Lyle's Corner
October 2025
Monday, October 20th, 2025
Auburn's offensive line was dealt a crushing blow today when it was confirmed that starting center Connor Lew will be out for the season after suffering a torn ACL against Missouri. The junior, who was named third-team preseason All-SEC, has started 24 career games for the Tigers. He was replaced by true freshman Kail Ellis, who graduated from high school early, and Ellis is expected to remain Auburn's starter for the remainder of the season.
The Tigers (3-4 overall, 0-4 SEC) will travel to Arkansas on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. CT on the SEC Network.
In other news.....
- Auburn will host Kentucky under the lights in Jordan-Hare Stadium. News broke today that the Tigers and Wildcats will do battle at 6:30 p.m. CT on Nov. 1st. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, October 19th, 2025
The Tigers found another way to break their own hearts last night in a 23-17 double-overtime loss to Missouri at Jordan-Hare Stadium last night.
The offense rolled up 357 yards (207 passing, 150 rushing). However, the offensive line continued to struggle at times, especially with protecting QB Jackson Arnold. Another notable woe was in the kicking game. Alex McPherson was atypically out of sync, missing three out of four field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder that would have given Auburn the lead in the first extra period. To be fair, McPherson's had a tough road over the last year and a half with his gastrointestinal illness, but last night just wasn't his night.
The defense played admirably well. Yes, they allowed 343 yards to Missouri, but they also forced two turnovers (both interceptions) and held heralded running back Ahmad Hardy - a superb tackle-breaker by all accounts - to just 58 yards on 24 carries (despite two TDs). But if you ask me, I think that the visiting Tigers eventually wore D.J. Durkin's troops down.
Auburn now stands at 3-4 overall and has started 0-4 in SEC play for the third straight year. Head coach Hugh Freeze needs to find answers fast in preparation for another road match next Saturday, this time to Arkansas in Fayetteville. The game will have a morning kick at 11:45 a.m. CT and will be televised on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, October 13th, 2025
I'm going to be fairly brief on two significant pieces of news that have surfaced today.
- First off, Auburn's road match at Arkansas on Oct. 25th has been set for 11:45 a.m. CT on the SEC Network. The Tigers have won the last four battles in Fayetteville in relatively sound and dominating fashion. We shall see if that streak continues.
- Secondly, no details are clear as of this writing, but running back Damari Alston is no longer with the program, according to head coach Hugh Freeze.
"Damari failed to meet the expectations and standards of our program," he said. "We love him. Wish him the best. But that's where it's at." This is clearly a substantial loss for a talented and fairly proficient ground attack. Only time will tell who the next major asset of Auburn's running game will be.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, October 12th, 2025
The Tigers came out roaring against Georgia in Jordan-Hare Stadium last night......and then everything went south. Part of it was due to more controversial officiating, while the other part was due to an inept second-half performance on offense. The end result was a 20-10 loss to the Bulldogs, Auburn's ninth straight setback in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.
On the positive side, it was very nice to see head coach Hugh Freeze establish the run more than he had in the past two games. Unfortunately, once quarterback Jackson Arnold's so-called "fumble" at the goal line (which, by all accounts, should have been a TD, as every angle possible showed that Arnold clearly broke the plane before losing possession) unfolded, the wind was totally sucked out of Auburn's sails. Instead of a 17-0 lead, the Tigers had to settle for a slim 10-3 cushion at intermission.
In fact, there were too many bogus calls in the game to name. I'd rather not get started on them, but even though officials don't play the game, they do need to take accountability when they make a bogus ruling that completely changes the complexion of a game. But over the final 30 minutes, the Tiger offense simply collapsed. One source said Auburn only mustered 14 total yards in the second half. Another source cited 15 total yards in that span. The important thing is that it wasn't nearly enough to pull off the upset. Coach Freeze's troops now sit at 3-3 overall (0-3 SEC), and now have to prepare for another contest under the lights on the Plains next Saturday with Missouri coming to town. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. And since those Tigers fell to Alabama by three yesterday, the real question is simple: Which team will be more desperate for this one? And just as importantly, if not more so: Will the "zebras" be more unbiased for a change?
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, October 7th, 2025
Auburn is moving its 2026 football season opener against Baylor to a neutral site.
News broke yesterday that the match in question will now be played in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium instead of Auburn's campus at Jordan-Hare Stadium. This will be designated as the Aflac Kickoff Game. According to On3's Brett McMurphy, the move will expect to create up to $5 million in NIL opportunities for Auburn players.
The Tigers faced Baylor in Waco to open this season and soundly won, 38-24. The Bears had long planned a trip to the Plains for 2026 but those plans have been thwarted. It will mark Auburn's first contest in Atlanta since the 2017 SEC Championship, a 28-7 loss to Georgia.
Neutral-site games early in the season have become more common in college football. This season, for example, the Aflac Kickoff Game featured battles between Tennessee and Syracuse and then South Carolina and Virginia Tech. Auburn is 2-2-1 all-time against Baylor. Four of those meetings have come on campus sites. These teams also once squared off in Jacksonville for the 1954 Gator Bowl (a 33-13 Auburn win). As a side note, Auburn's 2026 home schedule also includes Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Vanderbilt, Southern Miss and Jacksonville State.
In other news.....
- Auburn's match with Missouri at Jordan-Hare Stadium on October 18th will be another primetime game. The game will kick off at either 6 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. CT and will be televised by either ESPN or the SEC Network. The time and network will be determined after this coming weekend's games have concluded.
When the two teams last squared off on the Plains, Auburn pulled off a pulsating - though emotionally draining - 17-14 overtime victory.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, October 4th, 2025
The kickoff time and TV network for the newest edition of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry have been set.
News broke this afternoon that the Tigers and Bulldogs will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET) on ABC. This will mark Auburn's third straight contest against a ranked opponent after losing Oklahoma and Texas A&M in Weeks 4 and 5.
One noteworthy matchup will be Auburn's defensive line against Georgia's offensive line. The Bulldogs' front unit - especially on the left side - has struggled to start this season, while the Tiger defensive front has kept Auburn in the thick of things. The offense, however, has become quite the opposite. Both sides of the ball need to hit the gas pedal if Hugh Freeze's troops want to have a snowball's chance of pulling off the upset, even at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
September 2025
Monday, September 29th, 2025
Auburn will host Georgia under the lights in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 11th.
News broke today that the Tigers and Bulldogs will face off at either 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. CT. It will be telecast on either ESPN, ABC or the SEC Network. The kickoff time and TV network will be determined after this coming Saturday's contests (Oct. 4th) conclude.
Auburn has an open date this Saturday (a much-needed one at that). Let's just say that in recent history, fortune has frowned on the Tigers in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. Auburn has only won two meetings in the series in the past 12 years (2013 and 2017). And to the best of my memory, only three of those losses were by one score (2016, 2019 and 2023).
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, September 28th, 2025
Had Auburn spent too much time griping about the officiating from last week's loss at Oklahoma? Was the Tiger offense deliberately shooting itself in the foot? Is Texas A&M really as elite a team as their lofty ranking might suggest?
Regardless of how you may wonder about these questions, Auburn's 16-10 loss to Texas A&M in College Station yesterday - its third straight defeat at Kyle Field - was nothing less than ugly. The offense was utterly horrendous, generating a paltry 177 yards on the afternoon. And this was after head coach Hugh Freeze said last week that he felt he should have forced the run a bit more against the Sooners. This time around, the Tigers had a measly 52 yards on the ground. And let's not forget making a total doughnut in 3rd-down tries: 0-for-13. But perhaps the ineptitude was never more glaringly apparent than in the fourth quarter, when the Tigers were within one score of taking the lead. In three possessions, Auburn ran a combined 10 plays. The resulting output? Minus one yard. Inexcusable. Where is the potent, high-octane attack that we saw in the season opener at Baylor?
The defense, meanwhile, was what kept us in the thick of things all day long. Yes, they gave up 414 yards to the Aggies, but they made enough crucial stops to keep them from piling up a bunch of points. The obvious highlight was Xavier Atkins' interception in the final quarter that set up Auburn's lone TD on the very next play - a 2-yard run by QB Jackson Arnold.
Special teams improved from last week, as Alex McPherson was solid on kickoffs and also nailed a 32-yard field goal and a PAT. Hudson Kaak averaged 44.8 yards on nine punts, two of which were downed inside the 20.
The Tigers didn't need to beat the "zebras" this time around. Unfortunately, they only beat themselves - especially on offense. Auburn now has an open date, giving them two weeks to prepare for Georgia's trip to the Plains for the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. Unless the Tigers do some serious evaluation and soul-searching, this latest edition of this storied series could quickly turn troubling. That would only add salt to the fact that the Tigers are now 0-2 in conference play.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, September 25th, 2025
Bad news for the Tigers surfaced yesterday. Wide receiver Horatio Fields broke his foot in Tuesday's practice and will have surgery today. Although head coach Hugh Freeze gave no timeline for Fields' return, that type of injury tends to be long-term.
In the meantime, sophomore Perry Thompson will step into Fields' spot at receiver, and true freshman Sam Turner is another option. Through four games, Thompson has two receptions for 11 yards.
Fields has been relatively reliable up to this point, ranking third on the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, trailing only Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr. In addition to Singleton, Fields was one of Auburn's two transfer portal signees at receiver this offseason after transferring from Wake Forest.
"That's a huge loss for us," Freeze said. "Kind of the leader of that receiver room who knew every position and gave us flexibility to do a lot of things." Auburn's first contest without Fields will be this Saturday's match at Texas A&M in College Station. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, September 24th, 2025
Auburn football's SEC schedules for the next four seasons were set yesterday.
In 2026, when the conference schedule expands to nine games, the Tigers will host Vanderbilt, Arkansas, LSU and Florida while traveling to Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee. The complete 2026 SEC schedule to include dates of games will be announced later this year.
In 2027, Auburn will play five league matches at Jordan-Hare Stadium, hosting Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The Tigers will play road games at Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Missouri and Texas. In 2028, the Tigers' four-game SEC home slate features Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
In 2029, Auburn will host the Iron Bowl and the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, as well as Kentucky, Missouri and the Texas Longhorns' first visit to the Plains as an SEC member. The Tigers' league road games will be at Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
On a personal note, I'm very glad that we'll be getting Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State back on the docket. But that aside, I'm going to list the conference games for the next four seasons for your benefit.
2026
VANDERBILT
at Alabama
at Georgia
ARKANSAS
FLORIDA
LSU
at Ole Miss
at Mississippi State
at Tennessee
2027
at Vanderbilt
ALABAMA
GEORGIA
SOUTH CAROLINA
TEXAS A&M
OKLAHOMA
at Kentucky
at Missouri
at Texas
2028
VANDERBILT
at Alabama
at Georgia
OLE MISS
MISSISSIPPI STATE
TENNESSEE
at Arkansas
at Florida
at LSU
2029
at Vanderbilt
ALABAMA
GEORGIA
KENTUCKY
MISSOURI
TEXAS
at South Carolina
at Texas A&M
at Oklahoma
In this new format, each SEC team will play every other SEC school at least once every two years, and every opponent home and away for four years, making it the most fair and balanced schedule in the history of the league. The conference will remain a single-standings, non-divisional structure.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, September 22nd, 2025
A truly defining era for Auburn men's basketball has come to a close.
News surfaced this afternoon that head coach Bruce Pearl, who has served in the role for the past 11 seasons, is retiring, effective immediately. His son, Steven, the associate head coach since Bruce arrived on the Plains in 2014, will take over as interim head coach for the upcoming season.
Rumors have circulated about Pearl's interest in running for Alabama's open Senate. There has been no official word as to whether or not he will do that. His retirement concludes what was by far the most successful period in Auburn men's hoops history, as he led the Tigers to two SEC regular season titles, two SEC tournament titles, and two NCAA Tournament berths that ended one game away from a national title appearance - the one accolade Pearl failed to reach in his stint on the Plains.
The speculation of Pearl running in the political world began when Tommy Tuberville announced his plans to run in Alabama's gubernatorial race, leaving a Senate seat open. Jewish Insider reported earlier this month that Pearl would give himself until the end of the month to reach a final decision regarding his retirement.
When Pearl came to the Plains in 2014, basketball was an afterthought for a school one year removed from a national championship game appearance in football. The Tigers were in an 11-year NCAA Tournament drought and had only made it past the first weekend four times in their history. It took Pearl until his fourth season to bring his team back to the Big Dance, but once that string was broken, Auburn became a dynasty. The program only missed one NCAA Tournament in his era (not counting the canceled 2020 tournament) and became one of the most successful programs in the SEC.
That consistency led to Pearl surpassing Joel Eaves as Auburn's winningest men's basketball coach, a feat he accomplished during the 2024-25 campaign.
That's all for now. I, like the rest of the Auburn fanbase, need some time to comprehend this shocking news. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, September 21st, 2025
Auburn fought and scrapped with Oklahoma in its SEC opener in Norman yesterday, but just couldn't quite finish business. The result was a close 24-17 loss to drop the Tigers to 3-1 on the season (0-1 SEC).
The offense showed some spark in clutch moments, amassing 287 yards on the day (220 passing, 67 rushing). Perhaps if our ground attack had been more effective, we might have had a better chance for victory. Our defense was relatively solid, holding the Sooners to 303 total yards.
Our special teams, however, had a shaky day. We had one successful field goal and two made PATs by Alex McPherson. Unfortunately, a missed 50-yard FG try by Connor Gibbs and a botched punt snap by Hudson Kaak deep in our own territory hurt our mark in that department.
With all of that out of the way, let me emphasize two other figures that were just plain excessive. The first is quarterback sacks. Jackson Arnold was nailed by the Oklahoma defense 10 times. Ten times. That number just won't do any offense any favors, forcing them to bail themselves out of trouble. The offensive front needs to do some serious work in practice this week.
The other key figure is penalties. The Tigers were flagged 13 times for 85 yards. Most of them were false starts by the line. That should be a point of emphasis going forward as well.
Now I'll turn my attention to another asset of the outcome. Ordinarily, I'm not the type to criticize officiating. After all, the referees don't play the game. For years now, I've prayed on the morning of each game, and part of my prayer is for all of the calls to be fair. But yesterday's officiating was easily the worst I've seen in recent memory. I think at least one of my Facebook friends described it as "comical." That was not a bad word of choice. One play involved a no-call of a blatant pass interference against receiver Cam Coleman. Another involved failing to recognize an Oklahoma receiver nearly exiting the field on a TD play but then staying inbounds, thereby breaking a rule forbidding substitution deception. The SEC released a statement this morning that that play should have been ruled an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Sooners. The last controversial decision I can clearly recall came on a fumble-called-incompletion that Auburn's Kayin Lee returned for an apparent score in the first quarter. When I first saw the replay, it seemed quite clear to me that the ball had come out before the receiver hit the ground. But today, I've seen a couple of fans on Facebook who have maintained that his rear end had hit the ground before he lost the ball. As I write this, I honestly don't know what to make of it at this point.
Regardless of how everything was said and done, I don't think there's any denying that the officials robbed the Tigers of several critical points, and that played at least ONE pivotal role in the final outcome. When it comes to officiating, there's nothing more irritating than seeing them come down with a severe case of "home cooking." I'm afraid that's exactly what yesterday's crew fell victim to.
Auburn must now do all it can to put this disappointment out of its mind and focus on another big road trip looming next Saturday, this time to College Station to face Texas A&M. We can only hope that THAT officiating crew will be even a bit more unbiased. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, September 15th, 2025
The kickoff time and network for Auburn's game at Texas A&M in College Station on Sept. 27th have been set.
The Tigers and Aggies will square off at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN at Kyle Field. Auburn hasn't left College Station victorious since a 28-20 win in 2019 - a game in which the Tigers led by 18 on two different occasions before staving off a late Aggie rally.
On the other side of the coin, it's no secret that Texas A&M will be itching to turn the tables after being heartbroken by their 43-41 four-overtime upset loss to the Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Now, I'm not writing this year's battle down as a loss by any means. But I AM emphasizing that Hugh Freeze's club needs to be on high alert at all costs if they want to reverse their recent misfortunes at Kyle Field.
Of course, Auburn's match at Oklahoma this coming Saturday comes first. That is set for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, September 14th, 2025
Honestly, I'm not up to providing exquisite detail today, so I'm going to be fairly blunt. Auburn's 31-15 Homecoming win over South Alabama at Jordan-Hare Stadium wasn't artistic, but it did enough things right to keep this one from becoming remotely alarming.
Offensively, the Tigers had some dropped passes, but still amassed 337 yards on the day. The defense still has secondary issues, as it gave up a few big passes to the Jaguars. Fortunately, it also forced two turnovers. Plus, it halted a 15-play drive in the final quarter.
Special teams fared very well, and it was just as beneficial that South Alabama missed two extra point tries. As they say, a win is a win. That said, the Tigers still have plenty of room for improvement, especially with its SEC opener - a road trip to Oklahoma - looming next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC. I'm not going to write this one down as a loss by any means, but I do believe we're going to use last year's outcome over the Sooners - a 27-21 loss on the Plains that Auburn let slip away - as a critical motivating factor.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
Today's news is all injury-related.
First off, head coach Hugh Freeze reported yesterday that running back Durell Robinson will miss time after a "freak" injury in Auburn's 42-3 blasting of Ball State. Robinson underwent a procedure in Birmingham to remove a collection of blood from his leg on Sunday.
"Unfortunately, we lost Durell for a period of time to a freak injury," Freeze said. "He didn't really know he was hurt after the game. "Sunday morning, he had a collection of blood like I've never seen in all my years coaching on his thigh....They had to do a pretty good incision on it. So he's going to be out for a little while."
Running back Damari Alston missed the Ball State game after sustaining a minor shoulder injury against Baylor. Freeze said Alston could be in line to play this Saturday against South Alabama, but will likely be a game-time decision. Should Alston be unable to go, Jeremiah Cobb will get the starting nod for the second straight week. Cobb had 121 yards and two TDs on 11 carries against Ball State.
Finally, kicker Towns McGough, despite leaving the Ball State game, is trending toward being available this weekend. McGough tweaked his ankle on a 52-yard field goal try against the Cardinals and didn't return. Southern Miss transfer Connor Gibbs handled kickoff duties for the remainder of the night.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, September 8th, 2025
The kickoff time and network for Auburn's Week 4 match at Oklahoma have been set.
The Tigers will battle the Sooners in Norman at 2:30 p.m. CT on September 20th and will be televised by ABC. Both teams clinched crucial non-conference victories early on in this season, making this showdown even more enchanting - at least on paper. Auburn beat Baylor in Waco 38-24 in late August, while No. 23 Oklahoma upended 13th-ranked Michigan 24-13 this past Saturday. This marks Auburn's first ranked-vs.-ranked contest since a 20-3 loss at 13th-ranked Texas A&M in November of 2021. The Tigers cracked the Top 25 this past weekend for the first time since then, coming in at No. 24.
There will be numerous storylines on the table when the Tigers make their first-ever trip to Norman, especially regarding quarterback Jackson Arnold, who started eight games for the Sooners last season. He was replaced this offseason with Washington State transfer John Mateer.
Auburn's 27-21 loss to Oklahoma was one of its most disheartening, as the Tigers held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter before a Payton Thorne pick-six gave the Sooners the lead with 4:06 remaining.
Auburn is 0-3 all-time against Oklahoma, with the first two meetings coming in the 1972 and 2016 Sugar Bowls.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, September 7th, 2025
The Tigers started out a bit on the slow side, but picked up the steam - especially in the second half - and coasted to a 42-3 win over Ball State in Auburn's home opener at Jordan-Hare Stadium last night. While many may argue that the Tigers should have produced more points, their outcome was never in serious jeopardy.
One big factor was the aerial attack. Quarterback Jackson Arnold went 24-of-28 for 251 yards and three TDs, dissecting the Ball State secondary. Eric Singleton Jr. caught two of those scoring strikes, while Horatio Fields grabbed the other. The running game was equally effective, with Jeremiah Cobb rushing for 121 yards on 11 carries with two scoring jaunts that covered 46 and 45 yards, respectively. UConn transfer Durell Robinson had a 54-yard TD dash as well in mop-up duty late in the final period. All told, Auburn generated 495 total yards (271 passing, 224 rushing).
Defensively, the Tigers were outstanding, holding Ball State to just 68 total yards on the night, including just 34 in the first half (those were the fewest first-half yards the Tigers had given up since allowing Western Kentucky 11 in 2003). Auburn tallied six sacks and 14 tackles for loss. The secondary also rebounded from a rusty performance against Baylor last week, limiting the Cardinals to 72 yards in the air. Ball State went just 1-of-14 in 3rd-down conversions.
The kicking game was solid also, as Alex McPherson nailed all seven PATs. However, backup Towns McGough injured an ankle on one missed field goal try. As of this writing, I have no knowledge on his status, but I'm sure Coach Freeze will provide updates on that in the upcoming week.
Overall, the Tigers turned in a very sound performance against an overmatched squad. It was even more satisfying on a day that featured a handful of stunners, such as South Florida draining The Swamp, Mississippi State shocking Arizona State in Starkville, and Baylor knocking off then-No. 17 SMU, to name just a couple. On that note, the Tigers have cracked the Top 25 as of today, coming in at #24. They haven't been ranked since 2021.
But as we all should know, numbers and rankings mean nothing. Auburn must turn its attention to its Homecoming opponent - South Alabama - for this coming Saturday. The Jaguars have always struck me as a formidable opponent, so the Tigers would do well to be on alert. Kickoff is set for 11:45 a.m. on the SEC Network.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, September 4th, 2025
Auburn will have one less running back taking carries in its home opener against Ball State.
Head coach Hugh Freeze reported this afternoon that senior Damari Alston will not play against the Cardinals this Saturday. Freeze said earlier this week that Alston was ruled questionable due to a shoulder injury. That ailment is presumably what's keeping him sidelined this Saturday.
In Auburn's 38-24 season-opening win at Baylor, Alston was the Tigers' second-leading rusher (behind QB Jackson Arnold), tallying 84 yards on 16 carries with a TD. He has spent his entire college career with Auburn. Alston saw limited action as Jarquez Hunter's backup in 2023 and 2024, but was productive on the field. He generated 596 yards on 116 carries with five touchdowns (5.1 yards per carry).
Junior running back Jeremiah Cobb, who registered 74 yards and a TD on 16 touches against Baylor, will start in Alston's absence. Auburn and Ball State will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, September 1st, 2025
Happy Labor Day, everyone.
I don't want this news to dampen anyone's holiday, but Auburn safety Champ Anthony is expected to miss time following a broken thumb sustained against Baylor, as announced by head coach Hugh Freeze today. Freeze said that the injury will require surgery, but gave no timeline for Anthony's return.
This isn't the first time that the injury bug has bitten Anthony. He previously missed the last eight games of 2024 after a season-ending leg injury at Arkansas. Friday's win at Baylor was his first game back since suffering that injury. With Anthony sidelined, Jahquez Robinson seems most likely to step into Anthony's role. Robinson started against Baylor, but played three fewer snaps than Anthony.
Freshman Eric Winters is another possible candidate for playing time following Anthony's injury. He played 16 snaps against Baylor, but Freeze said he wouldn't be surprised to see that number increase.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
August 2025
Saturday, August 30th, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to "The Jackson Arnold Show."
