Auburn football notebook: Cobb's career day

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When Auburn needed a spark, Rayshawn Pleasant came through. Thrice.

With the Tigers trailing 21-10 at the half, Pleasant opened the third quarter with a 49-yard kickoff return, setting up Alex McPherson’s second field goal and cutting the Razorbacks’ lead to 21-13.

“Coming out of halftime, I knew I had to make a play. I had to give the team a spark,” Pleasant said. “Everybody did their one-eleventh on the kickoff team. Everybody got a body on a body, and I just did what I did.”

Pleasant’s biggest play came with Auburn trailing 24-19 with fewer than 10 minutes to play when the cornerback intercepted Taylen Green’s pass and returned it 49 yards to give Auburn a 27-24 lead after Ashton Daniels’ 2-point run.

“When Coach Durkin made the call, I already knew what was fixing to go down,” Pleasant said. “I’ve seen that play on film a thousand times during my film study during the week. I’m grateful and blessed. He made the right call at the right time. It was up to me to go make the play and I made the play.

“I was mad about the kickoff return that I didn’t score. I knew I had to get in the end zone. I didn’t have any other choice.”

More pleasantries ensued when Rayshawn picked off Green again five minutes later with Auburn leading 30-24. Pleasant’s 17-yard return led to McPherson’s final field goal, clinching the Tigers’ first SEC win.

“My safety had great depth, and I had my eyes on the quarterback,” he said. “I saw him throw it up and it was my job to go get it. We want that pressure on our back to deliver for the team.”

MCPHERSON’S MASTERPIECE

One week after an uncharacteristic outing that featured multiple misses, Alex McPherson was 6-for-6 on field goals, the first Auburn kicker to do so since Daniel Carlson vs. LSU in 2016.

“It was a huge day for the operation. It was an awesome feeling to be able to get that done for my team after a rough week last week. I’m proud to be able to do that for my guys,” said McPherson, who hit a season-long 43-yarder in the third quarter before drilling a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter.

“I fall back on my faith and know that I have enough to go out there and do it, and that’s what I did,” said McPherson, who is 74-for-74 in career extra point attempts. “I just trusted the Lord and went out there and performed.”

COBB CRUISES

Logging four runs of 10 yards or more, junior Jeremiah Cobb posted his fourth 100-yard game of the season and his second straight, reaching career highs with 28 rushes for 153 yards.

“Effort, finishing. We all had that want-to-finish mentality to get a win. That played a big part,” said Cobb, whose 28 attempts were the most for Auburn in a non-overtime game since Kerryon Johnson in the 2017 Iron Bowl. “We can run the ball against anybody. Having that mentality to put our hands in the ground and move those bodies. I appreciate those guys for doing that.”

The first Tiger to surpass 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games since Jarquez Hunter eclipsed the century mark in three consecutive games in 2023, Cobb has an opportunity to equal his former teammate Saturday vs. Kentucky.

“It’s a blessing to be here at Auburn University,” he said. “This is a huge opportunity and people would kill to be here. I hope these guys keep pushing so we can feel it the rest of the season.”

DANIELS DELIVERS

With 20 Stanford starts under his belt, Ashton Daniels knew what to once his number was called. It just took a minute to adjust to being back on the field.

“That first drive right before the half, I was a little gassed after those three plays,” said Daniels, who last played 11 months ago in Stanford’s 2024 season ender at San Jose State. “Getting back into the locker room at halftime, taking a deep breath, knocking the rust off and getting back into a flow that first drive in the second half.

“I knew I was ready to go. I’ve been itching to step out on that field, especially for this program, this team. It was a dream come true.”

In his Auburn debut, Daniels entered with the Tigers trailing 21-10 in the final minute of the first half, completing 6 of 8 passes for 77 yards and rushing for 35 yards on seven carries in the Tigers’ 33-24 win.

“When your defense is playing like that, all you have to do is put points on the board and you’re going to win a game,” Daniels said. “They make my job so easy. Cobb is a special player. We have a special offensive line that continues to create a push and make this offense go.”

Daniels could see his first action at Jordan-Hare Stadium when Auburn (4-4, 1-4) hosts Kentucky Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT.

“Nothing is set in stone,” Daniels said. “Go back to work and get better, get this game plan down and go back in Jordan-Hare in front of another packed-out stadium. It’s another great opportunity for us to bounce back, get a win in Jordan-Hare, and I’m excited for that.”

 

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer