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Bo Nix, Team Auburn Beat Team Tigers 17-3 in 2021 Auburn Spring Game
Apr 17, 2021
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes the ball during the A-Day spring NCAA college football game, Saturday, April 17, 2021, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)
Team Auburn defeated Team Tigers 17-3 during the school's spring game Saturday afternoon.
The program's first-team offense and defense comprised Team Auburn.
Starting quarterback Bo Nix finished 12-of-20 through the air for 112 yards and a touchdown, leading the team on three first-half scoring drives (the game was just 32 minutes long, with eight-minute quarters).
"I thought the quarterbacks made some good decisions," new head coach Bryan Harsin said afterward on the ESPN+ broadcast. "That's something you want to see. Good in the red zone."
Bryan Harsin said Auburn quarterback Bo Nix "made good decisions" today and did a good job of getting the team into the right plays and making checks when he needed to.
Auburn's defense looked ready for the season, with the first-team unit stifling the second-team offense and the second-team defenders holding their own against Nix and the first-team offense.
First-half A-Day observations: The defense is farther ahead than the offense, which is not surprising. Much more depth on that side of the ball. But the Bigsby/Shivers RB duo looks strong.
Bo Nix: 10-13, 89, yards TD. Have heard this is the year.
"They played fast; they got to the ball," Harsin noted. "We had some turnovers, which was good."
All eyes will be on Harsin and his incoming philosophy. The first-year Tigers head coach already showed a departure from the Gus Malzahn era, with more quarterback snaps under center and a greater emphasis on power football (there were even some three-tight end sets).
Bryan Harsin: "There's plenty of things we did well today... and some things we didn't and need to work on."
Auburn will have one more practice Monday to wrap up spring.
It's hard to truly gauge a team or its head coach in a spring game, with the regular season nearly five months away. But it's clear Auburn will have a new look on offense, with a greater emphasis on powering the ball between the tackles.
The defense should be solid. If Nix and the offense adjust to the new philosophy, Auburn could be a dangerous team yet again.
No. 15 Auburn Upset by Unranked South Carolina as Bo Nix Throws 3 Interceptions
Oct 17, 2020
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix throws a pass against Arkansas during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The unranked South Carolina Gamecocks upset the No. 15 Auburn Tigers 30-22 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday.
According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, it marked South Carolina's first win over Auburn in 87 years:
Final: South Carolina 30, Auburn 22. Gamecocks (2-2) get first win over Auburn since 1933, second overall. Will Muschamp improves to 3-15 against ranked teams at South Carolina.
Auburn twice led by nine points in the game, but South Carolina went on a 16-0 run in the third and fourth quarters to secure the victory.
Sophomore quarterback Bo Nix struggled mightily in defeat for the Tigers, as he went 24-of-47 for 272 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
South Carolina improved to 2-2 on the season with the upset victory, while Auburn fell to 2-2 after narrowly escaping last week's game with a 30-28 win over Arkansas.
Auburn rushed for an impressive 209 yards on 36 carries, but that performance was spoiled by the offense's inability to protect the ball. The Tigers had three turnovers and only forced one, which was the difference in the game.
Also, Auburn committed nine penalties for 89 yards, compared to just five penalties for 39 yards by the Gamecocks.
The Tigers' offensive struggles boiled over into frustration, as Nix and No. 1 wide receiver Seth Williams got into a heated argument on the sidelines:
Some frustration on Auburn's sidelines after that last offensive possession. Chad Morris trying to be the mediator between Bo Nix and Seth Williams.pic.twitter.com/ve1NWgRoVv
Even though South Carolina lost the yards battle 481-297 and had fewer first downs (27-20), the fact that it largely avoided mistakes allowed it to pull off the upset.
Running back Kevin Harris was the offensive star for the Gamecocks, as he rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Collin Hill threw for 144 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and rushed for another score.
South Carolina is off to a somewhat promising start after going just 4-8 in 2019, which marked only the program's second losing season since 2003.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are playing .500 football, which is a mark they haven't finished at or below since going 3-9 in 2012.
Auburn will attempt to get back on track next week when it travels to face Ole Miss, while South Carolina will look to make it three straight wins when it faces the defending national champion LSU Tigers on the road.