In his Auburn debut, the 6-feet-1, 219-pound junior made his presence known on a sweltering night at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, doing most of the damage with his feet. He rushed for 137 yards on 16 carries with two TDs, averaging 8.6 yards per jaunt. He was almost equally effective with his arm, completing 11-of-17 throws for 108 yards. Arnold was a large portion of a 307-yard rushing performance by the Tigers.
When the final gun had sounded, Auburn had put away Baylor by a score of 38-24 to start the 2025 season - head coach Hugh Freeze's third at the helm - on the right foot. From my point of view, three particular moments played a key role in the outcome.
The first came late in the opening quarter. Baylor, who already held a 3-0 lead, had driven to a first-and-goal at Auburn's 8-yard line, largely thanks to a 57-yard pass completion. They seemed destined to increase their lead to 10. Not so fast. The Bears could only muster five yards on three rushes down to the 3. A fourth-down pass went incomplete. Early trouble had been avoided for the Orange and Blue.
The second came late in the third period. Baylor had just trimmed Auburn's lead to 24-17 with a 75-yard scoring march. The home team was right back in the thick of things. But the Tigers' Rayshawn Pleasant swung the momentum back toward the visitors in a flash. He took the ensuing kickoff at his own 2-yard line outside the right hash mark, cut to his left and didn't look back. He reached glory land 98 yards later. Touchdown, Auburn! It was the first kickoff-return TD for the Tigers since Noah Igbinoghene did it in the 2019 Outback Bowl against Minnesota. The Tigers had restored their two-touchdown lead at 31-17.
The Bears immediately retaliated, driving 79 yards for another score to cut Auburn's cushion to 31-24 with 11:48 left to play. Then Hugh Freeze's troops made certain to put this one out of reach. On the ensuing possession, the Tigers chewed up more than half of the clock, going 75 yards in 12 plays. Arnold continued to frustrate Baylor, converting three third-down situations along the way. But on a fourth-and-1 from the Bears' 27, he put the final nail in Baylor's coffin, darting home for his second touchdown. It was 38-24 with 4:32 to go. Lights out!
The defense registered four QB sacks, but also allowed 483 yards of offense to Baylor. The secondary needs to improve its pass coverage. Plus, the offensive line needs to cut back on false starts. It was also great to see Alex McPherson back with his kicking duties. He converted a 21-yard field goal as well as five extra points. Towns McGough was also efficient in kickoffs. Punter Hudson Kaak was equally sound, averaging 39.3 yards on three kicks, including a 40-yard boot.
On the whole, Auburn wasn't flawless, but it clearly did enough things right to clinch a crucial road win. The Tigers will return to the Plains next Saturday to host Ball State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
That's all for today. Until next time, have a great and safe Labor Day weekend. May the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, August 28th, 2025
As I start writing this, Auburn football's 2025 opener at Baylor is 28 hours and 10 minutes away, and that's first and foremost on the minds of all Tiger fans. However, I'm going to cover the men's basketball team's non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 campaign, which was released today.
- Oct. 15th: vs. Oklahoma State (Exhibition) Birmingham, AL
- Oct. 30th: vs. Memphis (Exhibition) Atlanta, Ga.
- Nov. 3rd: vs. Bethune-Cookman; Auburn.
- Nov. 6th: vs. Merrimack; Auburn.
- Nov. 11th: vs. Wofford; Auburn.
- Nov. 16th: vs. Houston; Birmingham, Ala.
- Nov. 19th: vs. Jackson State; Auburn.
- Nov. 24th: vs. Oregon; Las Vegas, Nev.
- Nov. 25th: vs. Michigan; Las Vegas, Nev.
- Nov. 26th: TBD; Las Vegas, Nev.
- Dec. 3rd: vs. NC State; Auburn (ACC/SEC Challenge)
- Dec. 6th: at Arizona; Tucson, Ariz.
- Dec. 13th: vs. Chattanooga; Atlanta, Ga.
- Dec. 20th: vs. Purdue; Indianapolis, Ind.
- Dec. 29th: Queens; Auburn, Ala.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
Auburn gained a 2026 pledge from the Magnolia State last night.
Bralan Womack, ranked by 247Sports as the No. 15 overall recruit and No. 1 safety in his class, gave his pledge to the Tigers on Thursday night during a live appearance on CBS Sports' college football channel on YouTube. He becomes the first 5-star recruit of the cycle to commit to the Tigers.
Womack was down to a final four of Auburn, Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M. He took an official visit to Florida on May 30th, followed by Texas A&M on June 6th, Auburn on June 13th and Ohio State on June 20th. Ultimately, Hugh Freeze's program won out. The Flowood, Miss. product from Hartfield Academy easily becomes the highest ranked recruit of the 2026 class.
An All-American Bowl selection, Womack was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Mississippi last year after leading Hartfield Academy to its second straight MAIS Class 6A title. He registered 39 tackles and eight interceptions on defense. On the offensive side, he grabbed 54 receptions for 1,045 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also scored TDs on both a punt return and a kickoff return.
Womack becomes Auburn's 13th commit for the Class of '26. He is the Tigers' fifth defensive player to commit and the second defensive back, joining Baltimore native Wayne Henry.
- One last side comment for today: News broke yesterday that starting in 2026, the SEC will switch to a 9-game conference schedule, giving each team three permanent rivalries while rotating six other opponents. I'm sure we'll keep our annual meetings with Georgia and Alabama intact, but I personally hope we get Ole Miss and Mississippi State on the docket again. Our last meetings with those squads took place in 2023. Those were both very special series to me.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, August 18th, 2025
With 11 days to go before Auburn football's 2025 season opener at Baylor, the Tigers' defensive line depth has taken an unfortunate hit.
Head coach Hugh Freeze announced today that freshman defensive lineman Antonio Coleman has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Unsurprisingly, specifics were not disclosed. The 6-feet-1, 256-pound in-state Coleman arrived on the Plains in January after also receiving offers from Alabama, Arkansas and Clemson. He was regarded by 247Sports as the nation's No. 19 defensive lineman as well as the No. 11 player from Alabama for the Class of '25.
During his high school career, Coleman recorded 153 tackles (53 for loss), 10 sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, and scored three touchdowns. He was also picked twice for the first-team Class 6A all-state team.
While the Tigers finished 5-7 last season, their defense ranked 28th nationally in points per game (21.3). Auburn will have to really step it up in the season opener at Baylor on Friday, Aug. 29th (7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET) on FOX). Baylor scored 34.4 points per game, which ranked 19th in the country. The Tigers are seeking their first winning season under Freeze, who holds an 11-14 mark in two seasons at the helm.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, August 12th, 2025
Auburn fans received a welcome relief last night regarding one of the Tigers' most elite players.
News broke on Monday evening that the domestic violence charges that were pressed against wide receiver Malcolm Simmons in Lee County this summer have been dismissed. Simmons was arrested on July 16th following an alleged domestic violence incident. He was subsequently charged with domestic violence involving strangulation or suffocation.
However, he has now been cleared less than a month after being booked. AuburnUndercover was first to report the news. Despite the circumstances, Simmons has been a participant in Auburn's fall camp over the past couple of weeks. Head coach Hugh Freeze told reporters on July 30th that Simmons had been cleared to participate in team activities amid the investigation.
Simmons is one of several talented receivers the Tigers hope will have a breakout campaign in 2025. He's expected to vie for a starting spot alongside Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton after grabbing 40 catches for 451 yards and three scores in 2024 as a true freshman.
Auburn will open the season at Baylor on August 29th.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, August 9th, 2025
The Tigers pocketed another pledge for the Class of 2026 yesterday evening.
Jase Matthews, a 4-star wide receiver from Greene County (Ala.), committed to Auburn on Friday night, picking the Tigers over programs such as LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss, among others.
Matthews, the 12th pledge for Auburn's 2026 class, is ranked as the No. 117 overall player and the No. 13 wide receiver in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Although the Tigers have struggled on the recruiting front this season, gaining players like Matthews will give a big boost to the Class of '26. The class is now ranked No. 54 nationally in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Matthews also now stands as the highest-ranked offensive player in the Class of '26.
Recruits in the Class of '26 will have the chance to officially sign with their chosen programs during the Early Signing Period in December.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, August 8th, 2025
How many more Auburn football players will get in trouble - when we're this close to the start of the season, no less?
Freshman tight end Hollis Davidson III was arrested in Georgia on a felony charge of possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, according to an arrest report obtained by AL.com. The arrest occurred on July 28th, one day before the Tigers reported for preseason camp. An Auburn spokesperson said that Davidson has been suspended from the team for "a violation of team rules."
Davidson was with the team at the start of preseason camp, but was limited in practice due to an injury. According to the arrest report, Davidson was found to be in possession of a THC vape and an unspecified amount of loose marijuana on June 19th.
Davidson was contacted by the officer at the scene when he was "found loitering at a closed business," near a black golf cart, the report said. According to the report, Davidson placed an item inside the golf cart and the officer reported smelling the odor of marijuana, constituting probable cause for a search. The vape was sent to a lab for testing and tested positive for a Delta 9 concentrate of 1.42%, the report said. A warrant was issued for Davidson's arrest on July 26th.
He was booked into the Fayette County Jail at 7:29 a.m. on July 28th, according to booking reports. Bail was set at $5,000 and he bailed out the next day on July 29th. Davidson was a 3-star recruit in Auburn's 2025 class, joining Ryan Ghea as one of two tight end signees. He becomes the third Auburn player to have been arrested in July, joining D.J. Barber (who was subsequently dismissed from the team) and Malcolm Simmons.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, August 7th, 2025
Yes, I'm still out there. But it was nice having an uneventful stretch.
The SEC unveiled its 2026 men's basketball conference schedule on Wednesday. League action will begin on Saturday, Jan. 3rd and conclude on Saturday, Mar. 7th with "Rivalry Saturday." The SEC Tournament will return to Nashville, Tenn. as Bridgestone Arena will host the event from March 11th-15th, 2026.
Each SEC team will play the other 15 league foes at least once during conference play. Three squads will be played a second time during the schedule, two of which are permanent opponents and one that will change each year. Midweek games (Tuesday or Wednesday), game times and television information will be released at a later date. Naturally, my readers are only concerned about Auburn's agenda, so here it is.
- Sat. January 3rd: Auburn at Georgia
- Jan. 6th/7th: Texas A&M at Auburn
- Sat. January 10th: Arkansas at Auburn
- Jan. 13th/14th: Auburn at Missouri
- Sat. January 17th: South Carolina at Auburn
- Jan. 20th/21st: Auburn at Ole Miss
- Sat. January 24th: Auburn at Florida
- Jan. 27th/28th: Texas at Auburn
- Saturday, Jan. 31st: Auburn at Tennessee
- Saturday, Feb. 7th: Alabama at Auburn
- Feb. 10th/11th: Vanderbilt at Auburn
- Saturday, Feb. 14th: Auburn at Arkansas
- Feb. 17th/18th: Auburn at Mississippi State
- Saturday, Feb. 21st: Kentucky at Auburn
- Feb. 24th/25th: Auburn at Oklahoma
- Saturday, Feb. 28th: Ole Miss at Auburn
- March 3rd/4th: LSU at Auburn
- Saturday, Mar. 7th: Auburn at Alabama
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
July 2025
Monday, July 21st, 2025
Auburn latched onto its 11th commitment for 2026 today.
In-state prospect Jaquez Wilkes, a four-star prospect from Wadley High, pledged to Hugh Freeze's program. According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Wilkes is the highest-ranked player in the class, the No. 90 overall player in the country and the sixth-best player in Alabama.
While he is listed as an edge rusher at 247Sports, Wilkes is expected to play linebacker for Auburn. As a junior at Wadley High, he helped lead his team to an undefeated season and 1A state title while playing on both sides of the ball. That Wadley squad was notably dominant, averaging a 38.5-point margin of victory.
