​​Lyle's Corner

Saturday, October 31st, 2020

On this particular night, children everywhere are dressing up in their costumes, going door to door for their trick-or-treat journey. Well, at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Auburn Tigers enjoyed a majorly sweet treat: a 48-11 dismantling of defending national champion LSU. The rout snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bayou Bengals. It was Auburn's biggest margin of victory over LSU, surpassing the 34-point mark set in the 1999 and 2014 contests. Plus, it was the most points Auburn had ever scored against the Fighting Tigers. Indeed, I doubt anyone saw this coming in his or her wildest imagination. 

Offensively, Auburn was almost unstoppable. The home Tigers rolled up 506 yards on the day (300 passing, 206 rushing). Auburn broke the 200-yard mark in rushing for the fourth straight game. Quarterback Bo Nix turned in another excellent performance, going 18-of-24 for 300 yards and three touchdowns. He also did damage with his legs, registering 81 yards on 11 carries with a score there as well. 

Speaking of the running game, Tank Bigsby failed to crack the century mark for the first time since Week 2 at Georgia. But he still managed 71 yards on 15 carries and a pair of TDs. The receivers also had a great day. Two particular plays stand out to me for that group. Ze'Vian Capers caught his first touchdown reception at Auburn, a nine-yard toss from Nix just prior to halftime to give Auburn a 21-0 cushion. Also, Anthony Schwartz put his name in the history books with a 91-yard scoring strike from Nix - the third-longest TD pass in Auburn history. Schwartz finished this one with four catches for 123 yards. 

The defense was as stubborn as a mule. Auburn made life miserable for LSU. Yes, it gave up 347 total yards (315 passing, 32 rushing). But it also forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) - and converted all of them into touchdowns. Most notably, Nehemiah Pritchett snagged his first career interception. Also, Christian Tutt returned a fumble 20 yards for a TD. That marked Auburn's first scoop and score since Montravius Adams did it at Mississippi State in 2016. To note a couple of other crucial figures, LSU only went 5-of-17 on third-down conversions. Plus, the visitors only crossed midfield three times in their first 12 drives. They didn't get inside Auburn's 30-yard line until midway through the fourth quarter. Auburn recorded three quarterback sacks. 

Special teams also had an excellent showing. Save for a missed extra point by Anders Carlson, he was superb, making six other PATs. His kickoffs were also outstanding. And you can't overlook his touchdown-saving tackle on an LSU kickoff return in the closing seconds of the first half. Had it not been for that play, we may have had a completely different ball game. Auburn's punting game was also consistent. 

Overall, Auburn had, by far, its most complete performance thus far this season, improving to 4-2 on the year as a result. They seem to be finding their groove and gaining reasonable confidence. I doubt we'll be playing for any sort of championship, but I do think we can turn this into a decent season if we continue to play even close to the way we did today. The Tigers now have two weeks to plan for another road trip on the second weekend in November, this time to Mississippi State. If you'll recall, the last contest there didn't turn out so well (a 23-9 loss in Joe Moorhead's first year in charge at MSU). This time around, Auburn will have to be prepared to contain Mike Leach's "Air Raid" attack. Can they do it?

That's all for now. Until next time, Happy Halloween, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020

​One of Auburn basketball's scheduled games, which had previously been called off, is now intact again and in a new location. Jon Rothstein reported yesterday that the Tigers will face Gonzaga on Friday, Nov. 27th in Fort Myers, Fla. as part of a four-team tournament. Kansas is also involved and another team has yet to be named. 

​Auburn was originally set to meet Gonzaga in Orlando, but protocols implemented by Disney rendered the game unplayable. This could very well be only one of many twists and turns that basketball season will take this year because of COVID-19 concerns. Only time will tell how all of this plays out. But hey, we got our college football season, so we shouldn't be too concerned about losing basketball either. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Monday, October 26th, 2020

Auburn is down one offensive lineman for the rest of 2020. Head coach Gus Malzahn announced yesterday evening that junior right guard Brandon Council will be out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury he suffered in the Tigers' 35-28 win over Ole Miss. Council, a native of Tar Heel, North Carolina, was a modest two-star recruit in the Class of 2016, according to the 247Sports Composite. 

