(QB Payton Thorne – AP Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Payton Thorne, RB Jarquez Hunter, TE Rivaldo Fairweather, OG Dillon Wade, OT Izavion Miller, DE Keldric Faulk, DE Jalen McLeod, LB Eugene Asante, LB Austin Keys, CB Kayin Lee, CB/PR Keionte Scott, PK Alex McPherson, and PT Oscar Chapman.
Key Players Departing:
WR Jay Fair (USC transfer), WR Ja’Varrius Johnson (UCF transfer), OC Avery Jones, OG Gunner Britton, OG Kam Stutts, DT Marcus Harris, LB Larry Nixon III, LB Cam Riley (FSU transfer), CB DJ James, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, NB Donovan Kaufman (NC State transfer), FS Jaylin Simpson, and WS Zion Puckett.
(WR Cam Coleman – USA Today Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: WR Cam Coleman (Phenix City, Alabama), and EDGE Amaris Williams (Clinton, North Carolina).
4 Star Recruits: WR Perry Thompson (Foley, Alabama), QB Walker White (Little Rock, Arkansas), ATH Demarcus Riddick (Clanton, Alabama), EDGE Jamonta Waller (Picayune, Mississippi), LB Joseph Phillips (Tuskegee, Alabama), LB Joe Phillips (Tuskegee, Alabama), WR Malcolm Simmons (Alexander City, Alabama), and WR Bryce Cain (Mobile, Alabama).
2023 Results:
G01 UMASS W 59-14
G02 @ California W 14-10
G03 SAMFORD W 45-13
G04 @ Texas A&M L 10-27
G05 #1 GEORGIA L 20-27
G06 @ #22 LSU L 18-48
G07 #13 OLE MISS L 21-28
G08 MISSISSIPPI STATE W 27-13
G09 @ Vanderbilt W 31-15
G10 @ Arkansas W 48-10
G11 NEW MEXICO STATE L 10-31
G12 #8 ALABAMA L 24-27
BOWL vs. Maryland L 13-31
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 6-7 (5th in SEC West)
Home: 3-4
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
SEC: 3-5
Non-SEC: 3-2
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze
Auburn: 6-7
Career: 80-54
Bowls: 5-3
(RB Jarquez Hunter – Auburn Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Peyton Thorne (162-265, 1755 yards, 61.1%, 6.6 avg., 16 TD, 10 INT)
Rushing: Jarquez Hunter (159 car., 909 yards, 5.7 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Rivaldo Fairweather (38 rec., 394 yards, 10.4 avg., 6 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jarquez Hunter (7)
Sacks: Jalen McLeod (5.5)
Tackles: Eugene Asante (86)
Interceptions: Caleb Wooden (1)
Pass Deflections: Kayin Lee (6)
Tackles For Loss: Jalen McLeod (10.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Brian Battie (28 ret., 645 yards, 23.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Keionte Scott (15 ret., 222 yards, 14.8 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Alex McPherson (13-13 fg/fga., 100%, 40-40 xp/xpa., 79 pts.)
Punting: Oscar Chapman (61 punts, 2720 yards, 44.6 avg., 22 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 1 Payton Thorne (RS SR/TR)
RB: 27 Jarquez Hunter (SR)
WR: 8 Cam Coleman (FR)
WR: 5 KeAndre Lambert-Smith (SR/TR)
WR: 14 Robert Lewis (RS SR/TR)
TE: 13 Rivaldo Fairweather (SR/TR)
LT: 73 Percy Lewis (SR/TR)
LG: 52 Dillon Wade (RS SR/TR)
OC: 75 Connor Lee (SO)
RG: 77 Jeremiah Wright (RS SR)
RT: 72 Izavion Miller (SR/TR)
KR: 23 Jeremiah Cobb (SO)
PK: 38 Alex McPherson (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 15 Keldric Faulk (SO)
NT: 22 Isaiah Ralkes (RS SR/TR)
DT: 96 Philip Blidi (SR/TR)
DE: 35 Jalen McLeod (SR/TR)
LB: 9 Eugene Asante (RS SR/TR)
LB: 12 Dorian Mausi Jr. (SR/TR)
NB: 25 Champ Anthony (JR/TR)
CB: 4 Kayin Lee (SO)
CB: 0 Keionte Scott (SR/TR)
FS: 21 Caleb Wooden (JR)
WS: 1 Jerrin Thompson (SR/TR)
PR: 0 Keionte Scott (SR/TR)
PT: 91 Oscar Chapman (SR)
(DE Jalen McLeod – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returns: B
Punt Returns: A
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/31 ALABAMA A&M BULLDOGS | Auburn leads the series 2-0. The Tigers won (55-0) the last meeting between schools in 2016, and they won (51-7) the inaugural meeting in 2012.
09/07 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS | Last season’s 14-10 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/14 NEW MEXICO LOBOS | First meeting between schools.
09/21 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS | Auburn leads the series 20-12-1. The Tigers are 8-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (27-42) was in 2022.
09/28 OKLAHOMA SOONERS | Auburn trails the series 0-2. The Tigers lost (19-35) the last meeting between schools in 2016, and they lost (22-40) the inaugural meeting in 1972.
10/05 @ Georgia Bulldogs | Auburn trails the series 56-64-8. The Tigers are 1-10 since 2014, and their last series win (40-17) was in 2017.
10/19 @ Missouri Tigers | Auburn leads the series 3-1. The Tigers won (17-14) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 @ Kentucky Wildcats | Auburn leads the series 27-6-1. The Tigers won (29-13) the last meeting between schools in 2020, and their last series loss (14-21) dates back to 2009.
11/02 VANDERBILT COMMODORES | Auburn leads the series 22-21-1. Last season’s 31-15 win was the first meeting between schools since 2016.
11/16 UL-MONROE WARHAWKS | Auburn leads the series 11-0. The Tigers won (42-14) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/23 TEXAS A&M AGGIES | Auburn trails the series 6-8. The Tigers are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (13-10) was in 2022.
11/30 @ Alabama Crimson Tide | Auburn trails the series 37-50-1. The Tigers are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (48-45) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 8-0
Away: 4-0
Neutral: 2-1
SEC: 8-0
Non-SEC: 6-1
Overall: 13-1 (1st in SEC/SEC Champions/2nd Seed – Eliminated in Quarterfinals)
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