Wilkes registered 10 tackles and an interception in the state championship game to go with 313 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 38 carries.
In other news.....
- Auburn has added a future non-conference opponent to its 2027 schedule. For the first time in its history, the Tigers will face off against Middle Tennessee State at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 11th of that year.
MTSU is the second known opponent on Auburn's 2027 slate, with Missouri State as the other.
The Blue Raiders are entering their second season under former Auburn defensive coordinator and former Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason. Former Auburn All-American Kendall Simmons is also serving as the Blue Raiders' offensive line coach.
MTSU joins a future Auburn non-conference agenda that includes Baylor, Ball State, South Alabama and Mercer this fall, Baylor, Southern Miss and Jacksonville State in 2026, North Alabama in 2028 and a home-and-home with Miami from 2029-30.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, July 18th, 2025
The Tigers clinched another commitment for 2026 yesterday - and he's the brother of a former Tiger.
Offensive lineman Wilson Zierer, a 4-star prospect from Rabun Gap, Ga., has pledged to Auburn and will follow in the footsteps of his brother Kilian. The elder Zierer started 15 games for the Tigers during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Wilson's pledge to Hugh Freeze's program is a double whammy as well, because he picked the Tigers over in-state rival Alabama and Florida State. According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Zierer is the No. 305 player in the Class of '26. He's also the 26th-ranked offensive tackle in the class and the No. 36 player from the Peach State.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, July 17th, 2025
More trouble struck the Auburn football program last night.
Sophomore wide receiver Malcolm Simmons was arrested on Wednesday with a charge of domestic assault with strangulation or suffocation, according to the Lee County recent arrests database. He was booked into the Lee County Jail at 6:20 p.m. Wednesday evening with his bond set at $20,000.
Auburn did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the arrest. Simmons was one of several breakout freshmen for the Tigers last season, snagging 40 receptions for 451 yards and three touchdowns. A four-star recruit out of Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, Ala., Simmons was part of the "Freeze Four" group of blue-chip receivers in the 2024 signing class.
Simmons is the second Auburn player to be arrested in the past two weeks, the first being D.J. Barber, who was arrested on multiple drug charges and subsequently dismissed from the team. Losing Simmons - temporarily or permanently - would clearly leave a major void. Only time will tell what punishment he may face.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, July 15th, 2025
Auburn football will start its fall camp earlier than usual this year.
Last night, news broke that the Tigers will begin preseason practice on July 29th - exactly one month before they kick off the 2025 campaign against Baylor in Waco, Texas. Head coach Hugh Freeze had recently announced this at an AMBUSH event in Atlanta, Ga.
Freeze additionally noted that he's pleased with what he's seen from the players and staff regarding their approach. "I couldn't be more pleased. I really couldn't," he said. "I love the chemistry I see between the quarterbacks and receivers right now. They believe in each other, it's obvious and hopefully that is shown when we start playing games."
We all have our fingers crossed that such will be the case. Otherwise, Freeze's job may be in danger. As I finish writing this, we're about four hours and 40 minutes away from his appearance today at SEC Media Days. Quarterback Jackson Arnold, center Connor Lew and edge rusher Keldrick Faulk will also represent the Tigers. Man, the adrenaline is getting serious, folks!
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, July 12th, 2025
An Auburn basketball star has run into trouble.
Point guard Tahaad Pettiford was arrested early this morning on a charge of driving under the influence (alcohol), according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office recent arrests database.
The 19-year-old Pettiford was booked into the Lee County Jail at 12 a.m. this morning before being released on $1,000 bond. After guiding the Tigers to a Final Four appearance during the 2024-25 campaign, Pettiford recently announced his return to the Plains for his sophomore season. Shortly after the Final Four, he announced his declaration for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, but returned to school despite a stellar showing at the NBA Combine.
Pettiford averaged 11.6 points and three assists per game during last season, seemingly turning in his best performances against ranked opponents. Auburn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Pettiford's arrest.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, July 10th, 2025
The Tigers have landed two commitments for 2026 in two days.
- First off, linebacker Adam Balogoun-Ali, a 6-feet-2, 205-pound product set to play for Cardinal Newman High in Florida this season, picked the Tigers over Kentucky and Missouri. According to the 247Sports Composite, Balogoun-Ali ranks as a four-star prospect, the No. 20 linebacker, the No. 46 player from Florida and the No. 298 overall prospect in the Class of '26.
Balogoun-Ali is one of the top linebackers in a heavily-recruited state, so Auburn had substantial competition to win his pledge. He had reportedly gained 35 scholarship offers. He had played for Benjamin High School last season.
- Yesterday, long snapper Travis Wakefield committed to the Tigers via X (formerly Twitter), making him the ninth pledge for Auburn's 2026 class. Wakefield is ranked by Kohl's Kicking as the seventh-best long snapper in the nation.
Wakefield plays high school at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tenn., where he also plays as a tight end and linebacker, according to his bio on X.
In other news.....
- On a less fortunate note, redshirt linebacker D'Angelo Barber has been dismissed from the team following his arrest on Monday morning on charges of drug possession. He was a three-star prospect in the Class of 2024.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
Auburn's SEC Media Days lineup has been set.
Quarterback Jackson Arnold, defensive end Keldrick Faulk and center Connor Lew will represent the Tigers with head coach Hugh Freeze next Tuesday, July 15th at the annual event in Atlanta. At this time, the time of Auburn's appearance that day is still unclear.
In other news.....
- Unfortunately, a Tiger linebacker has landed in trouble. D'Angelo Barber was arrested on drug and possession charges in Dadeville, Ala. yesterday morning according to a press release from the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force.
Barber, 19, and Marcell Brewster, 19, were arrested during a traffic stop at U.S. Highway 280 at 9 a.m. on Monday morning, the release stated. According to the release, the officers developed probable cause to search the vehicle during the stop, and located "a large amount of marijuana, a pistol and U.S. currency."
Two and a half pounds of marijuana, THC vapes, digital scales, marijuana packaging, $1,897 in U.S. currency, and a Glock 19 9 mm pistol were recovered from the vehicle, the release stated. Barber was charged with trafficking in marijuana, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Brewster was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
Barber was booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail at 10:46 a.m. Monday morning with bond currently set at $28,500. Auburn did not immediately respond when asked for comment on the arrest. The investigation into the trafficking, possession and distribution of illegal narcotics is ongoing in Tallapoosa County.
The Tigers' redshirt linebacker was a three-star commit in the Class of 2024. Barber played high school at Clay-Chalkville and was a part of the 2023 Class 6A state championship team.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, July 4th, 2025
Happy 249th Birthday, America! Happy Independence Day, Auburn fans!
The Tigers have clinched yet another commitment for 2026 today. Kentrell White, a 3-star tight end from Atlanta, Ga., pledged to Hugh Freeze's program. This gives Auburn seven commitments for the Class of 2026, which now ranks at No. 84 in the 247Sports team rankings.
The 6-feet-4, 210-pound White is ranked as the No. 65 tight end and the No. 134 player from Georgia. He picked the Tigers over Virginia Tech. Last season, he had 950 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.
Remember, folks: There's no such thing as holidays when it comes to news.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025
A four-star wide receiver will stay in the SEC to play college football - just not on the Plains.
News broke yesterday that Denairius Gray, who had previously been verbally committed to Auburn for over a year, has flipped his pledge to Kentucky. Gray, who currently attends Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna High School, is listed at 6-feet-2 and 190 pounds. According to the 247Sports Composite, he ranks as the No. 41 player in the Sunshine State, the No. 44 wide receiver and the No. 268 overall prospect in the Class of 2026.
Gray's recruitment has been active for more than two years. The Miami Hurricanes were the first to extend a scholarship offer in November 2022. Things picked up in March 2023 when Florida, Auburn, LSU, Louisville and Florida State extended offers. Kentucky joined the string in May of 2023. Gray, however, made an early verbal pledge to Auburn on Jan. 1st, 2024, almost two years out from his first chance to sign.
However, Gray's decision did not hinder his recruitment. As of now, he has 38 scholarship offers. In recent weeks, Gray visited Kentucky, Auburn, Washington, NC State and Ole Miss. Ultimately, he decided that Lexington is where he will stay to play college football.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, July 1st, 2025
A former Aggie is heading to the Plains.
Jacoby Matthews, a former top-40 prospect in the Class of 2022 who started his career at Texas A&M, is transferring to Auburn. According to On3's Jeffrey Lee, Matthews indicated he'll become a Tiger later this month.
Matthews was a highly sought-after recruit out of Ponchatoula (Louisiana) High School. According to the 247Sports Composite, he ranks as a 4-star prospect, the No. 2 safety, the No. 3 player in Louisiana and No. 39 prospect overall in the Class of 2022.
After garnering 31 scholarship offers, Matthews took visits to Florida, LSU, Texas and Texas A&M. Ultimately, the Aggies won his pledge. He spent his first two college seasons there. Playing under D.J. Durkin's defense, he recorded 66 total tackles (46 solo), 8 pass breakups and an interception over 21 games. After the 2023 season concluded, he transferred from Texas A&M. After a year at junior college, he is coming to the Plains and will reunite with Durkin.
According to Lee, Matthews has two seasons of eligibility remaining and will immediately be eligible to play for the 2025 season.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
June 2025
Thursday, June 26th, 2025
The Tigers have landed another flipped commitment for 2026, this time a quarterback formerly from Penn State.
Four-star signal caller Peyton Falzone gave his pledge to Auburn this afternoon, according to 247Sports. Falzone is the No. 208 overall recruit in the 2026 cycle, and the No. 8 athlete in the class. He's also the No. 5 recruit in Pennsylvania.
As a junior, he threw for 2,135 yards and 23 touchdowns with four picks. He also ran 78 times for 697 yards and eight more scores. Falzone is Auburn's seventh pledge for 2026, and the class ranks No. 77 in the country according to 247Sports.
He is set to join a quarterback room with former five-stars in junior Jackson Arnold, freshman Deuce Knight and Ashton Daniels.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
Auburn's newest pledge for the Class of 2026 is one of the historic variety: An offensive lineman from New Zealand.
Nikau Hepi, a 3-star prospect, announced today that he would head to the Plains for his college career. Hepi has been developed by the NFL Academy Asia-Pacific campus and is now the first player from that program to ever commit to a United States college.
At 6-foot-7, Hepi has the potential to be an early contributor upon his arrival at Auburn. He also had an offer from Florida State and took a trip to Tallahassee earlier this month, but ultimately opted to commit to Hugh Freeze's program. According to the 247Sports Composite, he ranks as the No. 852 overall player and the No. 72 offensive tackle in the nation for the Class of 2026.
Hepi becomes the sixth player to pledge to the Class of '26. At this point, the Tigers are a bit behind their peers in this class, but they still have plenty of time to gain more pledges before the Early Signing Period begins in December.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, June 23rd, 2025
More bad news came for Auburn's 2026 class today.
Devin Carter, a 4-star wide receiver from Douglas County, Ga., has de-committed from the Tigers and flipped to Florida State. He had pledged to the Tigers in January of this year at the Navy All-American Bowl, but continued receiving interest from the likes of Florida State where he was previously committed (and is also a legacy), Georgia, North Carolina and others.
Listed at just over 6-foot and 175 pounds, Carter is ranked as the No. 135 player, No. 15 wide receiver and No. 13 player from Georgia. He took his summer official visits to those schools and wrapped it up at Auburn, saying he was locked in after that trip.
Even so, FSU had been the team trending during his recruitment. He had been committed to the Seminoles from April of 2023 to January of 2024 before re-opening his recruitment. But FSU has stayed relevant and gotten him and his dad, Dexter, back on campus for numerous visits this year.