Kicking off his college career with the Akron Zips of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), he redshirted his first year on campus, before starting nine games at left guard in 2017. Moving to right tackle as a redshirt sophomore, he started the first three games in 2018, but sustained a season-ending injury that season as well. Council returned in 2019 and started all 12 of Akron's matches, seven at left guard, two at center, two at right tackle, and one at left tackle.

Leaving for Auburn as a graduate transfer prior to the 2020 campaign, he started all of the Tigers' games, four at right guard and the Week 3 victory over Arkansas at right guard. 

Redshirt freshman Keiondre Jones is expected to step into the spot in Counci's absence. With the NCAA previously ruling that 2020 would not count as a year of eligibility for student-athletes, Malzahn left the door open for Council to return to the team in 2021. Auburn (3-2) is set to host LSU (2-2) on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Saturday, October 24th, 2020

As Auburn's trip to Ole Miss neared this past week, I strongly sensed a toe-to-toe offensive battle between these two squads. Man, was I right! Today's game was one for the history books. The best part of it all was that the Tigers came out on top by a final score of 35-28! I'm going to be as blunt as possible with my take on this game, as it's late at the time of this writing. 

I certainly can't complain when the offense churns out 462 total yards. The running game, in particular, took full advantage of an atrocious Rebel defense, with 224 yards on the ground. Tank Bigsby once again remained his powerful, punishing self, amassing 129 yards on 24 carries with two TDs. Quarterback Bo Nix was equally stellar, going 23-of-30 for 238 yards and a score. He also did damage with his legs, rushing for 52 yards on 10 carries with a TD there as well. Receiver Seth Williams seemed to regain his touch today, catching eight passes for 150 yards, including the go-ahead TD on a 58-yard strike from Nix with 1:11 left to play. The biggest plus was having no turnovers. That's always something to be proud of when you're on the road. 

Defensively, we did force two turnovers (both interceptions), but we also gave up 444 yards to Ole Miss (283 rushing, 161 passing). Plus, we allowed the Rebels to go 10-of-16 in 3rd-down conversions.  The defensive line and secondary still have growing and improving to do. Undoubtedly, however, our biggest trouble spot today was in special teams. There was a mishandled punt snap, a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD that was cancelled by a holding call (no matter how bogus you may think it was), and most significantly, a muffed snap and hold on an extra point attempt that could very well have been the difference in the final outcome. (If there's any consolation, however, Ole Miss had its own special teams miscue: A failed fake field goal attempt.) These issues need to be addressed and corrected in practice this coming week - and quickly. 

Overall, Auburn came away with a big road win thanks to an inspired performance. It wasn't flawless by any standard, but the Tigers came back from adversity to pull off a thriller in an offensive slugfest. Certainly one of the fiercest games this series has offered. Now, Auburn can return home and get ready to face an LSU team that is trying to adjust to life after Joe Burrow. Somehow, I already feel that this latest edition of the "Tiger Bowl" could be just as much of a toss-up as today's game was. We'll all find out next week. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Tuesday, October 20th, 2020

Losing linebacker K.J. Britt earlier this season due to injury was an event that head coach Gus Malzahn aptly described today as "a tough blow." The good news is that Malzahn announced that he expects Britt to return before the end of the year. 

Entering the season, Britt was named a first-team All-SEC player, an honor he also received at the end of the 2019 campaign. He was one of two Tigers named to the first-team. Just before the season kicked off, he was given another prominent title: team captain. "He's not only just a great player, but he's a great leader," Malzahn stated. When Britt took the field in the season opener against Kentucky, he led the team with 11 tackles. He also led the defense as he directed players from the middle of the field. 