SEC Releases Statement on Bo Nix's Controversial Spike in Arkansas vs. Auburn
Oct 10, 2020
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up in before an NCAA college football game against Arkansas as the remnants of Hurricane Delta pass through on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Auburn, Ala.. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Arkansas found itself on the wrong end of a controversial call near the end of its 30-28 road loss to No. 13 Auburn on Saturday:
This was ruled intentional grounding by Bo Nix with under 30 seconds left in the game.
Auburn was staring down a potential home upset against unranked Arkansas: Down 28-27, the Tigers faced a 3rd-and-1 on the Razorback 19-yard line with 20 seconds remaining with no timeouts left.
Tigers quarterback Bo Nix then attempted to cleanly spike the ball to stop the clock. He appeared to fumble the snap, pick up the ball and then spike the pigskin backward.
Arkansas defensive back Joe Foucha then pounced on (and eventually corralled) the loose ball, and the Razorbacks initially appeared to have gotten a turnover on towns by claiming that Nix committed a backward pass instead of a spike.
However, referees decided that Nix had committed intentional grounding, meaning a loss of down and a spot foul. With a second lease on life, the Tigers won after Auburn kicker Anders Carlson knocked home a 39-yard field goal to win the game.
Referees did appear to blow the whistle dead before Foucha gained full possession of the ball, but based on the defensive back's heads-up play to get to the football before anyone else, it's hard to envision any other player getting to it before him if the play wasn't blown dead.
Alas, it was, and Auburn escaped with a win.
College Football Rankings 2020: Final NCAA Overview of Week 5 Standings
Oct 3, 2020
Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith runs the ball during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
One of the benefits of the SEC's conference-only schedule is that we should be treated to at least one ranked matchup each week.
On Saturday, there are two Top 25 meetings in the SEC that could shake up the complexion of both divisions.
Alabama hosts Texas A&M in the first of those two games, but it will serve as the appetizer to the main event between Auburn and Georgia.
The "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry" will be contested under the lights at Sanford Stadium and will serve as an early measuring stick for each team's championship hopes.
Georgia is in a much more favorable position to make a title run from the SEC East, but Auburn might be able to lay claim to the title of second-best squad in the SEC West if it comes out of Athens, Georgia, with a victory.
Week 5 Rankings
AP Top 25
1. Clemson (2-0)
2. Alabama (1-0)
3. Florida (1-0)
4. Georgia (1-0)
5. Notre Dame (2-0)
6. Ohio State
7. Auburn (1-0)
8. Miami (3-0)
9. Texas (2-0)
10. Penn State
11. UCF (2-0)
12. North Carolina (1-0)
13. Texas A&M (1-0)
14. Oregon
15. Cincinnati (2-0)
16. Mississippi State (1-0)
17. Oklahoma State (2-0)
18. Oklahoma (1-1)
19. Wisconsin
20. LSU (0-1)
21. Tennessee (1-0)
22. BYU (2-0)
23. Michigan
24. Pittsburgh (3-0)
25. Memphis (1-0)
The four SEC teams in the Top 25 matchups will be under the biggest spotlights Saturday.
Alabama looked like the most impressive of the four squads in the opening week of SEC play by beating Missouri by 19 points.
Auburn was frustrated by Kentucky, Georgia struggled in the first half against Arkansas, and Texas A&M failed to pull away from Vanderbilt.
Georgia could be in the best position to improve out of the three with the arrival of J.T. Daniels into the offense.
The USC transfer was one of a few players across the SEC to be declared eligible this week. Kentucky quarterback Joey Gatewood and Tennessee offensive tackle Cade Mays were among the others.
Daniels will likely be the starting quarterback in the long term, but Kirby Smart may be inclined to use Stetson Bennett IV on some drives because he stabilized the offense in the second half versus Arkansas. Bennett went 20-for-29 for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns in relief of D'Wan Mathis.
No matter who starts under center, the Bulldogs need to find more consistency on offense after producing five first-half points.
Auburn scored 29 points in its opener behind Bo Nix, who was 16-for-27 with 233 yards and three scoring throws.