This news comes a day after Auburn lost its pledge by linebacker Shadarius Toodle, who flipped to Georgia on Sunday. The Tigers' 2026 class is now down to five commitments.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, June 22nd, 2025
For the second time in two weeks, Auburn football's 2026 recruiting class is down a linebacker.
News surfaced today that Shadarius Toodle, a 4-star linebacker and Mobile, Ala. native, has flipped his pledge from the Tigers to Georgia. Toodle, who currently attends Cottage Hill Christian Academy, posted his decision on X (formerly Twitter), re-posting his flip announcement from On3's Hayes Fawcett.
Toodle originally committed to Auburn on July 27th, 2024 during the Tigers' annual Big Cat recruiting weekend. However, the Bulldogs' interest in him seemed to mount this year, capped off with a visit to Athens on May 16th, according to 247Sports. When Toodle spoke with AL.com after South Alabama's 7-on-7 tournament on June 17th, he said he was still committed to the Tigers, but noted that Georgia, Michigan and Baylor were still recruiting him.
"I'm still talking it over with my family," he said at the time. "We feel strongly about Auburn, but we have to look at all the options and make sure that is the best situation." Less than a week later, Georgia now has his pledge, bringing Auburn's 2026 class down to six commitments. His flip comes 10 days after JaMichael Garrett, a fellow 4-star linebacker, de-committed from the Tigers himself.
With Auburn's 2026 class now down another player, it ranks 60th in the nation according to the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, June 18th, 2025
Bruce Pearl's troops will look to build off of last year's Final Four loss to Florida, despite rolling out a mostly new roster in the 2025-26 season.
The SEC announced Auburn's (and the rest of the league's) home and road opponents today. The Tigers' three home-and-away opponents will be Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Two of those - Alabama and Ole Miss - are duplicates from last year. That means Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt will play Auburn once at Neville Arena.
The Tigers will battle Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee just once on the road. Dates and times for Auburn's conference matches will be announced at a later date.
- Home/Away: Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss
- Home: Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
- Away: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, June 12th, 2025
After clinching two commitments this week, Auburn football's 2026 class took an unfortunate hit today.
Four-star linebacker JaMichael Garrett de-committed from Hugh Freeze's program, announcing his decision today on X. This brings the Tigers' 2026 class down to seven pledges. Garrett had been committed to Auburn since July 27th, 2024, announcing his original pledge during last year's Big Cat Weekend. He's ranked by 247Sports as the No. 158 overall player in the nation and the eighth-best linebacker.
Currently attending Central High School in Baton Rouge, La., Garrett has 30 total offers, including from Texas A&M, Miami, Ole Miss, LSU and many others.
Despite this unfortunate news, Auburn's 2026 class ranks 50th in the country, according to the 247Sports recruiting team rankings.
In other news.....
- Auburn men's basketball's ACC/SEC Challenge opponent was announced today - and that will be an SEC coaching reunion of sorts.
The Tigers will battle NC State, creating a matchup between Bruce Pearl and NC State coach Will Wade, who previously coached at LSU from 2017-2022. This game is set for Dec. 3rd in Neville Arena.
Auburn took on Duke in last year's ACC/SEC Challenge, losing to the Blue Devils 84-78 in Cameron Indoor Stadium. During Wade's LSU tenure, Pearl was 3-2 against him on Auburn's sideline. Their last matchup took place during the 2021-22 campaign, a 70-55 Tiger victory in Neville Arena.
NC State is coming off a 12-19 season last year, which resulted in former head coach Kevin Keatts being fired one year after he led the Wolfpack to the Final Four.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, June 11th, 2025
Today, the SEC released time windows for Auburn's nine remaining football games for the 2025 season, so fans can start planning properly. (Please note that "windows" is the key word here.)
Designated broadcast windows include early (11 a.m.-noon CT), afternoon (2:30-3:30 CT), night (5-7 p.m. CT) and flex (2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. CT).
Auburn's conference opener at Oklahoma on Sept. 20th received a flex designation, as did home games against Missouri on Oct. 18th, Kentucky on Nov. 1st and the Iron Bowl against Alabama on Nov. 29th.
The Tigers' road game at Texas A&M on Sept. 27th will begin in the afternoon (2:30-3:30 p.m. CT). The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry against Georgia in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 11th will have a night kick (5-7 p.m. CT), marking the first primetime home game against UGA since 2012.
Auburn's road game at Arkansas on Oct. 25th will kick off early (11 a.m.-noon CT) and the away match at Vanderbilt on Nov. 8th will have an afternoon start (2:30-3:30 p.m. CT). The Tigers' final non-conference game at home against Mercer on Nov. 22nd will have an afternoon kick at 1 p.m. CT (ESPN+/SECN+).
Exact start times within the designated windows (morning, afternoon, night and flex) and network designations will be determined during the season, no later than six days prior. On May 29th, the SEC announced times and networks for the first three games of this coming season, including the season opener at Baylor on Friday, Aug. 29th at 7 p.m. CT on FOX. Game 2 is the home opener against Ball State and will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU, and the third match is the Homecoming game with South Alabama at 11:45 a.m. CT on the SEC Network on Sept. 13th.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, June 9th, 2025
Today, we got just the type of news that I was personally waiting for. Auburn football got two commitments - one for 2026 and the other for 2027.
- First off, three-star athlete Eric Perry out of DeSoto Central High in Mississippi, announced his pledge on social media today. Perry ranks as the No. 125 athlete in the country and the No. 52 player in the state of Mississippi, according to 247Sports.
Perry plays quarterback for DeSoto Central and passed for 866 yards and four touchdowns during his junior season in 2024, while adding another 880 yards and 11 scores on the ground. He becomes Auburn's eighth commitment for 2026 but is the lowest-ranked in the class, according to 247Sports. Perry is the third skill position player to pledge to the Tigers for 2026, joining wide receivers Devin Carter and Denairius Gray.
- Second, Jaylen Scott, a 4-star safety from Mobile, Ala., pledged to the Tigers for 2027 today. He had previously committed to Florida State. He is Auburn's first pledge for '27 and a top 15 safety in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Scott is a 6-foot, 165-pound product out of Williamson High.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
May 2025
Friday, May 30th, 2025
Auburn fans can start making their plans for at least the first three games of the upcoming 2025 football season.
The Tigers' third season under head coach Hugh Freeze will kick off on Friday, Aug. 29th at Baylor with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT on FOX.
In Game 2, Auburn will hold its home opener against Ball State in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 6th. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Week 3 is designated as the Homecoming match against South Alabama, slated for a morning kickoff at 11:45 a.m. CT on the SEC Network.
The Tigers hope to reverse their fortunes this year after coming off two straight losing seasons under Freeze.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, May 29th, 2025
I'm in super short and sweet mode today. Here are two major bits of news on the men's basketball front.
- Yesterday, news broke that Tahaad Pettiford has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will return to the Plains for the 2025-26 season. That may very well boost the Tigers' chances of playing for all the marbles again.
- Secondly, Filip Jovic, a 6-foot-9 forward who is a Serbian, has committed to Bruce Pearl's squad. He averaged 12.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.5 blocks in 22.2 minutes per game last season for KK Mega Bemax.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, May 21st, 2025
Yes, I'm still out there.
Personally, I'm just not a baseball fan. Never have been, never will be. But there has been a significant rescheduling that I need to pass along. Word broke last night that Auburn would no longer begin the SEC Tournament on Tuesday evening as previously scheduled due to inclement weather.
Storms in the Hoover area on Tuesday caused the Tuesday night game between Mississippi State and Texas A&M to be pushed back to Wednesday morning, thereby affecting the rest of the schedule. Each game originally slated for Wednesday was pushed back one time slot, which pushed Auburn's game from Wednesday night back to Thursday morning at 11 a.m.
Auburn's second-round match Thursday morning will be against the winner of this morning's game between Mississippi State and Texas A&M. It will be televised on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, May 1st, 2025
An eighth Tiger has entered the transfer portal.
Yesterday, reports surfaced that reserve tight end Rico Walker, who transferred to the Plains from Maryland last year, is moving on. He played in five games with Auburn. In eight games the season before with the Terrapins, he caught four passes for 27 yards. Walker was listed as a 4-star recruit in the 2023 cycle.
As fall camp approaches, Brandon Frazier and Preston Howard are the possible starters at tight end for the Tigers. Tate Johnson, a converted offensive lineman, will get blocking purposes at that position, which unfortunately leaves no room for Walker in the rotation.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
April 2025
Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
A piece of Auburn men's hoops roster for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign has been secured.
UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall withdrew from the NBA Draft, confirming his status on next season's roster. The NBA released its official list of 106 players who have filed as early candidates for the draft yesterday, and Hall was not among them.
Hall originally declared for the draft on March 25th and entered the transfer portal three days later. That subsequently led him to the Tigers, becoming Bruce Pearl and the staff's first commitment out of the portal. Hall led the Big 12 in scoring at UCF last season, averaging 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The 6-feet-7, 235-pound product can play multiple spots for the Tigers.
With Hall now returning to the Plains, the Tigers are still awaiting a decision from one more returning player. Tahaad Pettiford's name was included on the list after he declared for the draft while maintaining his college eligibility after Auburn's Final Four exit against Florida. Pettiford has until May 28th to withdraw from the draft and retain his college eligibility.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
This is a short and sweet report.
Reports surfaced today that Auburn is expected to land a transfer quarterback from Troy. Matthew Caldwell, a former Auburn High standout, is expected to join Hugh Freeze's program.
The 6-feet-4 product threw for 1,608 yards and 13 scores while also tossing eight INTs in 2024. He is expected to add more depth to an already strong QB room. I just looked at several Facebook comments, and some fans have already labeled him as another Payton Thorne. Let's all hope that that doesn't come true.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, April 25th, 2025
A reserve offensive lineman has entered the transfer portal.
News broke this morning that Jaden Muskrat is on the move from Hugh Freeze's program. In five college seasons at Auburn and Tulsa, Muskrat has appeared in 45 games, including 10 starts, as an offensive tackle. That includes each of the 25 games - with one start - in the past two seasons with the Tigers.
A native of Berryhill, Oklahoma, Muskrat played high school ball at Bentonville West in Centerton, Ark. after previously playing at Choctaw (OK). According to the On3 Industry Ranking, he was a top-3,000 prospect as a three-star recruit in the 2020 cycle. He also rated as a Top-30 player in the state of Arkansas.
Muskrat is the sixth transfer for the spring cycle for Auburn. He joins defensive back CJ Johnson, offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner (Purdue), DB Terrance Love (Colorado), cornerback J.C. Hart (Utah) and cornerback Tyler Scott (Georgia State). Those come after adding defensive lineman James Ash (Florida A&M), CB Rayshawn Pleasant (Tulane), LB Caleb Wheatland (Maryland) and LB Jay Hardy (Liberty).
All that said, according to On3's 2025 Team Transfer Portal Rankings, Auburn's class ranks No. 6 in the nation with 20 additions and, because of this, 24 subtractions for the program.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, April 24th, 2025
Auburn football got another transfer commitment yesterday.
Rayshawn Pleasant, a cornerback who formerly played for Tulane, announced his pledge to the Tigers yesterday. He also visited USC while in the portal for the spring window, but has decided on the Plains as his new home. Pleasant has two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting in 2022 and playing in 2023 and 2024 for Tulane.
Pleasant registered five tackles in nine games in 2023 before entering a bigger role last season. For the 2024 campaign, he amassed 35 tackles, four pass breakups, a 100-yard pick-six, a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss. Pleasant also shined as Tulane's kick returner, averaging 34.5 yards per return on 13 attempts, including two returned for TDs.