He followed that up with 12 tackles against Georgia, good for third-most on the team. However, he had to leave the game multiple times because of what he described as some "nicks and bruises." Following the game, linebacker Owen Pappoe said that Britt's fighting spirit and "heart" tremendously impacted the rest of the team. It wasn't until later that week that they learned that Britt would have to undergo surgery on his thumb and be out for weeks. While they didn't expect the injury, Malzahn said he expected additional adversity to arise this season, and they prepared for it. Britt's absence has inevitably given other players chances to step up, and they have. 

Linebacker Zakoby McClain said they went out against Arkansas determined to play for Britt. He and Pappoe turned in performances that would be pleasing to Britt. McClain led the team with 13 tackles and two quarterback hurries. Pappoe had the next most, finishing with 10 tackles and a sack.  

Britt, who had his surgery that Friday, was unable to be at Jordan-Hare, as he was still in "excruciating pain," according to his mother, Tonia Britt. But before the game, linebackers coach Travis Williams took the group to visit Britt's family at the hotel where they were staying. 

​That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

​Saturday, October 17th, 2020

Last week, Auburn needed some controversy to elude heartbreak against Arkansas. Today, however, the Tigers weren't so fortunate against South Carolina in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Auburn let a nine-point lead (which it had on two different occasions in the first half) vanish, then saw a last-ditch drive in the closing seconds fall short in a 30-22 loss to the Gamecocks. This Auburn squad now has the dubious honor of being the first Tiger team to fall to USC since 1933. That's right, an 87-year span is broken. 

Believe it or not, Auburn out-gained South Carolina in total yardage (481 yards to 297). However, that was overshadowed by a disappointing performance from QB Bo Nix, who still seems to feel uneasy when playing on the road. He finished the afternoon 24-for-47 for 272 yards and a touchdown. But he also threw three interceptions, all of which the Gamecocks converted into TDs. When you let your opponent pile on a bunch of points as a result of your own miscues, you know you're in trouble. Of course, numerous drops by the receivers certainly didn't help matters either. In particular, Seth Williams had a rough going, being smothered by the Gamecocks' Jaycee Horn (who picked off two passes). Williams registered just four catches for 74 yards. The one true bright spot on offense was, once again, running back Tank Bigsby. He amassed 111 yards on 16 carries, including his first career TD. Also, kudos to the offensive line for giving Nix excellent protection for most of the game. 

On defense, Auburn started out on fire, recording back-to-back three-and-outs, and three stops overall to start the contest, while not allowing the Gamecocks to cross the midfield stripe. But in the final 30 minutes, USC may not have become unstoppable, but it did enough things right to overtake the Tigers. A string of pass interference penalties proved a big difference-maker. Auburn did get one turnover on Owen Pappoe's interception, but could do nothing with it. There was some spark on that side of the ball, but not enough to win. 

Special teams fared pretty well. Anders Carlson did a nice job in kickoffs, and made three field goals and an extra point. The return game was decent, and Aidan Marshall averaged 45.5 yards on his two punts. However, what in the world was Gus Malzahn thinking in opting to go for two so early in the game after Auburn's first touchdown? Why not let Carlson kick the PAT and save the razzle-dazzle for must-use scenarios? 

Overall, Auburn looked ready to knock off South Carolina early on, but things quickly went south. The vulnerabilities on both sides of the ball remain very clear to even the most casual Tiger fan. Auburn is now 2-2, and needs to continue deep digging to search for solutions. A trip to Ole Miss is next on the docket next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on the SEC Network. Speaking of Ole Miss, if this is any consolation, the Rebels had a day even worse than we did, committing seven turnovers in a 33-21 loss at Arkansas. I have a feeling that our match with Ole Miss could be pretty evenly-matched. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Friday, October 16th, 2020

It took a little more time than usual, but as of today, we finally know who will cover Auburn's match at South Carolina tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. Dave Pasch will handle the play-by-play, while Greg McElroy will provide the color commentary. Holly Rowe will serve as the sideline reporter. 

This has been a rather shaky week, as two SEC games - namely, Vanderbilt at Missouri and LSU at Florida - were postponed to Dec. 12th due to players testing positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, it looks as if Auburn will not be dealt such a hand. On top of that, two other games - Ole Miss at Arkansas and Texas A&M at Mississippi State - made a switch in TV networks. Ole Miss at Arkansas was moved from ESPN2 to the SEC Network, while A&M and State were changed from the SEC Network to ESPN. 

One brief comment about Greg McElroy: I don't know the exact circumstances behind his (and Marcus Spears's) departure from the SEC Network's weekly talk show Thinking Out Loud, but I certainly do miss the clever commentary that both of them provided. However, I'm already trying to get used to the new hosts (Brandon Boykin, Spencer Hall and Richard Johnson). They're doing an admirable job in filling what I feel are some pretty big shoes. I still enjoy the show as much as I ever did. 

​That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Thursday, October 15th, 2020

Bruce Pearl's basketball program got its first commitment of 2022 today. 

​Sage Tolentino, a 7-foot center from Honolulu, Hawaii, announced his pledge to Auburn on his Instagram account. That led to a "BOOM" from Pearl's own social media account. Tolentino, a 210-pound center out of Maryknoll School, is not rated in the 247Sports Composite rankings at this time, but has received interest from college basketball powerhouses Kentucky and Kansas, among others. 

​As a sophomore last season for Maryknoll, Tolentino averaged a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds a game as he helped guide the team to a second straight Hawaii state championship. With his mammoth height, Tolentino has the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting range and passing ability. His addition to the Tigers continues a trend of Auburn lengthening its roster. After adding 6-foot-10 Stretch Akingbola and 6-foot-8 forward Jaylin Williams in the Class of 2019, Auburn added 6-foot-11 Dylan Cardwell a 6-foot-10 JT Thor to its roster with the Class of 2020. Smith, who pledged to the Tigers last week, is a 6-foot-10 forward. 

In other news....

- Ken Rice, a two-time All-American and a first-round by both the AFL and NFL in 1961, died yesterday in Georgia. He was 81. May God Bless him and his family in this time of grief.

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!

Monday, October 12th, 2020

The kickoff time for Auburn's Oct. 24th game at Ole Miss has been set. Unfortunately, the Tigers will have a morning opening kick for the second straight week. 

The SEC announced today that the two teams will face off at 11 a.m. CT that day for the SEC Network's morning match. This will mark the 45th meeting between the Tigers and Rebels. Auburn holds a commanding lead in the series, having won eight of the last 10 contests. Plus, the Tigers haven't lost to Ole Miss since a 27-19 setback in 2015. In addition to having dominated the series in recent years, Auburn holds a comfortable 33-11 advantage in the series. 

The Tigers have a 15-3 mark in Oxford, and are 17-6 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. Ole Miss only has the upper hand at neutral sites, as the Tigers are 1-2 in that category. Three weeks into the 2020 campaign, Auburn is 2-1, while the Rebels are 1-2. Ole Miss's lone victory came over Kentucky, whom Auburn also beat. Its two losses are against ranked teams, No. 5 Florida and No. 2 Alabama. It put up 35 points against Florida and 48 points on Alabama. 

But before the Tigers and Rebels square off, Ole Miss will travel to Arkansas, whom Auburn just edged past, and the Tigers will travel to South Carolina. Auburn's game this week is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Sunday, October 11th, 2020

To be perfectly honest, I'm still physically and emotionally exhausted after such a wild day of college football yesterday. Whew! Missouri upset LSU by stuffing the Bayou Bengals at the 1-yard line in the closing seconds. Texas A&M shocked Florida in The Swamp with a field goal at the buzzer. Ole Miss stayed toe to toe with Alabama even though the Rebels came up on the short end of the stick (although I have to question what the heck Lane Kiffin was thinking going for an onside kick with 11 and a half minutes still left to play). 

And then, there was Auburn's match with an up-and-coming Arkansas squad at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Early on, it looked like the Tigers would have little trouble putting the Razorbacks away. But then, things turned very ugly very rapidly. The Hogs battled back to grab a 28-27 fourth-quarter lead. On Auburn's next series, the Tigers had  a chance to take the lead when Anders Carlson tried a 34-yard field goal. He missed. Auburn seemed destined to join the list of casualties around the SEC and the nation. 

