while averaging 44 points per game so far. Conner Weigman has been a big key to that completing over 70 percent of his passes with eight touchdown passes and just two interceptions.

The questions with A&M reside on the defensive side of the ball after the Aggies surrendered 374 yards through the air in a loss to Miami earlier this month. The Maroon and White put together a better performance a week ago against the Warhawks but the secondary remains a question-mark heading into this weekend’s game.

Earlier this week on his CubeShow Podcast, Cubelic had very high praise for Shemar Turner after his performance against ULM. Cubelic expounded on those thoughts Thursday explaining why he believes Turner has a chance to be one of the best defensive linemen in the country. Cubelic also shared what he feels like will be the keys to the game this weekend and where he feels like Weigman ranks among quarterbacks in the SEC right now.

On the other side, Auburn is battling some injury issues on both sides of the ball heading into this matchup. The Tigers are still early in the Freeze tenure though and a win over A&M would certainly generate quite a bit of excitement on the Plains. We talked with Cubelic about the keys to the game for Auburn and what he feels like the Tigers need to do come out of Kyle Field with a win.  

The GigEm247 podcast is a weekly podcast touching on several areas of the A&M program including the team, recruiting and everything in between. The podcast is available on a multitude of platforms including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Be sure to subscribe to the GigEm247 YouTube channel to receive notifications on the latest videos posted.

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al.com

 

New Pat Dye documentary set to kick off Georgia-Auburn week, airs Monday

Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 5:39 p.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 4:39 p.m.

4–5 minutes

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1. Auburn Football

‘Mighty: The Life and Legacy of Pat Dye’ documentary set to premiere Monday. Here’s how to watch.

Auburn coach Pat Dye walks through his players as they begin workouts in preparation for the 1989 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, in this Dec. 27, 1988 file photo. The series known as the Iron Bowl has a couple of things going for it that the others don't: Dueling programs in the same state that are, for all the inevitable ebbs and flows, evenly matched and traditionally among the best in the country. Alabama won the national title a year ago. Auburn is ranked second this season and could wind up playing for a championship of its own, but only if it gets by the No. 9 Crimson Tide on Friday Nov. 26, 2010. Dye says, "I don't think there's any other game in the country that's talked about on a daily basis as much as this one is by the folks in the state of Alabama." (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS

If there was ever a time to tell the story of former Auburn head football coach and former University of Georgia football player Pat Dye, it’s in the days leading up to Georgia’s visit to Auburn.

With the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs set to come to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 30, Alabama Public Television announced in a press release Thursday that its documentary “Mighty: The Life and Legacy of Pat Dye” was set to premiere Monday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.

“Few have done as much for Auburn as Pat Dye,” said Jimmy Rane, a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees and a long-time friend of Dye’s.

Rane also serves as the president and CEO of Great Southern Wood Holdings, Inc. — the Abbeville-based company that Dye had supported as a spokesman and board member until his death in June 2020.

Not long after Dye died, Rane envisioned a full-length documentary that told the story of Auburn’s revered football coach. With Rane serving as the film’s producer, “Mighty” was two years in the making and features interviews with the likes of Bo Jackson, Charles Barkley, Brett Favre and Gene Stallings, as well as Dye’s college roommate and the late Vince Dooley.

The film is also set to include archival footage and clips from some of Dye’s locker room talks.

“Pat Dye was an incredible football coach – racking up 99 victories during his 12 seasons on the Plains, along with 4 SEC championships,” Rane said in the release. “He was also a man of vision. As athletic director, he pushed to expand Jordan-Hare stadium, then he pushed to move the Iron Bowl’s home game to Auburn’s home field. These were great steps for Auburn.

“But he was more than a coach. His commitment to nature is a legacy that will last for generations. These and other stories are the ones that I am so happy that people will be able to see and hear for themselves. It has been a great honor to produce this documentary.”

Production concluded last fall, when the film was first premiered at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University. Many of Dye’s family members as well as Jackson, Stallings and Dooley were in attendance for the first viewing.

Monday’s broadcast premiere will be the first time since that evening the film has been shown.

“Mighty” will also be available on the APT’s website and on the PBS App beginning on Sept. 25 and will be repeated on Sept. 28 at 8:00pm on APT.

A preview of the documentary can be seen here.