After losing both JC Hart and Tyler Scott to the transfer portal, cornerback became a stronger point of emphasis for defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff and the rest of the staff. True freshman Devin Williams tore an ACL in spring practice. Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford return as projected starters from last year's team, with Miami-Ohio transfer Raion Strader arriving in the previous portal window and vying with them for a starting job.
Pleasant is the fourth addition for Auburn in the spring transfer portal window, joining defensive linemen James Ash and Jay Hardy and linebacker Caleb Wheatland.
As a closing note, Happy Birthday, Mama! I love you so much!
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, April 21st, 2025
A defensive lineman is coming to the Plains - for the second time.
Jay Hardy, who spent the past four seasons at Liberty, will return to Auburn for his final college football season. In his time at Liberty, he recorded 54 tackles (seven for loss), 2 sacks and 3 batted passes.
At Auburn, Hardy redshirted in 2020, making his debut against Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl. While he's returning to the Plains, the decision is arguably more about the coaching staff. After the 2020 campaign, Hardy transferred to Liberty and played for Hugh Freeze's program in 2021 and '22. Since Freeze brought many of his Liberty staffers to Auburn with him, Hardy will be very excited to see familiar faces in his second stint as a Tiger.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Hardy played in 34 games over the past 3 seasons at Liberty after redshirting in 2021. His best season came in 2023 when he recorded 31 tackles with five for loss and two sacks in 14 contests.
This time around, Hardy comes to the Plains free of controversy. His original commitment was shrouded in controversy when Hardy was not announced as an AU signee during the Early Signing Period in December of 2019. But in January of 2020, Hardy was confirmed to be an Auburn signee amid rumors of a potential flip to Tennessee.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, April 20th, 2025
It's not common for me to write a post on Easter Sunday, but the simple fact is that news never takes a holiday - especially when it comes to recruiting in the sports arena. The Auburn football program gained two transfer commitments today.
The first is former Austin Peay offensive lineman Malachi Harris. Auburn wasn't exactly intending to add a transfer offensive lineman from the portal this spring. Head coach Hugh Freeze said that the Tigers were "pretty set" on that side of the ball, barring any unforeseen departures. But perhaps things changed course when Bradyn Joiner announced his plans to enter the portal earlier this week.
With Joiner moving on, the path was cleared for the Tigers to pursue Harris as it strives for depth at the line. Harris, an Alabama native, played one season at Austin Peay before entering the portal. He played in 10 games for Austin Peay and will have three years of eligibility left with Auburn.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Harris was the No. 128 interior offensive lineman in the country for the Class of 2024. He attended Jemison High School in Anniston, Ala. He's the older brother of 4-star edge Tiger commit Hezekiah Harris.
- Auburn's second transfer pledge of the day came at the linebacker spot. Caleb Wheatland, a former Maryland Terrapin, is coming to the Plains as well. Wheatland amassed 100 tackles and was a three-year contributor for the Terps before opting to enter the portal earlier this offseason.
Head coach Hugh Freeze hinted at this addition when sharing Auburn's transfer portal approach with reporters earlier this month. "I really like our young linebackers," he told reporters recently. "Could we use one that has some experience? If one's available, probably so."
Wheatland brings plenty of experience and production to a room of talented linebackers including Demarcus Riddick, Xavier Atkins, DJ Barber, JJ Faulk, Elijah Melendez and Bryce Deas. Wheatland earned an overall grade of 67.5 in 2024, per Pro Football Focus. He graded out as Maryland's second-best linebacker (minimum of 400 snaps).
The Tigers now have 18 transfer commitments thus far this offseason. Their 2025 class ranks No. 7 in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
That's all for now. Always remember that Jesus Christ is the reason for not only Easter, but also for our everyday lives! Without Him and the sacrifice He made to save us all from our sins, we are worthless and useless!
Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, April 19th, 2025
Yet another player in Auburn's football program is entering the transfer portal - this time a wide receiver.
This past Wednesday, Dylan Gentry announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal. He joins a recent string of Tigers to leave the team, including safeties Terrance Love and C.J. Johnson, cornerback J.C. Hart and offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner. Gentry will have all four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting in 2024.
Wednesday marked the first day of the spring portal window being open. Gentry and the rest of the departing players will have until April 25th to find a new team when the window closes again. Gentry came to the Plains as a walk-on over offers from Florida A&M and Albany State. However, he didn't see any action in his freshman campaign with the Tigers.
The three-star receiver out of Phenix City (Ala.) Central High was rated as the 279th-best wide receiver recruit in the nation and the 114th-best recruit in the state of Alabama for the Class of 2024. He is the latest Auburn receiver to move on after the Tigers lost their top wideout in senior KeAndre Lambert-Smith to graduation and the 2025 NFL Draft.
Fortunately, head coach Hugh Freeze balanced that out by clinching two transfer wide receivers in Georgia Tech's Eric Singleton Jr. - the top transfer in the winter window - and Wake Forest transfer Horatio Fields. Both will join sophomores Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson and Malcolm Simmons to form a dynamic receivers room. The trio of returning sophomores left little space for Gentry to climb up in the depth chart.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, April 18th, 2025
Happy Good Friday, everyone.
Chad Baker-Mazara, who was granted an extra year of eligibility due to the NCAA's JUCO ruling, announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal yesterday morning. He was one of Auburn's top players this past season, finishing second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game. He started 34 of the Tigers' 38 contests after starting just nine the season prior.
Baker-Mazara is the second player to enter the transfer portal since the season concluded, joining Jahki Howard. Both of them play the same position on the wing, making the recent additions of Keyshawn Marshall and Abdul Bashir even more pivotal.
With Baker-Mazara moving on, Auburn currently returns none of the players from its previous rotation last season. Tahaad Pettiford is most likely to change that, having declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
In other news......
- On the more fortunate side, the Tigers gained a transferring guard from Texas Tech yesterday. Kevin Overton, a 6-foot-5 product from Oklahoma City, is headed to the Plains. Overton averaged nearly 8 points and 4 rebounds per game and shot 33 percent from 3-point range as a Red Raider last season.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, April 16th, 2025
- Bruce Pearl got a commitment from the JUCO ranks today for Auburn men's hoops. Emeka Opurum, a 7-footer from Butler Community College, averaged 9.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. He was also named the KJCC Defensive Player of the Year.
Opurum is now the Tigers' second JUCO transfer of this cycle, joining high-scoring guard Abdul Bashir out of Casper College in Wyoming. It also comes one day after Auburn landed former Mississippi State phenom KeShawn Murphy from the transfer portal. The Tigers played with two centers last year, so Murphy and Opurum playing together is by no means an impossibility.
Auburn is now up to seven incoming players for the 2025-26 season, after losing most of its core from this past season. Aside from Opurum and Bashir out of the JUCO ranks, the Tigers have also added Murphy and Keyshawn Hall from the portal, and incoming freshman Kaden Magwood, Sebastian Williams-Adams and Simon Walker.
In other news.....
- Offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal yesterday. Joiner ranked as the No. 508 overall player in the Class of 2023, the No. 46 interior offensive lineman and the No. 23 player in the state of Alabama, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He is a three-star prospect.
Joiner worked his way into a starting spot. He saw action against Alabama A&M in the opener, then had his first start against Kentucky later in the season. He would go on to start each game in the remainder of the season. Joiner was then named to the SEC all-freshman team in 2024.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, April 14th, 2025
A second safety is moving on from Hugh Freeze's program.
Redshirt sophomore C.J. Johnson told On3's Hayes Fawcett today that he plans to enter the transfer portal. Terrance Love made the same decision this past Saturday. The spring portal window opens on April 16th. Johnson had previously entered the portal during the winter window, but ultimately opted to return to the Plains for spring practice. Now he'll go back to looking for a new home.
Johnson did not see action in either of his two seasons with Auburn. He signed with the Tigers prior to the 2023 season, playing high school ball in Paetow High School in Katy, Texas. With Johnson and Love's departures, Auburn's safety room now consists of Kaleb Harris, Sylvester Smith, Jahquez Robinson, Taye Seymore, AnQuon Fegans, Eric Winters, Kensley Louidor-Faustin and A'mon Lane-Ganus.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, April 12th, 2025
- Safety Terrance Love told On3 this afternoon that he plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens for the spring window on April 16th.
The junior played two seasons with the Tigers, but never saw regular action. He played in 10 contests in 2024, recording just one tackle. During his freshman campaign in 2023, Love played in 11 games, recording six tackles and a pass breakup.
The good news is that Auburn got a boost to its safety room this offseason, adding blue-chip prospects Eric Winters and AnQuon Fegans, as well as Georgia Tech transfer Taye Seymore. The Tigers will have chances to add more players from the portal starting on April 16th.
- Auburn also got some bad news on the injury front. Freshman cornerback Devin Williams suffered a torn ACL in spring camp and is not expected to play in 2025, as reported by Auburn Undercover's Nathan King. This is the second straight offseason in which a young Auburn corner has sustained a serious knee injury and missed the season because of it. Last year, Tyler Scott hurt his knee in the spring and missed all of 2024.
Despite this news, the Tigers still have major depth at cornerback with players like Kayin Lee, Jay Crawford, Raion Strader and fellow freshman Blake Woodby. Lee and Crawford are both returning starters from last year's team and each logged more than 500 snaps in 2024.
Williams was a major recruit for Auburn in the class of 2025 and still has a promising future. According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, he was the No. 367 player overall and the No. 35 cornerback in the country for the Class of '25.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
A freshman is moving on from Auburn hoops.
Forward Jahki Howard will enter the transfer portal after one season with Bruce Pearl's squad. A four-star recruit from Atlanta, Ga., Howard averaged just over four points in 9 minutes per game this season, shooting 41% from three-point range. As I write this, I've already seen more than a few unfriendly comments about him on Facebook. I'm in no position to judge, but I wish him the best in the future regardless.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, April 7th, 2025
Point guard Tahaad Pettiford turned in a dazzling freshman campaign with Bruce Pearl's troops this season. But now it looks like he wants to test the NBA Draft waters during this offseason.
Pettiford is the 39th overall draft prospect on ESPN's board, but he will maintain his college eligibility and could still return to the Plains next season. In fact, he hinted at that potential yesterday when he said "I hope to come back next year and run it back again."
Although he had just one start for Auburn this season, he still became the team's 3rd-leading scorer, amassing 11.6 points per game. He was also effective from 3-point range at 36.6% on the season and eclipsed Johni Broome during March Madness to lead the Tigers with 3 assists per game. As this season progressed, Pearl vehemently praised the 5-star point guard for his willingness to come off the bench early on. That team-first attitude paid big dividends as he came through in key moments of the season.
Pettiford scored 21 points early in the season in a victory over Houston, a team that will face Florida tonight for the national title. He broke the 20-point mark six times in a contest this season, including against Duke and twice in the NCAA Tournament in wins over Creighton and Michigan.
Now we shall see if Pettiford can clinch a spot in the pros - or if he wants to don the orange and blue again for at least one more year.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, April 6th, 2025
Sadly, the Tigers came up on the short end of the stick yesterday in the first all-SEC shootout in Final Four history, losing to Florida 79-73 in the national semifinals in the Alamodome. That was undoubtedly a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise historic season.
Despite holding a 46-38 lead at intermission, Auburn could not sustain the momentum over the final 20 minutes, as the Gators (35-4) outscored the Tigers 41-27 and out-rebounded them by 10 over that span as well. Worse yet, Auburn committed 12 second-half turnovers (14 in total). Florida's Walter Clayton frustrated the Tigers, tallying 34 points on the day, 20 of which came in the second half.
Chad Baker-Mazara led Auburn with 18 points. But in my mind, the two main factors that shot us down were foul trouble and missed 3-pointers, especially down the stretch when they mattered most. While this season will certainly be viewed as a missed opportunity, it should also be regarded as one that will always be cherished. The Tigers went 32-6 on the year, clinching an SEC regular-season championship. They also spent eight weeks atop the AP poll, set a program record for victories and secured the program's second Final Four berth in history (the first coming in 2019). With Bruce Pearl in charge, the future is only brighter.