Hold it right there! The Tigers got a crucial stop - and a bit of controversy - to pull off a nail-biting win. Auburn was at Arkansas' 22-yard line, and out of timeouts. The closing seconds dwindled away. Quarterback Bo Nix wisely decided to spike the ball. He bobbled the snap. Then, he tossed the ball backwards. A mad scramble ensued. Was it a fumble? The Razorbacks certainly thought so. In fact, replay showed that an Arkansas player did recover it. Perhaps that should have put this one to bed. 

The officials decided a review was in order. After what seemed to be an eternity, the play was ruled as intentional grounding and loss of down. Auburn kept the ball, and Anders Carlson got a chance to redeem himself from his earlier misfire. This time, his go-ahead field goal effort was from 39 yards out. This time, the kick made it just inside the right upright. It was good. There were just seven seconds left. Arkansas did get one final play, but there would be no last-second heroics for them. It wasn't pretty, but the Tigers escaped an upset with a thrilling 30-28 decision. 

Controversy immediately erupted on the aforementioned ruling. An official statement was released by the SEC explaining that even though Arkansas did fall on the loose ball, the play had already been whistled dead. Had the recovery occurred "clearly....in the immediate football action", the Hogs would have indeed gotten the ball, and a stunner would have been complete. But alas, it was not to be. 

Offensively, Auburn still has plenty of room for improvement. Bo Nix was satisfactory, but looked a bit shaken at times, and was sacked three times. He went 17-of-28 for 187 yards and a TD. But the real highlight was Tank Bigsby. He finished the evening with an eye-popping 268 all-purpose yards (146 rushing, 106 returning, 16 receiving) - the most by an Auburn Tiger since 2013. Had it not been for his dazzling performance, the Tigers would likely have been in trouble. The defense started out hot, then went colder than the North Pole from the second quarter onward. But, of course, that stop on Arkansas' next-to-last possession was big. Still, allowing 437 yards is disappointing. The Tigers especially didn't have an answer for containing QB Felipe Franks - a former Florida Gator. 

The real story of the day, however, was special teams. With just over four and a half minutes left in the opening period, Auburn made the play of the day. The Razorbacks were forced to punt from their own end zone. The Tigers' Jordyn Peters blew through the line to block George Caratan's kick. Barton Lester came up with the prize. Touchdown, Auburn! And needless to say, Anders Carlson saved the Tigers from heartbreak with his game-winning kick when the game was on the line. 

Overall, the Tigers started out on fire, but let the Hogs claw back and hang around for far longer than most probably figured they would. Obviously, that controversial ending will be debated and talked about for a long time, but at the end of the day, all that matters is the end result. In this case, the end result was in Auburn's favor. Still, the Tigers need to buckle down in practice this week to get ready for a trip to South Carolina next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. The Gamecocks drubbed Vanderbilt 41-7 yesterday to get their first win of the season. Sure, they may be 1-2 (while Auburn is the exact opposite), but as we all found out yesterday, anybody can beat anybody on any given day. Is there any wonder why the SEC is the best conference in America? 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Saturday, October 10th, 2020

​As I begin writing this, Auburn football's match with Arkansas is seven hours and nine minutes away. However, the news I have to cover today comes on the basketball front. 

Bruce Pearl's program landed a major commitment yesterday. Jabari Smith, a five-star power forward and top-five overall prospect from Tyrone, Ga., gave his pledge to Auburn yesterday evening. He stands as the highest-rated commit in program history, taking over that distinction from incoming freshman Sharife Cooper. Smith stands 6-feet-10 and weighs 210 pounds. His scouting report from 247Sports reads as follows:

"​Smith is a face up four who has continuously grown in height over the last couple of years. He now has good size for the position to go with a still extremely physically immature frame with plenty of room to gain strength. While Smith has a jump hook and can post up, he is most comfortable facing up. He has a smooth stroke with range to the perimeter. Improving athletically and as a passer. Rebounds area well and has made progress as rim protector. Projects as first round pick with normal expected development." 

