AUBURN, Ala. – On every video monitor in the Auburn Athletic Complex, replays of Alabama State games are shown continuously, reinforcing the message head coach Bryan Harsin and his staff are sending.
Next Game:
Alabama State
Sept. 11, 2021
11 a.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
It's all about the Hornets. Not last week's game, not next week's game. Going 1-0 today, as Harsin puts it, through video study, practice habits, recovery, rest and refueling.
"Just trying to be as consistent as possible," Harsin said. "Staying focused on the things that matter. Getting ourselves prepared for Alabama State and the things we have to do to be a better football team than we were the previous game."
In Auburn's 60-10 season opening win vs. Akron, Zakoby McClain and T.D. Moultry led the Tigers with seven tackles apiece. For McClain, it's the ninth team he's led Auburn in tackles in his career.
"Play hard, get to the ball, love the game more," said McClain, the nation's leading tackler in 2020. "Stop the run and stop everything the offense does."
After 83,821 attended Auburn's opener, Harsin hopes Tiger fans will soak up a sunny Saturday matinee on the Plains.
"I thought the crowd was tremendous," he said. "That was a great environment and helped our team play the way they did. Looking forward to seeing that again this Saturday. I know it's an 11 a.m. game but we certainly need everybody out there cheering on the Tigers."
No. 25 Auburn (1-0) welcomes Alabama State (1-0) Saturday at 11 a.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Dave Neal, Deuce McCallister and Andraya Carter will handle the SEC Network broadcast while Andy Burcham, Stan White, Ronnie Brown, Paul Ellen and Brad Law will have the call on the Auburn Sports Network.
THREE QUESTIONS WITH … DE T.D. MOULTRY
Q: What did it mean to make your first start at Auburn on Saturday?
A: It meant a lot because I had some trials and tribulations my sophomore and junior year. I had an ankle injury, thumb injury, and I didn't know how to deal with injuries. But I think that was just a blessing from God showing me you're injured but you're not hurt – so I can still go. Everybody has nicks and bruises, but are you still going to push yourself to the next level you can go to? That was the one thing I had to learn.
Q: What was it like being back in front of the fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium?
A: It was great. Seeing the fans, all the white, my family out there – I wish I could've seen the eagle soar. But just feeling the vibe with the fans there and just knowing we're back in football shape, I think that was the thing I liked most about it.
Q: It's your fifth year. What has been your advice to the younger guys?
A: Just be consistent as a person. If you're going to be an angry, mad, sad person – be that person every day. Don't be an excited person one day and then come back and be mad about something. Just be a consistent person every day. Show people that this is who you are because like Coach (Bryan) Harsin says, you only get one chance to show everybody who you really are.
INSIDE THE SERIES: ALABAMA STATE
Auburn and Alabama State have only met once before on the gridiron, a 63-9 victory for No. 7 Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 8, 2018. JaTarvious Whitlow and Shaun Shivers each rushed for over 100 yards, and Shivers was one of five Tigers to score a rushing touchdown in the game. The Tigers rushed for a total of 429 yards.
Series: Auburn, 1-0
In Auburn: Auburn leads 1-0
First Meeting: 2018
Most AU points: 63 (2018)
Current Streak: Auburn, W1
BY THE NUMBERS
60: Auburn's 60 points in Bryan Harsin's debut are the most the Tigers have scored in a new coach's first game; the previous best was 37 in Gene Chizik's opener in 2009 vs. Louisiana Tech.
3: Auburn is 3-0 all-time against Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) members, going 1-0 against ASU and 2-0 against Alabama A&M.
28: Auburn is 28-0 all-time when scoring 60 points.
104: Auburn has scored in 104 consecutive games, the second longest streak in school history.