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[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

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Auburn’s Hugh Freeze gives final, ‘hopeful’ injury update ahead of Tigers’ visit to Texas A&M

Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 7:24 p.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 7:03 p.m.

3–4 minutes

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Hugh Freeze addresses the media as 3-0 Auburn looks ahead to Texas A&M

The Auburn Tigers have struggled with the injury bug early.

On Sept. 6, Auburn took its first blow of the season as it was announced linebacker Austin Keys would be out for a considerable amount of time after suffering a thumb injury that would require surgery.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, the dominos continued to fall as Auburn’s 45-13 win over Samford last week came at the expense of a number of injuries. Most notably, the Tigers lost starting defensive back Keionte Scott for a number of weeks after he suffered an ankle injury that required surgery against the Bulldogs.

In a video posted to his personal YouTube channel, Scott revealed he suffered a high-ankle sprain and had a successful tight-rope procedure done on Monday. It’ll be weeks before he can return to the football field.

Scott’s injury further thinned an already-thin defensive backfield.

“With us losing Keionte, who’s kinda the captain of our secondary, we’re going to have to play some young kids,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said on Auburn’s Tiger Talk radio show Thursday night. “You’re going to have to play two-deep, it’s going to be 100 degrees.”

Fortunately for Auburn, it sounds like veteran cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett, who has yet to play a down for the Tigers, might make his 2023 debut on Saturday.

“We’re hopeful that Pritchett can go finally,” Freeze said. “That would be a big plus if he can.”

Meanwhile, guys like offensive linemen Kam Stutts and Izavion ‘Too Tall’ Miller were also dinged up against Samford and didn’t finish the game. And considering the Tigers will want to establish the run game early against the Aggies on Saturday, getting those two back would be a huge boost.

“Stutts has probably been our most consistent player as far as the run game is concerned,” Freeze said. “Hopefully he can go and Too Tall. They weren’t able to practice yesterday. They were dressed out but couldn’t go. We’ll see how the week progresses but we’re going to need young guys and older guys.”

Should Stutts and Miller not get the green light Saturday, Freeze mentioned the prospect of guys like Tate Johnson, Connor Lew and Jaden Muskrat getting snaps against the Aggies.

“Whether or not Kam and Too Tall play, I don’t know that they can play the whole game,” Freeze said. “So it’s going to take some other guys to play. But no question it would be helpful if we had those two.”

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[aubiefifty 18,259]

al.com

 

Rewinding everything Hugh Freeze said on Tiger Talk ahead of Auburn’s visit to Texas A&M

Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 9:32 p.m.|Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 5:50 p.m.

6–7 minutes

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Before the start of the regular season, first-year Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze talked about his team’s “reveal party” a lot.

By that, he meant he was eager to see what the Tigers looked like when the lights came on against another opponent. So far, he’s had three opportunities to see his team up against another as Auburn has tallied wins against UMass, Cal and Samford.

However, Saturday afternoon will be another reveal party of sorts as Freeze gets his first look at how his team stacks up against another SEC opponent as Auburn is set to open conference play against Texas A&M.

Because Saturday’s game is on the road in College Station, Freeze’s appearance on “Tiger Talk”, Auburn’s radio show, was a little different as it was prerecorded instead of being a live broadcast from Baumhower’s Victory Grille.

Nonetheless, here’s everything Freeze said in his interview with Auburn radio broadcasters Andy Burcham and Brad Law:

— Andy Burcham starts the show in saying that the “preliminaries” are over as Hugh Freeze and the Tigers start their SEC stretch against Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon from Kyle Field in College Station.

— Hugh Freeze on the preparation heading into SEC: “You’re playing more talented teams, typically, in this league.” Says that while the environment might be different, you can’t stray too far your typical approach. Says he’ll have crowd noise at practice to help the Tigers prepare. “That’s why you come to this league, for environments like that.”

— Freeze on so many guys getting their first look at SEC play: “We’re going to have to play a ton of young kids on Saturday and who knows how they perform on this stage.”

— With injuries and the growing intensity as SEC play opens, how do you balance the intensity? Freeze says that a tough battle. “That is a real, real difficult question,” Freeze says. Freeze adds that Auburn’s lack of depth in certain positions has kept him from being as intense as he would like on a Tuesday or Wednesday of practice. “It’s a juggling act,” Freeze said.

— On this week’s practices: “We had several that couldn’t practice yesterday,” Freeze said. He’s unsure how those who don’t get a full week of practice might perform when the lights come on on Saturday morning.