One thing's for sure: Smith is entering uncertain territory with the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering on. Only time will tell how and if basketball season will be affected. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Friday, October 9th, 2020

Viewers planning to tune in to Auburn's game against Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium tomorrow will now have to go to a different network in order to do so. 

​Due to the threat of Hurricane Delta, the game with the Razorbacks, which was originally slated for 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network, has been moved to ESPN, the league announced Thursday. The move came as the result of the conference rearranging its television schedule after the rescheduling of tomorrow's LSU-Missouri game. With Delta nearing the Gulf Coast, LSU's game with Missouri was moved from Baton Rouge, La. to Columbia, Mo., this weekend, with its kickoff time moved up to 11 a.m. CT from its original 8 p.m. CT slot. The contest, which was originally set to air on ESPN, will now air on the SEC Network's Alternate channel but will re-air immediately afterward on the SEC Network at 3 p.m. CT. 

By the way, while Auburn's kickoff time will remain the same, Alabama's game with Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. was pushed back to 6:30 p.m. CT from its original 5 p.m. slot. Bottom line: The Tigers will play at the same time, but on a different TV network than previously scheduled. 

In other news.....

-  After Auburn's loss at Georgia last weekend, Tiger linebacker K.J. Britt said he had "a few nicks and bruises." As it turned out, they were torn ligaments in his right thumb that required surgery. As of today, Britt underwent surgery in Columbus, Ga. It is unclear whether or not he will return before the end of the season. 

Britt is one of Auburn's starting linebackers, as well as one of their first-team All-SEC players. After the first two games of the season, he leads the Tigers in total tackles with 23. Nine of them were solo stops, and one was for a loss. During the match with Georgia, Britt had to leave the field several times, but never permanently. He bravely pressed on through the entire game. 

"I've been fighting this hand for all week, but I'm fine," Britt said after the game. "My shoulder just kept going on, but it's fine." Britt's mother, Tonia, told Phillip Marshall of 247Sports that they haven't talked about whether Britt will take advantage of the automatic redshirt year the NCAA has given every player due to the pandemic so that he can return next year. 

Owen Pappoe and Zakoby McClain are the other starting linebackers. Chandler Wooten, the other returning starter, opted out, so one of the backups will have to step in. Freshman Wesley Steiner was listed as the linebacker behind Britt. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Thursday, October 8th, 2020

Two of Auburn's offensive starters are "questionable" at best for the Tigers' home tilt with Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday, according to head coach Gus Malzahn. 

​Redshirt senior wide receiver Eli Stove and junior running back Shaun Shivers are both dealing with undisclosed injuries, and their status for the showdown with the Razorbacks remains unclear. Shivers, who started at running back in the season-opener against Kentucky, did not see the field during the Tigers' 27-6 loss at Georgia last weekend. The junior team captain warmed up for the Bulldogs but was held out with an injury that Malzahn said he sustained in the second half of the Kentucky game, which limited him in practice last week. Freshman Tank Bigsby started in his place, leading Auburn in rushing and receiving while providing one of the team's few bright spots on offense. 

Stove saw the field in the first quarter against Georgia but exited early with an undisclosed injury and didn't return. He recorded a touchdown reception in the opener against Kentucky. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!   

Wednesday, October 7th, 2020

Word came out last night that Auburn running back Harold Joiner was - if you'll excuse the pun - "joining" the transfer portal. Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported the news. Of course, this doesn't mean Joiner is destined to leave the Tigers. Rather, he is simply eligible to be recruited by other schools. 

Joiner, who hails from Mountain Brook, Ala., was rated as a four-star running back, the No. 5 running back and the No. 4 overall recruit in the state of Alabama for the Class of 2018 in the 247Sports Composite. However, in his time on the Plains, he hasn't met his status as a highly sought-after recruit. Joiner, a redshirt sophomore, played in Auburn's two games this season, but did not record any stats. He had not been listed among the running backs on the team's official depth chart. 