The Tigers have a chance to upset the Bulldogs because they have a consistent offensive unit that has developed chemistry in the last two seasons.
Seth Williams, Eli Stove and Anthony Schwartz combined for 13 receptions and 207 receiving yards against Kentucky, and if they haul in a good chunk of Nix's passes Saturday, they could test the Georgia secondary with their speed and physical qualities.
Texas A&M may end up as the top candidate to drop spots in the AP Top 25 since it failed to get going against Vanderbilt and faces one of the most talented defenses in the country.
The Aggies lost to Alabama by a combined 41 points in the last two years and conceded over 40 points to the Crimson Tide in both meetings.
The rest of the Top 25 teams are favored to come out on top in Week 5, but there could be a few squads that run into some trouble.
Oklahoma needs to rebound from its loss to Kansas State, but it must conquer an Iowa State team that has given it trouble recently. The Cyclones lost by a combined 11 points in the last two seasons.
In the ACC, North Carolina faces a potentially tricky trip to Boston College because of the circumstances around the matchup.
The Tar Heels have not played since September 12, while Boston College has played in each of the last two weeks.
College Football Picks Week 5: Predictions and Odds for Top 25 Schedule
Sep 28, 2020
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a pass against Kentucky during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The Auburn Tigers have had a hard time beating one of their oldest rivals lately.
However, the SEC West side could have the upper hand over the Georgia Bulldogs based off how both offenses looked in the first weekend of conference action.
Auburn opened as an underdog of just under a touchdown for its trip to Sanford Stadium, where it will try to win its first game over Georgia since 2017.
Georgia is one of many home favorites in the Week 5 slate. The home sides that are not on the right side of the spread at the moment have chances to spring upsets, but they need to be near perfect to do so.
The Iowa State Cyclones fit into the latter category. They have given the Oklahoma Sooners trouble in the past and could carry value as an 8.5-point underdog.
Virginia at No. 1 Clemson (-30.5) (8 p.m., ACC Network) (O/U: 56)
All times ET. Predictions against the spread in bold. Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Predictions
Auburn (+6.5) at Georgia
Even though Georgia scored eight more points than Auburn, it had the less convincing offensive performance in Week 4.
Kirby Smart's team managed just five points in the first two quarters against an Arkansas Razorbacks team that is expected to reside at the bottom of the SEC West.
Stetson Bennett IV provided some stability to the unit in the second half, as he ended up with 211 passing yards and two touchdowns, but that was a game the Bulldogs should have wrapped up by halftime.
Georgia went 6-of-20 on third-down conversions, committed 12 penalties that cost it 108 yards and turned the ball over on two occasions.
If the SEC East favorite is that sloppy Saturday, Auburn could take advantage of the mistakes and may be in contention to cover or win outright.
Gus Malzahn's team did not turn over the ball in its win over Kentucky and picked up 233 of its 324 total yards through the air.
The key difference between Auburn and Georgia right now is Bo Nix has much better chemistry with his wide receivers, which could lead to extended drives and a better ability to pick up yardage on broken plays.
Nix connected with Seth Williams, Eli Stove and Anthony Schwartz for 207 of his 233 passing yards. The trio brought in 13 of Nix's 16 completions.
A year ago, Williams, Stove and Schwartz produced 189 receiving yards on 20 catches in a seven-point home defeat.
Since Auburn's top offensive stars kept the game close on home soil in 2019, they could be up for the challenge of remaining within one score on the road Saturday.
In their six meetings since 2015, Georgia is 5-1 outright, but Auburn has kept three games within one score, which makes the possibility of the Tigers covering the 6.5-point spread larger.
Oklahoma at Iowa State (+8.5)
The Iowa State Cyclones have not been the kryptonite to Oklahoma Sooners seasons as much as the Kansas State Wildcats, but they have given Lincoln Riley's team a few scares of late.
In 2018, Matt Campbell's team remained within 10 points and held the visiting Sooners to three fourth-quarter points.
A year ago, Iowa State almost came out of Norman, Oklahoma, with a victory, Oklahoma took that contest 42-41.
