(Photo Credit: Butch Dill/AP Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Robby Ashford, RB/KR Jarquez Hunter, WR Ja’Varrius Johnson, DE Marcus Harris, LB Cam Riley, LB Wesley Steiner, CB DJ James, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, NB Donovan Kaufman, NB/PR Keionte Scott, FS Jaylin Simpson, SS Zion Puckett, PK Alex McPherson and PT Oscar Chapman.
Key Players Departing:
RB/KR Tank Bigsby, OG Brandon Council, OG Keiondre Jones, OT Austin Trozxell, OT Killian Zierer, DE Colby Wooden, LB Derick Hall, LB Eku Leota, LB Owen Pappoe and PK Anders Carlson.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DL Keldric Faulk (Highland Home, Alabama), OL Avery Jones (East Carolina transfer), CB Kayin Lee (Ellenwood, Georgia), DL Darron Reed (Columbus, Georgia), DS Tyler Scott (Mableton, Georgia), DL Justin Rogers (Kentucky transfer), OT Dillon Wade (Tulsa transfer), RB Jeremiah Cobb (Montgomery, Alabama), OT Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky transfer) and TE Rivaldo Fairweather (FIU transfer).
2022 Results:
G01 MERCER W 42-16
G02 SAN JOSE STATE W 24-16
G03 #22 PENN STATE L 12-41
G04 MISSOURI W | OT 17-14
G05 LSU L 17-21
G06 @ #2 Georgia L 10-42
G07 @ #9 Ole Miss L 34-48
G08 ARKANSAS L 27-41
G09 @ Mississippi State L | OT 33-39
G10 TEXAS A&M W 13-10
G11 WESTERN KENTUCKY W 41-17
G12 @ #7 Alabama L 27-49
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 5-7 (6th in SEC West)
Home: 5-3
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 2-6
Non-SEC: 3-1
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze
Auburn: 0-0
Career: 103-47
Bowls: 5-2
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Robby Ashford (123-250, 1613 yards, 49.2%, 6.5 avg., 7 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Robby Ashford (153 car., 710 yards, 4.6 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Ja’Varrius Johnson (26 rec., 493 yards, 19.0 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jarquez Hunter (9)
Sacks: Marcus Harris (2)
Tackles: Cam Riley (65)
Interceptions: Jaylin Simpson (2)
Pass Deflections: DJ James/Nehemiah Pritchett (8)
Tackles For Loss: Marcus Harris (6.5)
Forced Fumbles: Donovan Kaufman/Nehemiah Pritchett/Zion Puckett (1)
Kick Returns: Jarquez Hunter (14 ret., 302 yards, 21.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Keionte Scott (14 ret., 134 yards, 9.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Alex McPherson (6-7 fg/fga., 86%, 9-9 xp/xpa., 27 pts.)
Punting: Oscar Chapman (56 punts, 2449yards, 43.7 avg., 18 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 1 Payton Thorne (RS SR/TR)
RB: 27 Jarquez Hunter (JR)
WR: 11 Shane Hooks (RS SR/TR)
WR: 14 Jyaire Shorter (RS SR/TR)
WR: 5 Jay Fair (SO)
TE: 13 Rivaldo Fairweather (SR/TR)
LT: 52 Dillon Wade (RS JR/TR)
LG: 77 Jeremiah Wright (RS JR)
OC: 66 Avery Jones (RS SR/TR)
RG: 62 Kam Stutts (RS SR)
RT: 53 Gunnar Britton (RS SR/TR)
KR: 21 Brian Battie (JR/TR)
PK: 38 Alex McPherson (RS FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 33 Mosiah Nasili-Kite (RS SR/TR)
NT: 99 Jayson Jones (RS JR/TR)
DT: 50 Marcus Harris (RS SR/TR)
DE: 11 Elijah McAllister (RS SR/TR)
LB: 12 Austin Keys (RS JR/TR)
LB: 13 Cam Riley (SR)
NB: 00 Keionte Scott (JR/TR)
CB: 4 DJ James (SR/TR)
CB: 1 Nehemiah Pritchett (SR)
FS: 36 Jaylin Simpson (RS SR)
SS: 10 Zion Puckett (SR)
PR: 00 Keionte Scott (JR/TR)
PT: 91 Oscar Chapman (SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returns: C
Punt Returns: B
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/02 UMASS MINUTEMEN | First meeting between schools.
09/09 @ California Golden Bears | First meeting between schools.
09/16 SAMFORD BULLDOGS | Auburn leads the series 3-0. The Tigers won (52-0) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
09/23 @ Texas A&M Aggies | Auburn trails the series 6-7. The Tigers are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (3-20) was in 2021.
09/30 GEORGIA BULLDOGS | Auburn trails the series 56-63-8. The Tigers are 2-9 since 2013 and their last series win (40-17) was in 2017.
10/14 @ LSU Tigers | Auburn trails the series 24-32-1. The Tigers are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (24-19) was in 2021.
10/21 OLE MISS REBELS | Auburn leads the series 35-12. The Tigers are 8-2 since 2013 and their last series win (31-20) was in 2021.
10/28 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS | Auburn leads the series 62-31-3. The Tigers are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series win (24-10) was in 2020.
11/04 @ Vanderbilt Commodores | The series is tied 21-21-1. The Tigers won (23-16) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
11/11 @ Arkansas Razorbacks | Auburn leads the series 19-12-1. The Tigers are 8-2 since 2013 and their last series win (38-23) was in 2021.
11/18 NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES | Auburn leads the series 3-0. The Tigers won (42-7) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
11/25 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE | Auburn trails the series 37-49-1. The Tigers are 3-7 since 2013 and their lasts series win (48-45) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 6-1
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 3-5
Non-SEC: 3-1
Overall: 6-6 (6th in SEC West)
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