11.20.23Football Articles

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Everything Hugh Freeze and Auburn's players said after losing to New Mexico State

JD McCarthy

5–6 minutes

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Auburn suffered an embarrassing loss to New Mexico State on Saturday, falling 31-10 to the Aggies inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Hugh Freeze is in Year 1 of a rebuild at Auburn but there are no excuses for such a disappointing loss, especially after Auburn had seemed to be improving in the final weeks of the season.

The win was New Mexico State’s first-ever over a Power Five program after starting 0-27. Not only did they upset Auburn, they dominated every phase of the game and were in control of the game from the start.

Freeze and several Auburn players met with the media after the game to discuss their fifth loss of the season, here is a look at everything they said.

Opening Statement…

“As good as last week felt and as complete as we played in all three phases, it was the exact opposite today. And it is very disappointing. Our university deserves a better effort than that, and that’s my job to make sure they give that, and we did not today.”

On how practices were this week…

“Not as good if I’m being truthful. I mean, I thought Tuesday was okay. Wednesday and Thursday were not up to par for sure. Now, I don’t want to sit here and not give credit to New Mexico State. They’re very confident. Jerry Kill is a heck of a football coach. They had the right calls at the right time. They milked the clock. I bet we didn’t have forty offensive plays between all the penalties. We kept killing ourselves with that, and them controlling the clock so I give them the credit for that. But the effort we had is not what Auburn deserves.”

On what NMSU’s defense was doing that made it difficult for Auburn’s offense….

“I thought they played together and well as a unit. I feel like they had answers for things and that we hurt ourselves quite a bit. They came out and played hard so I will give credit to them. They’re a good team, and that was their ninth win. They stopped the run and did a good job defending us on the outside as well. We couldn’t get it going enough to get the ball in the end zone.”

On how hard it is to get momentum after so many penalties…

“Whatever the situation is, you have got to get going at some point. You have got to overcome the penalties and we did not do that tonight. If we want to be a really good offense, then we have to do those things. Number one, you don’t shoot yourself in the foot, but if you do, you have got to be able to recover. As I said, we did not do that tonight, so we have some work to do.”

On tonight’s loss to New Mexico State…

“I don’t even know how to feel right now to be honest…I am in disbelief. It doesn’t feel like real life to me.”

On defensive issues…

“In the beginning, we always start out a little slow. I thought that’s what was going on, but I don’t know, man. They wanted it more than us. Flat out. That’s just how I feel.”

On taking this loss as motivation for Iron Bowl…

“We better get back to the drawing board for sure

On how NMSU surprised them offensively… 

“Just execution. I haven’t seen the tape yet, of course, but I know for sure we didn’t tackle well. We just didn’t take advantage of our opportunities as a defense like we normally do.”

On struggling with the QB scrambles…

“A moving quarterback is always difficult to go against, so we’ve just got to do a better job of containing them. Then when he does scramble and throw those radical balls, we’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity.”

On tonight’s game…

“Yeah, pretty bizarre game, I think. We just came out flat. The guys, we never really got in our groove. When you play football like that… you can’t be like that.”

On what caused the most trouble for the defense…

“They have a really good quarterback. Just different things, moving the pocket and trying to neutralize our D-line tackles on the outside a little bit. They had a pretty good team. New Mexico State coaches has a good game plan, and truthfully, it’s on us players to evaluate them and look within ourselves, myself included. I didn’t play nearly as good as I wanted. We just have to improve.”

On the feeling in the locker room after tonight’s loss…

“We’re just disappointed. Everybody knows we play better than that. You just got to just learn from this mistake we made and just come back 10 times harder next game.”

On what went wrong today…

“They just wanted it more than us today. I don’t know what the energy was, but you never underestimate an opponent. They just wanted it more than us today and we’ve just got to be better.”

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al.com

 

How did Auburn’s shell-shocked locker room react to Saturday’s loss to New Mexico State?

Published: Nov. 19, 2023, 11:41 a.m.

6–7 minutes

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Shell-shocked is the only way to describe the look and feel of Auburn’s locker room after the Tigers were stunned by New Mexico State in a 31-10 beating in front of a Jordan-Hare Stadium full of the Auburn Family on Saturday.

Jaylin Simpson and Keionte Scott – two veteran defensive backs who are widely regarded as leaders in the locker room – both started their postgame interview with the same four words.

“I don’t even know,” they said when asked about the game’s surprising result.

It was evident that players in Auburn’s locker room – no matter how seasoned – were still reeling and trying to make sense of the loss, which some are calling the worst in Auburn football history.

