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Where does Auburn stand in 247Sports’ 2023 SEC predictions?

This would be a slight step forward for the Tigers.

As football season is growing closer and closer, everyone is starting to make predictions of what things will look like this season.

247Sports is no different, as an article written by Brad Crawford lists the outlet’s predictions for how the SEC will shake out this season.

Some of the predictions not directly related to Auburn include the conference having six teams present in the preseason AP Top 25 poll and Alabama’s home winning streak, the longest in the SEC, coming to an end. Also, Georgia once again defeating Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, and an SEC team winning the National Championship for the fourth season in a row.

As far as standings predictions:

East:

Georgia (12-0, 8-0)
Tennessee (9-3, 5-3)
South Carolina (7-5, 4-4)
Missouri (6-6, 3-5)
Kentucky (6-6, 2-6)
Florida (5-7, 3-5)
Vanderbilt (5-7, 1-7)

West:

Alabama (10-2, 7-1)
LSU (10-2, 6-2)
Arkansas (8-4, 4-4)
Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4)
Ole Miss (8-4, 4-4)
Auburn (7-5, 3-5)
Mississippi State (6-6, 2-6)

Auburn is predicted to beat UMass, Cal, Samford, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and New Mexico State.

The Tigers are predicted to fall to Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, Arkansas and Alabama.

247’s take on the Tigers: Considering the Vegas number is 6.5, Auburn fans will be excited if the Tigers hit seven wins this fall. On the contrary, a .500 finish is obviously not what Hugh Freeze has in mind for his first season on the Plains. This roster has vastly improved through the portal, but simply isn’t strong enough yet to fight for a spot near the top of the division standings. It will come, though.

It will be a transitional year for the program, but Auburn is determined to take back its place as one of the top programs in college football and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will work tirelessly to help the Tigers get to that point.

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Where Auburn lands in Athlon Sports’ preseason SEC RB rankings

The trio of Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston, and Brian Battie could lead Auburn to the top of the SEC rushing ranks this season.

The 2023 season is upon us, and one position group that appears to have the least amount of questions is the running back unit.

Auburn football has experienced a program overhaul thanks to incoming transfer portal talent, with quarterback, offensive line, and wide receiver all expected to be affected by this change. The one constant, however, is running back.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] is expected to be the team’s premier back this season, and has made quite the impression on [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

“I think Jarquez (Hunter) is the best that I’ve coached thus far,” Freeze said during spring practice. “(I’m) excited about his demeanor and the way he goes about his work. He keeps his mouth shut and just goes to work.”

Following Hunter’s lead is expected to be USF transfer [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag]. Battie rushed for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and his speed will definitely aid Auburn in the return game as well.

Those two names are the most popular around the Plains, but it is worth keeping an eye on Damari Alston as well. Alston only recorded 14 touches last season but his versatility impressed offensive coordinator [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag] in the spring.

“From Day 1, I thought (Alston) had a pretty good feel with what we were trying to do in the run game, with seeing it, setting up blocks, and still had that physicality about him,” Montgomery said. “But the speed that he brings… man, he’s got gears in there.”

The three-headed monster that Auburn will bring into the season sure seems impressive, but does the national media see it that way? Athlon Sports ranked each SEC program’s running back situation in its preseason magazine, and believes that the Tigers have one of the best units in the conference.

Here’s a rundown of Athlon Sports’ running back unit rankings ahead of the 2023 season.

Anonymous SEC assistant forecasts ‘weird’ season for Auburn

One SEC assistant is not buying into the Hugh Freeze hype.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has brought much-needed excitement to the Auburn fan base since he was introduced as head coach last November. However, there is one assistant coach from the SEC that is not buying the hype.

In Athlon Sports’ College Football preview magazine, one SEC assistant coach (who remains anonymous) says that Auburn will definitely improve in several aspects, but feels that the current talent pool is not worthy of an SEC title hunt.

“It’s gonna be another weird year. They’re getting a boost from [Hugh] Freeze coming back in the league and just not being Bryan Harsin. For all of Freeze’s problems, he can manage an SEC culture a thousand times better than Hars. … They’re starting over, but it’s Auburn, so they have good running backs. After that, they’re pretty mediocre.

This assistant also provided a rather harsh criticism of Freeze and Auburn football as a whole.