In other news.....
- Some more fortunate news broke on the football front yesterday, as the Tigers gained a commitment from the Peach State for 2026.
Parker Pritchett, a 3-star offensive lineman from Carver High School in Columbus (Ga.), pledged to Hugh Freeze and the Tigers via X. According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Pritchett is the No. 55 interior offensive lineman in the country. He joins a '26 class that now includes seven players, including Jemison (Ala.) product Hezekiah Harris, the nation's No. 11 edge rusher, and New Orleans' JaMichael Garrett, the No.8-ranked linebacker. Pritchett is the first offensive lineman commit to this class.
Auburn is hoping to bounce back this fall after two straight lackluster seasons under Freeze. The Tigers went 6-7 in 2023 and lost to Maryland in the Music City Bowl. Last year, they went 5-7 and missed the postseason. However, the 2025 high school recruiting class is a strong one, ranked No. 6 in the country. It includes Malik Autry, the No. 4 defensive lineman nationally. The Tigers also added transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) as they aim to address what is most likely the biggest question mark in a string of needs.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, April 4th, 2025
Auburn punched its ticket to the Final Four for just the second time in program history with a 70-64 victory over Michigan State in the South Region Final this past Sunday. For the Spartans, it was head coach Tom Izzo's first loss in 11 NCAA Tournaments against SEC foes.
A large factor in the outcome regarded Johni Broome's persistence. Although he went down with an elbow injury in the second half, he returned more than five minutes later, determined not to let that slow him down. He finished the game with 25 points and 14 rebounds, his 21st double-double of the season.
After MSU grabbed a two-point lead early on, the Tigers responded with a 17-0 run, their second-longest run of the season (surpassed by an 18-0 run against Monmouth).
Auburn will now focus on the Florida Gators, who will tangle with the Tigers tomorrow at 5:09 p.m. CT on CBS. Bruce Pearl's squad looks to rebound from a 90-81 defeat to Florida on Feb. 8th.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
March 2025
Saturday, March 29th, 2025
In a nutshell, top-seeded Auburn's 78-65 win over No. 5-seeded Michigan last night was nothing short of exhilarating. For much of the game, the Tigers and Wolverines were tossing the lead and momentum back and forth. It was especially enthralling knowing how rusty both teams were in the early going. The Tigers out-rebounded Michigan 29-17 in the first half, enabling them to stay in the thick of it despite 10 first-half turnovers and 32.4 percent shooting. By the end of the night, Auburn had a 48-33 advantage in boards.
However, it was a 34-8 run by Auburn in the second half ultimately put this one away, allowing the Tigers to advance to the Elite Eight to take on Michigan State in the South Regional final. The Spartans rallied from behind to beat Ole Miss yesterday. Tipoff between Auburn and Michigan State tomorrow is set for 4:05 p.m. CT on CBS.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, March 22nd, 2025
Once again, I'm in super-blunt mode today, so I'm just going to keep this simple.
Auburn's 83-63 win over Alabama State on Thursday wasn't nearly as easy as the final score might suggest. Even head coach Bruce Pearl acknowledged the lack of effort, focus and energy - save for Miles Kelly, at least. He was the catalyst for the Tiger offense in this one. Kelly posted 23 points on the day, including seven 3-pointers, the latter of which tied Bryce Brown's single-game record in treys against Kansas in 2019 during Auburn's Final Four run.
However, it takes more than one player to win a game, and if the Tigers want to advance to the Sweet 16, the whole team will have to pitch in and do its part against 9th-seeded Creighton tonight. Tipoff is set for 6:10 p.m. CT on TBS and truTV (note the simulcast on both networks).
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, March 19th, 2025
Yes, I'm still alive.
But today's post will only focus on a small bit of news on the basketball front. Auburn will take on Alabama State tomorrow in its first round of the NCAA Tournament. Tipoff is set for 1:50 p.m. CT on CBS.
Yesterday, Alabama State edged past St. Francis in a thrilling 70-68 decision on a game-winning layup with seven-tenths of a second remaining. Man, they don't call it March Madness for nothing, do they?
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, March 7th. 2025
Auburn football's 2025 season will now kick off a day sooner than originally scheduled.
The Tigers will take on Baylor on Friday, Aug. 29th in Waco, Texas instead of the previously-scheduled date of Saturday, Aug. 30th. Auburn struggled in 2024 under second-year head coach Hugh Freeze, going just 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the SEC, but there seems to be considerable intrigue surrounding the '25 campaign. Hopefully, this newly-scheduled season opener will draw even more national attention.
Pressure is mounting for Freeze to return the Tigers to a winning program in the conference, and that task will start in Waco a night earlier than first slated. One element of excitement centers around Oklahoma transfer QB Jackson Arnold, who is now on the Plains following a roller-coaster tenure with the Sooners. His transfer to Auburn has been met with great anticipation, and he could get a quick jump into being the starter if everything goes according to plan this offseason.
In other news.....
- The men's basketball team was clearly ill-prepared in its 83-72 upset loss at Texas A&M in College Station this past Tuesday night. Auburn will look to bounce back when it hosts Alabama in Neville Arena on Saturday in its regular-season finale. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, March 1st, 2025
The top-ranked Tigers have clinched the SEC regular-season crown following a 94-78 whipping at 17th-ranked Kentucky in Rupp Arena this afternoon. The outright title was confirmed following Tennessee's buzzer-beating win over Alabama. Auburn hadn't won on the hardwood floor in Lexington since 1988 when they notched a thrilling 53-52 decision on a John Caylor trey with nine seconds left.
This time around, however, Bruce Pearl's troops didn't need anything close to such heroics. Miles Kelly led the Tigers with 30 points, including nine 3-pointers. The defense was equally impressive, forcing 18 Wildcat turnovers and holding UK to four 3-pointers in 17 tries. Auburn only trailed in the contest for 19 seconds.
The only downer in all of this centered around ABC's telecast of the game. The broadcast went out with just over 12 minutes left in the game and didn't return until the game's closing minutes. According to one article I came across, a generator in Rupp Arena caught on fire. When the broadcast finally resumed, it took place on ESPNEWS. Regardless of the circumstances, countless Auburn fans were not pleased.
Hopefully, all viewers will have a much more pleasant experience when the Tigers return to action this coming Tuesday night in another road match, this time at Texas A&M in College Station. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
February 2025
Thursday, February 27th, 2025
Auburn men's hoops has set a home-and-home series with Arizona starting in 2025-26, the schools announced today.
The first match is set for Dec. 6th, 2025, in Tucson. The return game will be held in Auburn on a to-be-determined date early in the 2026-27 campaign. Arizona joins a tough 2025-26 non-conference slate for the Tigers, who face Houston in Birmingham, Purdue in Indianapolis, and has also committed to play in the Players Era Men's Championship in Las Vegas. The Players Era field includes Alabama, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and St. John's, among others.
Auburn and Arizona have met just twice before in men's basketball, with the Tigers winning both contests. Auburn won 73-63 in the first round of the 1986 NCAA Tournament in Long Beach, Calif.. and 73-57 as part of the 2018 Maui Invitational.
The Tigers are 26-2 overall and 14-1 in the SEC after a 106-76 thumping of Ole Miss last night. Auburn will travel to Lexington to face Kentucky on Saturday at noon CT in a game televised by ABC. Meanwhile, Arizona is ranked 22nd in the nation, and is 19-9 overall and 13-4 in its first year as a member of the Big 12. The Wildcats have made four Final Four appearances, winning a national championship in 1997.
In other news.....
- As noted above, Auburn drubbed Ole Miss 106-76 in Neville Arena last night in a game in which the Tigers never trailed. Johni Broome, true to form, led the Tigers with 24 points and nine rebounds, adding four assists and two blocked shots. The defense forced 10 Ole Miss turnovers. Not a bad way to wrap up a three-game home stretch. Now, as noted above as well, the Tigers will travel to the Bluegrass State to take on Kentucky in Lexington on Saturday at noon CT on ABC.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, February 23rd, 2025
When Auburn last faced Georgia five weeks ago in Athens, the Tigers were without Johni Broome due to an ankle injury.
This time around in Neville Arena, things were quite the contrary. Broome scored a career-high 31 points (19 of which came in the second half) to go with 14 rebounds and four assists to guide the home-standing Tigers to an 82-70 win over the Bulldogs. That was Broome's 17th double-double of the season. With just two weeks left in the regular season, Bruce Pearl's squad now enjoys a two-game lead in the conference as it strives for its fifth straight SEC title in the past eight seasons.
Denver Jones tallied 17 points, Miles Kelly added 11 points (as well as eight rebounds), Chad Baker-Mazara posted 11 points and Tahaad Pettiford added five assists. The Tiger defense forced 13 Georgia turnovers. Auburn's offense largely sputtered in the first half, but turned things around after the break, shooting 59.3 percent in the second half.
The Tigers wrap up their three-game homestand this coming Wednesday when they host Ole Miss at 6 p.m. CT in Neville Arena. The game will be televised by ESPN2. Fair warning: The Rebels were stunned by Vanderbilt yesterday. That makes me shudder. The Tigers had better be at the top of their game for this one, to say the least.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, February 20th, 2025
I'm pretty exhausted today after such a late game last night, so I'm going to keep this pretty blunt.
Top-ranked Auburn was lackluster at points last night, but it ultimately pulled away from Arkansas for a 67-60 win last night in Neville Arena. The Tigers outrebounded the Razorbacks 42-29. Johni Broome led the offense with 16 points and 13 rebounds to mark his 16th double-double of the season. Chad Baker-Mazara tallied 15 points and Chaney Johnson posted 14. The game got pretty tight down the stretch, but Auburn closed the match out on a 10-2 run to secure the final margin.
The Tigers will look to complete a season series sweep on Saturday when they host the Georgia Bulldogs. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, February 9th, 2025
Top-ranked Auburn didn't play as such a team yesterday and ultimately fell to the sixth-ranked Florida Gators 90-81 in Neville Arena yesterday. The loss was the Tigers' first conference setback this season and its first defeat in more than two months. It halted the Tigers' 14-game winning streak.
Miles Kelly led Auburn with 22 points, while Johni Broome turned in a double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and a team-high six assists. Tahaad Pettiford registered 14 points and Chaney Johnson tallied 13. But Florida had five players score in double figures, led by Walter Clayton Jr. who had 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
The Tigers got off to a hot start, jumping out to a 10-point lead, but the Gators rose up and put Auburn into a 48-38 hole at the break. News didn't get much better in the second half as the deficit climbed to 21 when Florida's Urban Klavzar nailed two treys in 13 seconds. By the final buzzer, the Gators had drained 13 three-pointers.
Auburn (21-2, 9-1 SEC) will look to get back on the winning track with a road match at Vanderbilt in Nashville on Tuesday night, Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, February 6th, 2025
Omar Mabson, an in-state running back, signed with the Tigers yesterday during the final signing period for the 2025 cycle. Mabson is a three-star product from Auburn High.
The 5-foot-9, 200-pounder committed to Hugh Freeze's program on January 27th. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Mabson stands as the No. 823 player overall, the No. 65 running back and the No. 32 player in Alabama.
Mabson reportedly has great vision in between the tackles. He has superb big-play ability, but consistently rips off chunk plays even when there's very little running room. He picked the Tigers over Alabama, North Carolina and Vanderbilt. He is planning to enroll on the Plains in May.
Mabson was expected to be a target for the Tigers in the Class of 2026. When he re-classified, however, the program did not hesitate to make him a priority for '25. He finished this past season with 29 touchdowns for Auburn High.
In other news.....
