AUBURN, Ala. – Ask any Auburn fan which player is most likely to block a punt, and more often than not, you would hear Jordyn Peters' name. However, ask those same fans who they thought would score the team's first touchdown in Saturday's 30-28 victory over Arkansas, and nobody would have predicted Barton Lester.
But with the Razorbacks backed up on their own goal line in the first quarter, it was Peters who blocked a punt and it was Lester who fell on the ball for the game's first touchdown.
For Peters, it was the fourth punt he's blocked in his career at Auburn.
"Big-time players make big-time plays, and that's what Jordyn always does," Auburn safety Smoke Monday said. "I feel like he has a huge impact on special teams."
"He's one of our better special teams players," added head coach Gus Malzahn. "Really like a special teams leader. He's just done a super job in his whole career."
For Lester, it was his first collegiate touchdown. The junior linebacker, a local product who walked on at Auburn last year after transferring from Air Force, scored 28 touchdowns as a senior at Montgomery Academy. But to find the end zone Saturday inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, it was a moment he'll never forget.
"I've actually dreamed about it the last three nights, which is kind of weird," Lester said after the game. "When it happened, I just praise God for it and am just super blessed to be in that position. I've worked my butt off my whole life just to get to this point, to play at Auburn, and to have a play like that, it's just a dream come true."
'THIS ONE'S FOR K.J.' Right before the game Saturday, Malzahn texted K.J. Britt and told him Auburn was going to get the victory for him. The senior linebacker is out indefinitely after having surgery last week to repair torn ligaments in his thumb.
"He's our team leader," Malzahn said. "It's not just on defense. He's such a great leader, a great person."
The message was the same in the linebacker room where they were playing for their brother.
"We were talking before the game, 'This one's for K.J,'" sophomore linebacker Owen Pappoe said. "So we went out there and gave our all. It wasn't perfect, but I think we all stepped up and did the best that we could."
Pappoe made five stops in the first quarter alone and finished with a career-high 10 tackles. He also added a sack, his second of the season. Fellow linebacker Zakoby McClain led Auburn with 13 tackles, which was also a career high, and it was the junior who made the stop on third-and-12 late to force a punt and give the offense a chance to go win the game.
"We had to grow up quick," McClain said. "Coach T-Will (Travis Williams) always tells us that everybody might not be here, so next man up. The next man up has got to ball."
"It's all hands on deck," Pappoe said. "We've got the mentality of next man up. We had a lot of reps between me and (McClain), but we prepared for that this last week in practice. We just have to keep being prepared for that, and I think we're going to be all right going down the line."
Thankful for all the calls and text messages over these hard times, l appreciate everyone! I am doing fine and looking forward to a speedy recovery! War Eagle 🦅
— Kj Britt (@K_Britt10) October 10, 2020
'LOCKED IN'Seth Williams was limited Saturday. Eli Stove didn't play. So when Auburn's rushing attack finally slowed down in the second half, Nix turned to junior wide receiver Anthony Schwartz on a drive late in the third quarter that the Tigers had to have.
Schwartz picked up 11 yards on a quick screen pass to start the drive. Two plays later, he ran an out-and-up and caught a 25-yard pass along the Auburn sideline. On third-and-6, with Nix flushed out of the pocket, Schwartz came back to the ball and hauled in a 9-yard catch along the opposite sideline. He caught a 4-yard pass on the very next play and then capped the drive with a 17-yard touchdown reception to put the Tigers up 27-18.
"On that drive, I knew we had to score," Schwartz said. "They had the momentum, so I knew we had to quiet them. I just locked in and did what I had to do. Bo threw me the ball, and I made sure I caught every single one of them."
Schwartz finished with career highs in both receptions (10) and receiving yards (100).
"Flash is always there," Nix said. "You know he's going to be extremely competitive. He's going to fight until the end. And when he gets the ball, he can make a lot of good things happen for you."
Living life in the fast lane 💨
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 10, 2020