“I don’t even know how to feel right now to be honest with you,” Simpson continued. “I’m just in disbelief. I don’t know, it don’t feel like real life to me.”

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was still grappling with the loss during his postgame press conference, too.

“It feels like a bad dream,” Freeze said.

But unfortunately for Freeze and those in the Tigers’ locker room, it doesn’t matter how many times they ask someone to pinch them – Saturday’s loss won’t become any less real.

The New Mexico State Aggies marched onto The Plains guaranteed to bring home a $1.85-million check.

Winning the game, on the other hand, was all but guaranteed. The bookies in Las Vegas had the Aggies as three-score underdogs.

“I said the same thing I’ve always said and I didn’t preach that we were underdogs,” New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill said after the game. “I didn’t say we couldn’t beat Auburn, I told them we were going to, this is how we’re going to do it.”

And so the Aggies did it, giving them the their first win over an SEC opponent in program history.

“I probably shouldn’t say this but life’s short and I may not be here tomorrow,” Kill said when asked about Saturday’s celebration in the locker room. “So I walked in and said, ‘Hey, we just got $1.7 million to play a (Southeastern Conference) team. So how about $1.7 million and winning the game?’.”

As if the 31-10 haymaker New Mexico State delivered to Auburn wasn’t enough, that was just one more jab for good measure.

And the Tigers were feeling it after the game as they licked their wounds and tried to peer out from their blackened eye.

“I don’t know,” Simpson said again. “In the beginning, we always — for some odd reason — we start a little slow and I thought that was what was going on. They wanted it more than us, flat out. They just wanted it more than us.”

Simpson was one of three Auburn players to mutter those same words.

Scott and tight end Rivaldo Fairweather also chimed in saying the Aggies wanted Saturday’s win more.

“They just wanted it more than us today,” Fairweather said. “I don’t know what the energy was but you never underestimate an opponent. They wanted it more than us today and we’ve just got to be better, man.”

Freeze said Monday that he knew there’d be temptation to try and relax as the Tigers had a game against a Group-of-5 opponent sandwiched between its most complete win at Arkansas and next week’s rivalry battle with Alabama.

From the looks and sounds of it, some of that temptation won as Freeze admitted the Tigers didn’t have their best week of practice. While Tuesday’s practice was sharp, Wednesday and Thursday’s practices were “not up to par.”

Auburn’s players saw it, too.

“I just think guys — and I’m including myself in this whole thing — got comfortable,” said linebacker Eugene Asante. “Went to Arkansas, played a really good game, and maybe bought into the praise and the outside noise, and didn’t go out there and continue to remain humble, myself included.”

Now for the big question that everyone has been quick to ask: Was Saturday’s loss the result of Auburn looking ahead to its Iron Bowl dance with Alabama?

Freeze wouldn’t even let the seven-letter word come out of his mouth on Monday as he assured Saturday’s game against New Mexico State had he and the team’s full attention. After all, Kill and the Aggies upset a Freeze-led Liberty team last season.

But was it coach speak?

The consensus from the players is no.

“I didn’t think so,” quarterback Payton Thorne said when asked if Auburn was looking ahead. “I haven’t looked at anything for Alabama yet. And I don’t know of anybody that has.”

Asante said the most of Alabama he’s seen is when the Crimson Tide has played in primetime slots and the game is playing on the team plane after away games.

Meanwhile, Scott gave a 50-50 answer to the question.

“At the end of the day I feel like we didn’t overlook this team,” Scott said. “I just feel like in our heads and in our minds there was probably a little bit of attention on the next game.”

And now Auburn will look towards Alabama with a shiner on its eye, bidding the question: How clear is Auburn’s vision going to be?

“We need to have the 24 hour rule. Get the corrections we need to get and just completely throw this one in the trash and just focus on the biggest game of the season so far,” Simpson said. “It’s the Iron Bowl, it should not take a lot of motivation. It’s here at home. It’s the Iron Bowl so I feel like if you don’t understand what type of game this is you need to figure it out real quick.”

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Auburn football: Is there any way Auburn can shock Bama?

Glenn Sattell | 23 hours ago

5–6 minutes

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Hugh Freeze is still looking for that signature victory in his 1st year as head coach at Auburn.

It nearly happened against Ole Miss, his former employer, but the Tigers came up just short in a 28-21 loss. They just weren’t quite ready yet.