— On playing at Kyle Field: “It’s hard to prepare them for that without the experience of it,” Freeze says. Adds that the crowd at Cal pales in comparison to what the Tigers will experience on Saturday.

— On going against Texas A&M’s recruiting classes: “The depth, the size, the speed... they’re full of NFL players. That’s what we’ve gotta get to and we will... When you turn on the tape, they’re really, really deep and talented... Whether or not they play up to that, that’s not for me to say.”

— On the experience of Jimbo Fisher’s coaching staff, which features three former head coaches: “Obviously he doesn’t hire them just because they’ve been head coaches, you hire them because they’re really good football coaches... The bottom line is he’s hiring really good football coaches.”

— On Texas A&M’s offense: Says the first thing he notices is the success of quarterback Conner Weigman. Adds that schematically, the Aggies are difficult to defend.

— On keeping the Aggies off the scoreboard early: “It would be a huge, huge plus,” Freeze said. “Last time we were there, we jumped out quick on them with a 14-0 lead.” Says it helps silent the crowd.

— On Texas A&M’s wide receivers: “It’s NFL guys. With us losing Keionte (Scott)... we’re going to have to play some young kids, some freshman. You’re going to have to play two deep, it’ll be a hundred degrees... we’re going to have to juggle some pieces.”

— The importance on Auburn’s defense applying pressure to Weigman: “It would be great, but it hasn’t been something we’ve done greatly,” Freeze said. “We haven’t been great at getting pressure on guys without adding guys to the rush.” Says having Jalen McLeod back is a plus, but it’s something he and the Tigers have to improve at and address with recruiting.

— On Texas A&M’s defense: Freeze says it all starts up front in the trenches. “They’re the top in the conference and maybe in the country on third down... they really rush with four and kinda guarded you on the back end.” Freeze reiterates that third-and-manageable will be key against Texas A&M. Says third-and-long situations are “no bueno”.

— On Auburn’s running game: Freeze says the run game will be key in shortening the game on Saturday. Freeze adds that he’s hopeful offensive linemen Kam Stutts and Izavion Miller will be able to go on Saturday after being banged up against Samford, but that he still expects younger guys to get snaps.

— On the importance of avoiding penalties on the road: “The pre-snap ones are the ones that irk you, or selfish ones... We have had in the last few weeks a few pre-snap ones in a critical, critical point... that’s going to be even more amplified in these games... We talk about it often... Hopefully we can be pretty effective in not getting ourselves in trouble with those.”

— On Texas A&M’s secondary: “They just break on the ball like 5-star recruits. That’s kinda what they’re made up of,” Freeze said. “Hopefully some of our guys can win some of those 1-on-1s.”

— On what he’s telling Payton Thorne: “It’s okay to punt. But we can’t turn the ball over by forcing or being too greedy... let it come to you,” Freeze says. “Don’t try to do too much and just stay within the system. Hopefully he’ll take care of the ball when he does that.”

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[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

i cannot find tiger talk. this is it for now folks. as always and time permits i will check back.

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

i cannot find tiger talk. this is it for now folks. as always and time permits i will check back.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

2 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

i found it. you are late......

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

2 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

found it. you are late......

Good stuff Fiddy. Big boy stuff starts tomorrow early. Know the team prefers these early kicks when on the road but I have never cared for them. Hope Kroger puts the fried chicken on early in the morning. They always do for home game tailgating but seem to slack up on away Saturdays.

[Paladin 3,307]

#PMARSHONAU: How Petrino inspired Jason Campbell's drive to stardom

Campbell says Petrino and Al Borges prepared him for a 10-year NFL career

Phillip Marshall7 hrs

Two decades later, former quarterback Jason Campbell still thinks about what might have been had Bobby Petrino stayed at Auburn just a little while longer.

Former head coach Tommy Tuberville had felt compelled to make staff moves after the 2001 season, when a four-win Alabama team visited Jordan-Hare Stadium and won 31-7 to knock Auburn out of the SEC Championship Game. He fired offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and defensive coordinator John Lovett. He hired Petrino from the Jacksonville Jaguars run the offense and Gene Chizik from Central Florida to run the defense.

Campbell, a 5-star signee out of Taylorsville, Miss.,  had been through an up-and-down 2001 season as a redshirt freshman. He found in Petrino a coordinator he believed in and trusted.