​In 2019, Joiner played in 13 games as a redshirt freshman, registering 12 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown while also catching six passes for 128 yards and another score. Joiner redshirted his first season on campus, appearing in two matches for the Tigers in 2018, logging 3 carries for 9 yards. He had 32 scholarship offers as a recruit, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee. Alabama and Ole Miss joined Auburn as finalists. 

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I'm not crazy about the transfer portal. It's pretty clear that more and more players add their names to the list when they feel they're not getting enough playing time. Don't you agree with that?

​That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Monday, October 5th, 2020

Auburn's game time with South Carolina has been set. But alas, for the second time in four games, it will be an early start. Sigh. 

The SEC announced today that the Tigers' trip to Columbia, S.C. on Oct. 17th will kick off at 11 a.m. CT and will be televised by either ESPN or the SEC Network. The channel for the game will be determined next weekend, when the networks decide between Auburn-South Carolina and Kentucky's trip to Tennessee on Oct. 17th. This year marks the Tigers' first trip to Williams-Brice Stadium since 2011. In that contest, Auburn pulled out a 16-13 thriller on a last-minute TD pass from Barrett Trotter to Phillip Lutzenkirchen. The Tigers and Gamecocks haven't faced off at all since 2014, when Auburn won a wild 42-35 showdown at Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

The Tigers have won eight straight in the series dating back to 1996, and they lead the all-time series with the Gamecocks by a commanding 10-1-1 margin. But before Auburn can think about this match, they first have to focus on their home tilt with Arkansas this Saturday. Kickoff for that game is set for 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Let's all hope that this one produces a happier outcome than the trip to Athens, Ga. this past Saturday did. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Sunday, October 4th, 2020

Auburn's dubious streak at Sanford Stadium in Athens continues. The 7th-ranked Tigers fell to 4th-ranked Georgia 27-6 last night. I think the ultimate summary of this outcome comes from Tiger QB Bo Nix:  "They played about as good as they could play and we played about as bad as we could play. We just got beat. That's really all you can say about it." 

Right on the money, Mr. Nix. 

In enduring its seventh straight setback between the hedges, Auburn didn't provide fans very much to cheer about. The offense was held to 216 total yards, its worst performance since generating 117 yards in a loss at Clemson in Week 2 of the 2017 campaign. Worse yet, the Tigers failed to find the end zone for the first time since a 23-9 defeat at Mississippi State in 2018. 

By the halftime whistle in this one, there was little doubt as to who the winner would be. Auburn had only registered a measly 81 total yards, and had only run 11 plays in Georgia territory. Perhaps the biggest disappointment lay in the running game. Last week, the Tigers only rushed for 91 yards against Kentucky. This time around, they went even farther backward in that department, netting just 39 yards. They hadn't fared so badly there since being limited to 38 yards in that trip to Clemson in '17. The lone bright spot there was Tank Bigsby, who amassed 31 yards on eight carries and finished as the Tigers' leading receiver. 

Nix also had a rough going in his first road start of the season, going 21-of-41 for 177 yards with an interception - his first pick in 252 throws. Obviously, he still has plenty of room to grow. On the defensive side, things were equally ugly, as Auburn allowed 442 total yards to UGA (240 passing, 202 rushing). The Bulldogs also had 34:04 in time of possession (compared to Auburn's 25:56). Kevin Steele's troops simply got worn thin. 

In a nutshell, this was easily one of Auburn's worst performances of the Malzahn era. The Tigers have plenty of things to rectify in order to prepare for next week's match with Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff for that game is set for 3 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. And don't start panicking, but the Razorbacks pulled off a 21-14 upset of Mississippi State (in Starkville, Miss., no less) yesterday evening. Evidently, State hadn't come back down to Earth after they pocketed their own stunner at LSU, so Arkansas had to do that difficult job for them. If Auburn doesn't set things right, this season could be on the brink of a catastrophe. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

October 2020