“Freeze didn’t really bring in the all-star staff he promised. It’s weird, there’s a lot of his Liberty dudes, and then you have Ron Roberts and the old Tulsa head coach [Philip Montgomery]. He’s going to use the entire season as a recruiting platform like he did those first two years at Ole Miss because the offensive line and the receivers are bad and don’t know the system, but Auburn is going to expect him to operate on a faster timeline. They’re so far behind Bama and Georgia; it’s maybe the biggest gap in decades.”

Athlon Sports is also not ready to say that Auburn will improve drastically under Freeze in year one. According to its SEC outlook, Auburn is projected to finish dead last in the western division with a 6-6 record and is forecasted to go 2-6 in SEC play.

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CBS Sports projects Auburn football’s 2023 record

According to a projection by CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee, the Tigers will exceed last season’s win total.

Despite the frustrations that Auburn football endured in 2022, interim head coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] led the Tigers to a 2-2 finish, which resulted in a 5-7 final record.

Auburn missed going to a bowl by one game last season and, on paper, has made the necessary adjustments to exceed that win total. CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee also feels that the Tigers will improve from last season. Caesar’s Sportsbook gives Auburn an over/under of 7.0 wins, and Sallee feels that the Tigers can push those odds.

Hugh Freeze has his work cut out for him considering the state of the roster Bryan Harsin left behind. Games against Georgia and Alabama are at home (as is the case on odd-numbered years), but upsets in either of those is highly unlikely. A nonconference game at California is manageable, and the Tigers drew Vanderbilt as their rotating cross-division road game. Freeze should be able to orchestrate a two-game improvement from last season and hit the Las Vegas win total. The Tigers are capable of springing some upsets, but also susceptible to a few slip-ups.

Which games will Auburn win? Sallee feels that Auburn can beat UMass, Cal, Samford, both Mississippi programs, Vanderbilt, and New Mexico State.

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247Sports predicts Auburn to return to bowl season in Freeze’s debut season

Brad Crawford sees the Tigers making improvements after missing a bowl game last season.

After missing bowl season by one game last season, the Auburn Tigers are on pace to raise their floor in 2023.

New head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has enhanced Auburn’s areas of weakness by using the transfer portal and has added several freshmen that could see quality playing time in their first season on The Plains.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports also sees the Tigers making a bowl appearance this season and predicts Auburn to stay close to home this December.

In his summer bowl predictions, Crawford projects Auburn to head to Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham to face the Memphis Tigers in the Birmingham Bowl.

Crawford believes Auburn will surpass its win total from 2022 by two games to get there.

Bowl eligibility in Year 1 for Hugh Freeze on The Plains would appease the fan base as long as there aren’t many lopsided losses mixed into a .500 or 7-5 season. Auburn’s not far away from being a tough out in the SEC West, and the Tigers believe they’ve signed a few instant-impact portal players — including Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne — that bring instant competition to vital position groups.

Outside of Auburn, Crawford projects 12 other SEC programs will go bowling this season. Who are they? Take a look below.

No LSU? No problem: Oklahoma to become Auburn’s most notable SEC opponent in 2024

AL.com’s Mark Heim shares why Oklahoma is Auburn’s most intriguing opponent following the 2024 SEC schedule release.

Tradition is sacred, and often the most comfortable aspect of life. But there is something exciting about shaking things up a bit.

That’s what Auburn football will experience in 2024. It will not play LSU for the first time since 1992 due to the SEC’s decision to eliminate divisions with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas.

Despite the lack of LSU on the schedule, Auburn will still have a challenging slate thanks to scheduled road trips to Alabama and Georgia in 2024. Who replaces LSU as the notable even-year home game for Auburn? AL.com’s Mark Heim said that honor will go to the new kid on the block, Oklahoma.

Heim broke down every SEC program’s 2024 schedule and selected the most notable game for every SEC team. Auburn’s date with Oklahoma will be exciting. It will mark the first time the Tigers face the Sooners at a home site in both programs’ history.

Auburn has faced Oklahoma twice, both at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The Sooners defeated Auburn and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback [autotag]Pat Sullivan[/autotag] in the 1972 Sugar Bowl, 40-22, behind a solid day from quarterback Jack Mildren.

The second meeting between these two programs took place in 2017. Oklahoma beat Auburn, 35-17. The Tigers trailed Oklahoma, 14-13, at halftime, but the Sooners scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to run away with the win. Sooners’ quarterback Baker Mayfield won the MVP award after gaining 330 all-purpose yards.