But that was a month ago and Auburn hadn’t lost since — until Saturday. A 4-game winning streak highlighted by 3 SEC victories, including 2 on the road, had lifted the Tigers out of the doldrums of a 3-game skid. But that all went down the drain in an uninspired and uninterested 31-10 loss to C-USA foe New Mexico State at Jordan-Hare.

Perhaps the Tigers were looking ahead to the Iron Bowl?

Already bowl-eligible once again at 6-5 (3-4 in SEC), Auburn appeared to have become a formidable foe, taking care of the bottom feeders in the conference. It appeared ready to challenge SEC West top-seeded Alabama in the Iron Bowl next Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT) at Jordan-Hare Stadium … until Saturday, a game that raised a lot of questions from the top of the program to the bottom.

Alabama (10-1), on the other hand, is on a 9-game win streak since falling at home to Texas. The No. 8 Tide has everything to play for, still in the hunt for a Playoff spot with a date against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game looming. But, as the old saying goes, “That’s why they play the games.” Remember, New Mexico State was a 25-point underdog.

Alabama is a double-digit favorite and certainly should win. If Auburn is to pull off the shocker, these 3 things must happen.

1. Keep Jalen Milroe in the pocket

The Tigers must keep the Alabama QB from beating them with his feet. One way to do that is to keep him in the pocket. Against LSU on Nov. 4, Milroe was able to escape the pocket and pick up big yardage down the field.

The LSU edge rushers continually overran the play and were blocked beyond the point of attack. That allowed Milroe to step up into the pocket and either make the throw or take off in Jayden Daniels-like fashion to make chunk-yardage plays.

Against LSU, Milroe rushed for a career-high 155 yards. If Auburn is to contain Milroe, it must keep him in the pocket, not overrun the play, and make him win with his arm.

The Alabama QB has proven he is capable of doing that. Milroe threw for 200-plus yards in 7 of his first 9 games this season, and in the past 3 SEC games, he has completed 66.7 percent of his passes (44-for-66) with 5 TDs and just 2 interceptions.

You have to pick your poison. And Auburn’s best shot appears to be keeping Milroe from becoming that dual-threat quarterback.

2. Auburn QB must be elusive

On the flip side, Payton Thorne must use his legs to extend plays and keep the Alabama defense off balance.

Historically, teams with mobile quarterbacks are the ones that have given Alabama trouble. And Thorne has displayed an ability to do just that. He rushed for 123 yards against Samford, had a 92-yard rushing effort against No. 1 Georgia and ran for 88 yards against Arkansas.

Thorne’s running ability has somewhat offset the conference’s worst passing game, although it has gotten better lately. In the past 3 conference games, Thorne has thrown for 587 yards and 8 TDs with only 2 interceptions, completing 67.1 percent (49-for-73) of his passes.

Thorne must be a true dual-threat quarterback if Auburn is to have any chance of pulling off the upset.

3. Have something left in the tank

Alabama will wear you down with its depth and conditioning. Auburn must have something left late in the game. The Tigers can’t compete with Alabama’s depth, so conditioning is a key. Holding some sort of lead heading into the latter stages of the game wouldn’t hurt, either.

That’s because through the first 10 games of the season, only twice (Texas and Arkansas) has Alabama been outscored in the 2nd half. During that 10-game span, Alabama has a combined scoring advantage of 172-62.

Alabama has trailed or been tied in 6 games this season, so jumping to an early lead is a possibility for Auburn. But holding onto any advantage it might gain will be the key if Auburn is to shock the Tide.

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247sports.com

 

PMARSHONAU Sunday reflections from Auburn and beyond

Phillip Marshall

11–13 minutes

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• 

• 

A lost Auburn Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium and more

A mystifying game at Jordan-Hare

I believed going into Saturday’s game against New Mexico at Jordan-Hare Stadium that there was little to no chance Auburn could lose unless it turned the ball over multiple times. If the same two teams were playing next Saturday, I’d probably believe the same thing.

Auburn didn’t turn the ball over, and boy was I wrong. New Mexico State’s 31-10 victory was one of more mystifying games I have seen in a half century in this business. My feeling watching the game was that Auburn players were not particularly engaged. Auburn coaches verified that feeling.

I thought they would be engaged be after tying the game. I thought they would be engaged after a cheap shot by New Mexico State almost started a fight. I thought they would win when it was 10-7 at halftime. I still thought they could win when it was 17-7. Instead, they lost 31-10. It was the most points Auburn has given up this season other than at LSU – more than against Georgia, more than against Ole Miss, more than against Texas A&M. It makes no sense.