Oklahoma enters Jack Trice Stadium Saturday off its first loss of the season and in Spencer Rattler's starting tenure.
How Rattler responds to the defeat could affect how close Iowa State keeps in the game, which, in turn, plays a role in which team will cover the spread.
In the last two years, Oklahoma produced mixed results in responding to losses. It blew out TCU after losing to Texas in 2018, while its one-point win over Iowa State occurred directly after its upset defeat at the hands of Kansas State.
Cyclones running back Breece Hall could be the reason the game remains close for 60 minutes. Hall has 258 rushing yards and four scores against Louisiana and TCU.
In Saturday's win over TCU, Hall ran for 155 yards and three scores in support of Brock Purdy, who improved from the loss to Louisiana with a 78.3 completion percentage and 211 passing yards.
If Oklahoma fails to contain one or both of Iowa State's stars and can't clean up the four turnovers it committed Saturday, it may fail to put away the home side early.
If Iowa State provides a steady dose of Purdy and Hall while remaining within one possession in the first half, it could open up the chance for a second-half challenge for the win.
College Football Rankings 2020: Latest Standings and Predictions for Week 5
Sep 28, 2020
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix warms up before the start of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 in Auburn, Alabama. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The Week 5 college football slate might be a little lean when it comes to Top 25 matchups—just two—but that doesn't mean we'll be short on good games. The SEC, which registered eight teams in the AP Top 25 and three of the top four ranked teams, will feature both ranked showdowns.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Ohio State (No. 6), Penn State (No. 10), Wisconsin (No. 19) and Michigan (No. 23) re-entered the rankings after the Big Ten officially announced that it would reverse course and play this fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oklahoma, which gave up a 21-point lead and lost a 38-35 heartbreaker to Kansas State, dropped all the way from No. 3 to No. 16. Meanwhile, LSU, which couldn't slow down Mike Leach's high-flying Mississippi State (yes, you read that right), fell 14 spots all the way down to No. 20.
We're breaking down the Top 25 tilts, but keep an eye on Memphis-SMU, Boston College-North Carolina, and Ole Miss-Kentucky as a couple of intriguing matchups you might've otherwise missed.
After easily dispatching Missouri 38-19 on Saturday, No. 2 Alabama will get what should be a substantially tougher challenge when it welcomes No. 13 Texas A&M to Tuscaloosa for the prime-time afternoon game on CBS. Quarterback Mac Jones was no Tua Tagovailoa or Jalen Hurts against Mizzou, but he was efficient and effective getting the ball to the Tide's numerous playmakers. The Aggies come in off of a puzzling 17-12 win over lowly Vanderbilt, in which A&M's defense played well, but the ballyhooed offense led by Kellen Mond was pedestrian.
Alabama's first-string defense was dominant in the first half against Missouri, holding the Tigers to just 112 yards and a field goal. Mond and Co. should have more success than that, but they'll have to do a lot more than they did against Vandy to keep this competitive.
Prediction: Alabama 38, Texas A&M 17
No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 7 Auburn
This has all the makings of the weekend's best matchup—potentially by a large margin. Both Auburn and Georgia struggled with inferior opponents early on Saturday, but each came away with a decisive victory to set up a showdown between two of the three teams chasing Alabama in the SEC this season.
While the Tigers have the quarterback position all sewn up with Bo Nix (233 yards, 3 TDs) under center, Georgia is still in the middle of a quarterback battle. The Bulldogs offense was supposed to be helmed by grad transfer Jamie Newman, but he opted out of the season to prepare for the NFL draft. USC transfer J.T. Daniels got an immediate eligibility waiver, but he is still rehabbing from an ACL injury suffered last season. That leaves D'Wan Mathis, who started Saturday's game against Arkansas, and Stetson Bennett, a former walk-on who finished it.
Mathis is a much bigger dual threat, but he struggled mightily against a pretty porous Arkansas defense, completing only 8-of17 passes and throwing an interception. Bennett, who likely had no dreams of playing this season just a few weeks ago, completed 20 of 29 pass attempts for 211 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall, Georgia still has more talent across the board, including on its vaunted defense, but good quarterback play—or a lack thereof—might be the deciding factor in this one.
