AUBURN, Ala. – In the locker room Saturday night, following Auburn's loss to Ole Miss, the message from head coach Hugh Freeze was simple. Don't disengage.
Next Game:
vs. Mississippi State
Oct. 28, 2023
2:30 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
It was the fourth straight loss for the Tigers, but those four losses came against four of the top teams in the SEC. The last three opponents are ranked No. 1, No. 15 and No. 12 respectively this week. No conference game is easy, but the schedule lightens up some for Auburn with Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas the next three weeks.
So again, as the Tigers prepare to play Mississippi State on Saturday, the message has remained the same. Stick together. Keep moving forward.
"Good things happen when you keep showing up and you keep putting your best foot forward," quarterback Payton Thorne said. "That's what we're going to do. I know that's what my mindset is, and I have confidence that the rest of my teammates are thinking the same way. We're just going to show up, have a good practice today, have a good practice the rest of the week, and go out there and play well on Saturday."
"We just come in here every day, and we know we've got to get to work," said fellow quarterback Robby Ashford. "Who's going to work when it's hard? That's been our biggest test. Who wants to put in the work when we're in a bad stretch like we are? Who's going to keep coming out every day and giving everything they have for this team and this program?
"We've got a great opportunity in front of us to go out and win these last five games and start off with a bang this week. That's what we're hoping to do. It's going to be a dog fight, but that's what you come to Auburn to do – to play in great games like this."
On paper, Auburn and Mississippi State are not all that different. Both are fighting to become bowl eligible while playing for first-year head coaches.
The X-factor Saturday might be where the game is played. Jordan-Hare Stadium. It's one of the best home-field advantages in college football, and the Tigers need it to be rocking once again like it was the last two times out against Ole Miss and Georgia.
"We need it again," Ashford said. "The crowd last week was great. They brought their everything just like they do every home game. In a stretch like we're in now, we need them the most. We have the best fan base in the country, and we need them to be a part of this. They play a big advantage in us playing at home. When it gets loud in Jordan-Hare, there's nothing like it. So, we need them to be able to cause chaos for the other team."
Auburn and Mississippi State will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT from Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Dave Neal, Derek Mason and Taylor Davis on the call. You can also listen to Andy Burcham, Jason Campbell, Ronnie Brown and Will Herring who will have the radio call on 94.3 FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the Auburn app.
Fans attending this week's game are encouraged to wear orange.
Three questions with OL Connor Lew
Q: Describe this past Saturday and coming in to play against Ole Miss.
A: It was awesome. Growing up, you always dream of playing in the SEC. That's always been a goal of mine, and that's part of the reason why I'm here at Auburn – to play in the SEC. To get that opportunity to go out and compete with the team in Jordan-Hare in that atmosphere, it was just amazing.
Q: What did fellow OL Gunner Britton tell you before you took the field?
A: Gunner and I are close. He was one of the first people I looked to coming off the sideline just getting ready to go in. He was like, "You're ready for this moment. You're not unprepared. Just go do what you do." It helped a lot. You know he has your back. I know (Kam) Stutts to my right has my back. Really everybody has my back. Just going out there and not worried about messing up or doing the wrong thing. Just go out there and do what I do.
Q: After playing last Saturday, what has this week been like for you now that you have a better idea of what to expect and knowing you're going to play?
A: The only difference I'm thinking about is now I know I'm going to start. But Coach (Jake) Thornton and all the coaches, they always preach, "Prepare like you're a starter." That's how I've been attacking every week since UMass the first week of the season. I'm trying to treat it as normal as possible except this time I know I'm going to be out there starting.
Inside the Series: Mississippi State
The Tigers hold a 65-29-2 (.697) record all-time against Mississippi State and have won eight of the last 14 matchups against the Bulldogs. Mississippi State has won two in a row, including a 43-34 win at Auburn in 2021. Prior to that, Auburn had won four of five in the series and scored 56 (2019), 49 (2017) and 38 (2016) points in three of those victories.
Auburn has a 30-8 advantage in all games played at Auburn, a 14-8-1 lead in all games played at Starkville, and a 21-13-1 advantage in games played at neutral sites.
By the Numbers
29: With 91 yards rushing against Ole Miss, Jarquez Hunter moved up six spots to No. 29 on Auburn's list of career rushers with 1,572 yards. He passed the likes of Tommy Lorino, Kamryn Pettway, Terry Henley, JaTarvious Whitlow, Kam Martin and Rudi Johnson.
16: Donovan Kaufman and Zion Puckett each pulled down an interception last Saturday against Ole Miss. Auburn has now forced a turnover in 16 straight games dating back to last season. It's the Tigers' longest streak since forcing one in 18 straight games in 2007-08.
9: In total, Auburn has nine interceptions for the season. That's tops among all teams in the SEC and already ahead of what the Tigers finished with a year ago (6). Jaylin Simpson leads the way with four picks, and he's one of five players with an INT this season.
28: After facing four of the SEC's top five offenses to start conference play, Auburn's remaining four SEC opponents (Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Alabama) rank 11th, 10th, 14th and eighth in the league in scoring offense, averaging 28 points per game.