It was a performance reminiscent of the 2015 game against Jacksonville State, though Auburn won that one 27-20 in overtime. The difference was that New Mexico State was good enough to take advantage and win its seventh consecutive game.

I won’t waste time trying to figure out the emotions of a college football team. The fact is Auburn played a terrible game.

Flags costly for Auburn

Saturday’s officiating crew was flag-happy. New Mexico State was penalized 12 times for 105 yards. Auburn was penalized nine times for 65 yards, but Auburn’s penalties seemed to be more costly.

--On New Mexico State’s first drive, Jaylin Simpson and Larry Nixon III were hit with pass interference. The call on Nixon was on fourth-and-five and led to a touchdown three plays later.

--A Nehemiah Pritchett interception was wiped out by an offsides penalty.

--A 10-yard pass from Thorne to Fairweather was called back by a holding penalty.

--As Auburn drove toward a go-ahead touchdown on its first drive of the third quarter, Thorne threw to Jarquez Hunter for a first down at the New Mexico State 22. It was wiped out by an ineligible receiver downfield penalty.

--For good measure, Auburn got a holding penalty on the first play of its final drive.

What does loss mean?

The biggest question is what a lost day at Jordan-Hare means for Auburn’s program. Beyond playing an awful game, probably not much. If I am sure of one thing it is that Auburn players will be very engaged when Alabama visits Jordan-Hare Stadium next Saturday. Will that be enough to win? Probably not.

Building programs is hard. Nick Saban lost to ULM in his first season at Alabama and to UAB in his first season at LSU. He seems to have done OK. Mike Norvell lost to Jacksonville State in his second season at Florida State. So, while its understandable that fans are upset, it makes no sense to say one game is a sign of long-term disaster.

Did Tigers learn a lesson in defeat?

Has this Auburn team learned a hard lesson? It was good enough to play Georgia to the wire. It was good enough to go on the road and crush Arkansas. It is not good enough to take any team for granted.

Shocking collapse by Auburn defense

The most surprising thing to me in Saturday’s game was the performance of Auburn’s defense. Coordinator Ron Roberts has been highly praised, and with good reason. But Auburn seemed to have no answer for New Mexico State and quarterback Diego Pavia.

The Aggies played keepaway with Auburn’s offense. Auburn had some chances wiped out by penalties. In the end, Auburn’s offense had just 45 snaps. Quarterback Payton Thorne actually played pretty well but had nothing to show for it.

Roberts, no doubt, will find it hard to watch. It seemed that Pavia took his time to see how the defense was lined up and who was coming on the pass rush. He made the Tigers pay often.

No SEC team plays at a pace as deliberate as New Mexico State. Linebacker Eugene Assante said that gave Pavia more time to read the defense. If Auburn changed anything to deal with it or disguised any blitzes, I did not see it. That, I hasten to add, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Either way, it was an astonishing sight.

Worst loss ever?  Hard to say that

Some say Saturday’s loss was the worst in Auburn history, but history is a long time. History includes a loss to Wofford. It includes losing 42-0 loss to Tennessee at home, losing 63-21 (it could have been 100) to Texas A&M at home, losing 31-7 to a four-win Alabama team at home with a trip to the SEC Championship Game on the line. I have to include a near-loss to Jacksonville State, which was an FCS team at the time.

Auburn teams narrowly survived near-losses that would have been as bad or worse. I am not going to get into whether Saturday’s game was the worst, but it was bad.

Dominant Bulldogs roll on

I am of the opinion that nobody is going to beat Georgia. The Bulldogs are unbeaten and getting better every week. They unloaded on Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville. Auburn and Missouri are the only teams that have taken Georgia into the fourth quarter with chances to win.

Kill shows his skill for NMSU

You have to give the Aggies credit. They had a plan they thought would give them a chance to win and executed it to near perfection. I have long heard from other coaches about Jerry Kill’s coaching prowess. I saw it up close Saturday.

Nix moves to front in Heisman Trophy race

If former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix can lead Oregon to wins over Oregon State and in a rematch with Washington, I have little doubt he will win the Heisman Trophy. The numbers he has put up and the consistency with which he has played have been unreal.

I know he wishes, as do Auburn fans, that he’d had an opportunity to be featured like he has been at Oregon and perform the way has. Anyone who knows him has to be happy for him. I know I am.

Lincoln Riley has no answers

Remember when Lincoln Riley was all the rage? Remember the predictions that he would turn USC into a monster? Quarterback Caleb Willims won the Heisman Trophy last season, but the Trojans were whipped 47-24 by Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game. And then they lost to Tulane 46-45 in the Cotton Bowl.