- Auburn men's hoops walloped Oklahoma 98-70 on Tuesday night in Neville Arena. Johni Broome shone brightly once again, amassing 15 points, a team-high six assists, five rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
The defense was equally supplicating, as the Tigers blocked 11 shots in total. Auburn led 44-34 at intermission and, for the most part, refused to let up in the second half. The Tigers now stand at 21-1 overall (9-0 SEC). The Sooners fell to 16-6 overall (3-6 SEC).
Auburn begins the second half of conference action on Saturday when it hosts sixth-ranked Florida in Neville Arena. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, February 4th, 2025
- First off, let me remind you that the men's basketball team hosts Oklahoma tonight in Neville Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
- Now we can move on to some football news. This morning, Auburn finalized two dates on its 2025 football schedule. The Tigers' annual Homecoming contest will be played on Sept. 13th against South Alabama. Secondly, its Military Appreciation Game will be held on Nov. 1st against Kentucky.
Last year, the Homecoming match came against New Mexico, while the Military Appreciation Game came against Louisiana-Monroe. Unsurprisingly, Auburn won both games in dominating fashion. The Tigers are hoping to reverse their fortunes in 2025. Over the past two seasons, Auburn has gone just 5-11 in SEC play under head coach Hugh Freeze. The team went 5-7 overall in 2024, missing a bowl game for the second time in three years.
Despite the less-than-stellar on-field results, Auburn has been hot on the recruiting front, attracting a strong transfer portal class to the Plains this offseason. The class is headlined by former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold, who struggled for the Sooners last season but is a former 5-star prospect. Auburn's 2025 class currently ranks No. 4 in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
January 2025
Monday, January 27th, 2025
Auburn football continues to roll on the recruiting front.
Omar Mabson, a 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back from Auburn High, pledged to play for the Tigers today, re-classifying from the Class of 2026 to the Class of 2025. According to 247Sports, he stands as a 3-star prospect, the BNo. 37 player from Alabama and the No. 86 running back.
During his recruitment, Mabson received 24 scholarship offers from other programs. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Vanderbilt were among the other schools that showed interest.
In other news......
- The men's basketball team takes a trip to the Bayou on Wednesday night to meet LSU. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, January 26th, 2025
Make no mistake about it. Top-ranked Auburn's 53-51 win over sixth-ranked Tennessee in Neville Arena last night was nothing short of exhilarating.
Miles Kelly canned a trey from the corner with 30 seconds left and the Tigers ended the contest on a 6-0 run for the final margin. Perhaps more significantly, Johni Broome, who had missed the past two games with an ankle injury, returned to lead the Tigers with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in 33 minutes of play.
With 12.7 seconds remaining, the Vols called timeout. Zakei Zeigler tried a go-ahead corner 3-pointer of his own with 5 seconds left, but missed. Broome snagged the rebound to clinch a heart-stopping victory. It was even more satisfying on a day when Vanderbilt shocked Kentucky and Texas A&M let a 22-point second-half lead vanish against Texas and lose in the final seconds by a score of 70-69.
Personally, this struck me as a surprisingly low-scoring game for men's college hoops. One key stat may explain why. In the first half, Auburn and Tennessee combined to miss 20 of 21 trey attempts. The Vols had 12 turnovers, while the Tigers had 11.
Auburn (18-1, 6-0 SEC) returns to the road this coming week beginning with a trip to LSU in Baton Rouge on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Friday, January 24th, 2025
Auburn men's hoops will head to a loaded non-conference tournament next season - and also the two seasons after that.
Bruce Pearl's team is locked in through 2027 for the Player's Era Men's Championship in Las Vegas, the program announced this afternoon. The Tigers were originally set to play in the 2025 Battle 4 Atlantis but backed out this week.
Auburn is the 17th squad in a gauntlet of an event next season, joining Alabama, Creighton, Houston, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, San Diego State, Texas A&M, Baylor, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan, St. Joseph's, St. John's and Syracuse.
The inaugural event took place this past November, with the eye-catching element being that each team is given "at least $1 million" in NIL funding, with more at stake for winning the tournament. The Players Era Festival dished out a total of $9 million to its participating programs in last year's tournament. Due to such a large number of teams, games are split up into group play.
The dates for 2025 have yet to be set. Last year's event ended on Nov. 30th, the night of the Iron Bowl.
In other news......
- Speaking of Auburn men's hoops, the Tigers will host Tennessee tomorrow night in Neville Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, January 18th, 2025
I'm in "super blunt mode" tonight. Auburn jumped out to a 17-point first-half lead against Georgia in Athens, then cooled down considerably, then started cruising again for most of the second half.....and then had to hang on for dear life as the final seconds counted down.
In fact, the Tigers were dealt two false alarms before finally being able to celebrate a nail-biting 70-68 victory over the Bulldogs and maintain their No. 1 ranking. Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly led the Auburn offense with 13 points apiece. Once again, Johni Broome did not play as he is still nursing a sprained ankle. But the Tigers still did enough things right to avert a major upset.
Now, Bruce Pearl's troops have a week to recuperate and prepare for a home tilt with Tennessee next Saturday in Neville Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. And given the winter storm that is expected to inundate much of the South in the next few days, this week-long gap between contests is for the best in my mind. Especially when you consider that the Vols were shocked by Vanderbilt today. But the good news is that UT has a home game with Mississippi State set for this coming Tuesday, so they will hopefully vent their frustrations on the Bulldogs before they focus on the Orange and Blue.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Monday, January 13th, 2025
Mark your calendars for Auburn's annual A-Day football game, folks.
News broke yesterday that the yearly spring game has been set for April 12th in Jordan-Hare Stadium, concluding the team's spring practices. Although the full spring schedule has yet to be released, the Tigers gave themselves 40 days last year to complete the 15 spring practices that were held, with a week off for spring break mixed in. Last year's spring sessions began on Feb. 27th.
Head coach Hugh Freeze and his troops are anxious to reverse the program's fortunes after a 5-7 campaign in 2024. The Tigers hope that their roster has been significantly updated, with a top-10 recruiting class and a transfer haul - including projected starting QB Jackson Arnold - ranked in the top 5 by 247Sports.
Auburn kicks off the 2025 season on Aug. 30th at Baylor, with three of the first five games taking place on the road before getting four SEC home contests after the second week of October.
In other news.....
- Auburn men's hoops returns to Neville Arena tomorrow night to host Mississippi State. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Sunday, January 12th, 2025
Johni Broome had a scary injury in the early going of Auburn's 66-63 win at South Carolina yesterday. Fortunately, he appears to have avoided a large setback.
According to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, Broome was diagnosed with a non-surgical ankle sprain following an MRI this morning. Broome, who went 3-of-11 against the Gamecocks, has no timetable for his return at the present time, but his not requiring surgery is certainly an encouraging sign.
The Tigers are 3-0 in the SEC and Broome is a major reason why, as he leads the team in minutes played, points per game (17.9), rebounding (10.7), assists (3.3) and blocks (2.7). Auburn's schedule only gets tougher from here on out. The Tigers started the league slate with three unranked opponents but that changes this week.
Auburn will host Mississippi State on Tuesday before a road trip to Georgia next Saturday. After that, the Tigers will face Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 25th and then enter February with contests against three teams that are currently ranked.
Here's hoping that Broome will be back on the court before those high-stakes matches begin. Auburn will host 14th-ranked Mississippi State in Neville Arena this Tuesday night at 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, January 11th, 2025
The Tigers got a pledge for 2026 today from a former Florida State commit.
Devin Carter, a 4-star prospect and top-30 recruit nationally out of Douglasville (Ga.) County, announced his commitment to Auburn during the Navy All-American Bowl. He chose the Tigers over Alabama, LSU and Ohio State.
According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Carter stands as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 29 overall recruit in the Class of '26. He also has strong ties to the Florida State program. His father, Dexter, was a running back there in the mid-to-late 1990s, and was the 'Noles running backs coach from 2007-10. The younger Carter eventually pledged to FSU in April of 2023.
However, he re-opened his recruitment in January of 2024, leading to his decision to come to the Plains. He becomes the sixth known recruit to pledge to Auburn's 2026 class, joining fellow wideout Denairius Gray and top-10 edge rusher Hezekiah Harris.
In other news......
- The men's basketball team squeaked by South Carolina in Columbia this afternoon 66-63 to improve to 15-1 overall, 3-0 in the conference. More significantly, however, Johni Broome sustained what appeared to be a sprained left ankle. Head coach Bruce Pearl said Broome will be further evaluated tonight when the team returns home. That could be a costly blow to the Tiger offense.
In the meantime, Auburn must get ready for a home match with 14th-ranked Mississippi State on this coming Tuesday night in Neville Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, January 8th, 2025
The football program signed its fourth quarterback of this offseason with in-state product Tanner Bailey set to join the team.
A former Class of 2022 recruit out of Gordo, Bailey previously signed with South Carolina only to retire from football in January of 2024. He later moved back home and enrolled as a student at Auburn. After graduating in December, he will pursue a second degree and return to the field.
In two seasons with the Gamecocks, Bailey appeared in one game for South Carolina. His addition adds depth to an already rich quarterback room well ahead of spring practice. Things look quite different in that regard from a season ago, with 5-star Deuce Knight signing in the 2025 recruiting class, Jackson Arnold transferring from Oklahoma and Ashton Daniels coming in from Stanford.
In other news........
- The men's basketball team held off a late comeback attempt by the Texas Longhorns to clinch an 87-82 win in Austin last night. The Tigers will return to the road on Saturday when they take on South Carolina in Columbia. Tipoff is scheduled for noon CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for today. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, January 7th, 2025
A familiar face is returning to Auburn football's coaching staff.
Roc Bellantoni has reportedly been hired as the Tigers' new edge coach. He was previously on staff under embattled head coach Bryan Harsin in 2021 and '22. He originally served as a defensive analyst in '21 before being promoted to edge linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. Bellantoni returns to the Plains after two seasons at Florida Atlantic. To be perfectly honest, the circumstances surrounding his departure from there are more than I feel like getting into right now.
In other news.....
- Don't forget that Auburn men's basketball plays at Texas in Austin tonight at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. As I write this, tipoff is less than two hours away.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Saturday, January 4th, 2025
Auburn men's basketball kicked off conference play in solid fashion with an 84-68 win over Missouri today in Neville Arena. But that wasn't all. Head coach Bruce Pearl celebrated the milestone of tying Joel Eaves (1949-63) for the most victories in program history with 213.
Missouri took a 7-6 lead in the early going, but the homestanding Tigers took control from then on and never let up.
Johni Broome, one of five Tigers in double figures, tallied 24 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Chaney Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara scored 13 apiece, and Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford each scored 10. Plus, Baker-Mazara went 5-for-5 from the foul line to boost his free-throw streak to 44.
Auburn (13-1 overall, 1-0 SEC) goes on the road to face Texas in Austin this coming Tuesday night at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Wednesday, January 1st, 2025
Happy New Year, Auburn fans!
My first post of 2025 focuses on some good news for Auburn's offensive line. Offensive guard Jeremiah Wright announced today via Instagram that he will return for one more season on the Plains next fall.
Wright signed with the Tigers as a three-star prospect in the Class of 2020. The 2025 campaign will mark his fifth season with the team. His time at Auburn has been filled with highs and lows. He has missed time due to a torn ACL and has also flipped between offense and defense a few times. However, he finally found his calling at offensive guard - the spot he held down in 2024. He took over at right guard in 2023 and has progressed nicely since then. Getting him back was a critical recruiting job for the Auburn coaching staff this offseason.
In other news......
- Auburn men's basketball returns to action on Saturday afternoon for its SEC opener against Missouri in Neville Arena. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
That's all for now. Until next time, may the Lord be with you, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
Copyright © Lyle'sCorner. All rights reserved.