The 2002 Auburn team struggled early but took after Campbell became the starter to finish 9-4. Auburn’s roster was loaded. Campbell and his teammates eagerly looked forward to 2003. But Petrino was named head coach at Louisville and left after Auburn's bowl game.. Offensive line coach Hugh Nall was named offensive coordinator. Steve Ensminger would be the play-caller. A team that Campbell says was significantly more talented than the undefeated 2004 team was ranked No. 6 in the preseason polls but went 8-5.

“I was probably one who suffered from him not being there our junior year,” Campbell says. “He knew how to get us involved in the game. He knew what my talent was. When we got ready to really take the offense to the next level, he was gone.”

The 2003 team had all the players who would go 13-0 in 2004. It also had seniors like Karlos Dansby, Reggie Torbor, D.T. Thomas, Spencer Johnson and others who were on their way to the NFL. But Nall and Ensminger, charged with running Petrino’s offense, struggled to find consistency. More change was coming.

Al Borges took over in 2004, and Campbell and Auburn’s offense took off. He, running back Cadillac Williams, running back Ronnie Brown and cornerback Carlos Rogers were first-round draft picks. Campbell was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.

Bobby Petrino is in his first season at Texas A&M. (Photo: Sam Craft, Houston Chronicle)

Campbell says asking Nall and Ensminger to run Petrino’s offense was unfair to them.

“You can’t run somebody else’s system and not know how they think about certain things and change certain things,” Campbell says. “We made that mistake, and we paid for it. If Petrino had stayed or Borges had come in a year earlier, I don’t believe we’d have lost more than one game in those two years. We had that type of talent.”

Campbell went on to a 10-year NFL career, and it all started when Petrino came to town. He hopes to see Petrino on Saturday when Auburn goes to Texas A&M. Petrino is the first-year offensive coordinator for the Aggies.

“It was a pro-style offense - lots of run game checks based on if this side is overloaded or that side is overloaded,” Campbell says. “You always had a check that you could get to. His passing game was very precise. Make sure you are going through your progressions. One thing I learned from him was to slide pass protections and those kinds of things. He is hard-nosed. He wants things done a certain way. Off the field, we’d go over to his house. He would cook some steaks and everything. On the football field, he wants things done in the right way.”

Campbell sees similarities between what Petrino does now and what he did at Auburn, but not many. It was always Petrino’s stance that coordinators had to be ready to change or defenses would soon figure them out.

“Some, but not a lot,” Campbell says. "The whole RPO system they run nowadays is different. Back when I was playing, it was a real pro-style offense. We did a lot of things under center. Once he got to Louisville and he had Lamar Jackson, they started doing a lot of RPOs. There are some similarities in the run game. He drops back a lot more in the passing game. Every year you have to continue to grow as the game is changing. He’s so good at what he does that he adapts to what he is going on now.”

Petrino was a rising star when he left Louisville for an abbreviated stay with the Atlanta Falcons and then made Arkansas a contender in the SEC West. His career spiraled downward after he wrecked his motorcycle with a young female staffer riding with him and, after lying about it, admitted an affair. He spent a season at Western Kentucky and then returned to Louisville. He flourished with Jackson at quarterback but hit on hard times after Jackson was gone. He spent three seasons at Missouri State before Jimbo Fisher called him to repair his broken offense.

Jason Campbell was SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. (Photo: Auburn University)

My own experience with Petrino was extremely positive. I enjoyed talking to him about the game and more. He is viewed as abrasive by many, and was before the unfortunate events at Arkansas. But I never found him to be that way.

Campbell, the son of a coach, was not bothered by Petrino’s intensity on the practice field. He embraced it even when Petrino gave him the disappointing news that Cobb would go into the 2002 season as the starter.

“He said ‘I am probably going to start the season off with Daniel,’” Campbell says. “He said ‘You are going to play in a lot of games before you take it over completely.’ He was putting me in a good position. And that’s exactly how it worked out. The things I learned from him and from Coach Borges prepared me for the NFL.”

Today, Campbell is the analyst for Auburn radio broadcasts. Brown is a sideline reporter. Williams is Auburn’s running backs coach. All had long and distinguished NFL careers but never lost their affection for Auburn.

All three were immensely talented, but it was when Petrino arrived that their careers took off. And then he was gone.