This season, with Williams still around, they fielded one of the worst if not the worst defense in the FBS. Still, they won their first six games and moved into the top five. Since then, they have gone 1-5. They ended their regular season Saturday, losing 38-20 to UCLA.

If it doesn’t get better, how long before USC pays a gargantuan buyout to be rid of him?

Until next time …

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

si.com

 

Report: Auburn TE Rivaldo Fairweather Seen in Sling Following Loss to New Mexico State

Lance Dawe

2–3 minutes

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Auburn's biggest receiving threat on offense was seen in a sling after the Tigers' loss to New Mexico State.

Per Mike Gittens of The War Rapport, Rivaldo Fairweather was seen with his right arm in a sling after the game.

Fairweather has 33 receptions for 349 yards and six receiving touchdowns on the season. The 33 catches leads the Tigers. Losing a player like Fairweather right before the Iron Bowl would be devastating.

Auburn had all of the momentum in the world after a three-game winning streak, and a blowout loss at the hands of New Mexico State has completely unraveled it.

Head coach Hugh Freeze was downtrodden in his postgame presser.

"It's disappointing. Feels like a bad dream," Freeze said. "But I've had those before. You coach long enough, you have some of these... We've gotten better as the year's gone on, and today didn't show it. That's the most disappointing thing."

It's a nightmare situation for Auburn, who was building momentum over the last three weeks to close out the season strong.

Three straight SEC victories. Two of them on the road. Auburn was looking to finish with the most wins they've had in a season since 2019. And yet, somehow, that's the performance Freeze and the Tigers put out there against a Group of Five opponent.

It doesn't make a ton of sense, but props to New Mexico State. They dominated the game from start to finish. Auburn never had a chance.

There are no positives to take away from this one.

"You're not going to execute if you don't give great effort. That goes hand-in-hand," Freeze said. "I thought our receivers ran routes in slow-motion tonight... We didn't protect well. There's nothing positive I can say about tonight."

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si.com

 

REPORT: Cam Coleman is 'not looking to rush into anything'

Zac Blackerby

2–3 minutes

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5-star receiver Cam Coleman was in Auburn on Saturday.

Auburn had a rough outing on Saturday against New Mexico State.

The 31-10 loss was a national story across college football but Auburn fans are hoping that looking at a better recruiting class will help the future of the program.

Auburn's main target right now, 5-star wide receiver Texas A&M commit Cam Coleman, was on campus on an unofficial visit to watch the Tigers. He declined interviews with recruiting reporters when he left but On3's national recruiting expert Chad Simmons shared some scoop Sunday morning about Coleman.

"Cam Coleman was at Auburn Saturday to see the Tigers fall to New Mexico State. He will return to the Plains for the Iron Bowl," Simmons wrote. "The in-state program continues to trend for the five-star wide receiver out of Phenix City (Ala.) Central. He spent a lot of time with Marcus Davis Saturday and was around numerous Auburn commits. According to a source close to this, Coleman is not looking to rush into anything. He plays in the semi-finals Friday night, then for a state championship in December if all goes well. Things can always change, but I am told his focus is on that first, then he will let his recruitment play out."

Simmons also added that he is staying in consistent contact with Texas A&M wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig. 

The Central-Phenix City standout receiver has received several crystal balls and predictions from writers from multiple markets and from the national level.

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

Good morning Fiddy. Great day on the rise in East Alabama. Tired of reading about NMSU debacle. War Eagle and time to move on. 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

1 hour ago, SaltyTiger said:

Good morning Fiddy. Great day on the rise in East Alabama. Tired of reading about NMSU debacle. War Eagle and time to move on. 

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

6 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

Will do Fiddy. Good they are not putting it off and hopefully nothing to it.

[aubcali 462]

28 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

Done.  🙏

[bishoptf 755]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

Prayers for you and whats going on..

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

Will do Fifty, let us know how the visit goes.

🙏

[Gowebb11 9,882]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

Prayers for you @aubiefifty Look forward to a positive update very soon. 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

[PKPTiger81 16]

We have you in our prayers Fiddy.  Please keep us updated.

[Dwayne Pride 379]

@aubiefifty  Appreciate the effort for what you do errday.  
 

I hope your concerns melt away soon.  If not, I hope you find peace in your beliefs.  

[keesler 5,958]

11 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

i just found out from the dr i have a spot on a kidney and have to have more testing. they refused to let me wait until january. put in a goof word for me upstairs.................

Take care of yourself and we will take care of the prayers for you.  Thanks for your daily dedication to the board.