In addition to Oklahoma, Auburn will also host Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Arkansas in 2024.

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Sports Illustrated ranks SEC quarterbacks ahead of fall camp

Robby Ashford will compete with Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne this summer for the starting quarterback role at Auburn.

SEC football in 2023 will feature a healthy mix of returning stars, incoming transfers, and quarterbacks who will gain control of their respective offenses for the first time.

At Auburn, there will be a compelling quarterback battle between incumbent starter [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and Michigan State transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag]. Thorne brings experience to the table, but Ashford has much more experience against SEC defenses. Auburn fans will follow the fierce competition closely until a starter is named.

Ahead of fall camp, Sports Illustrated’s Crissy Froyd revealed her SEC quarterback rankings. Due to Auburn not having announced a starter, Froyd listed Ashford as Auburn’s representative. Ashford checks into the list at No. 11 ahead of Missouri’s Brady Cook, Florida‘s Graham Mertz and Vanderbilt’s AJ Swann.

Ashford took over the starting quarterback role during Auburn’s loss to Penn State following the injury to former quarterback [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag]. Ashford appeared in all 12 of Auburn’s games in 2022, ending the season with 1,613 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns. On his feet, he rushed for a 710 yards and seven touchdowns.

Ashford went through spring practice with Auburn, which is something Thorne can not say. Thorne has nearly three seasons of starting experience, however, which will play a huge role in the quarterback competition this summer.

Here’s a full look at Froyd’s QB rankings ahead of this fall’s schedule.

SEC QB rankings ahead of camp:

1. Jayden Daniels, LSU.
2. KJ Jefferson, Arkansas.
3. Joe Milton, Tennessee.
4. Will Rogers, Mississippi State.
5. Devin Leary, Kentucky.
6. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina.
7. Jalen Milroe, Alabama.
8. Carson Beck, Georgia.
9. Jaxson Dart, Ole…

— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) June 18, 2023

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A look at each SEC program’s top returning defensive player

Will these defensive stars enjoy the same success in 2023?

The 2023 football will be here before you know it. Why not take this time to get to know some of the SEC’s top returning players?

After researching each SEC program’s top returning player last week, let’s take a quick trip to the other side of the football. Many talented SEC defenders such as Drew Sanders, Nolan Smith, Derick Hall, and Will Anderson have all moved on to the NFL, but there is still plenty of talent returning to the conference this season.

When making this list, we looked at each team’s individual grades from the 2022 season according to Pro Football Focus. To qualify, each player must have played in at least ten games last season for their current team. So players who transferred into the program, or out of the program, did not make the cut.

Here’s a look at each SEC program’s top returning defensive player according to Pro Football Focus.

Bri Ellis announces transfer destination

The 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year has found a new place to call home.

Auburn first baseman [autotag]Bri Ellis[/autotag] surprised Tiger fans last month by announcing she was entering the transfer portal after spending the first two seasons of her college career on The Plains.

Late Sunday, Ellis revealed she has found a new place to come home. In a simple tweet, Ellis announced she will remain in the SEC by transferring to Arkansas.

Ellis was a staple of Auburn’s lineup since arriving on campus in 2022. During her freshman season, the Houston, Texas, native hit .302 with 20 home runs and 49 RBI. She ended her rookie season by earning several honors such as SEC Freshman of the Year.

Her 2023 season was just as special. She hit .275 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI. Over the last two seasons, Ellis led Auburn in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.

The move to Arkansas should be a positive one for Ellis. Arkansas head coach Courtney Diefel has had a positive track record in developing acquired talent from the transfer portal.

Recently, former Alabama outfielder KB Sides was named SEC Player of the Year in 2022 after shattering personal bests in average, home runs, hits, RBI and stolen bases. The Razorbacks’ ace pitcher this season, Chenise Delce, also reached her full potential in Fayetteville after transferring from Tulsa. Over the last two seasons, Delce recorded 381 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.07.

At the time of this post, Ellis is the first of six Tigers on the 2023 roster to announce their destination after entering the transfer portal. [autotag]Denver Bryant[/autotag], [autotag]Carlee McCondichie[/autotag], [autotag]Lindsey Garcia[/autotag], [autotag]Maia Engelkes[/autotag] and [autotag]Jessie Blaine[/autotag] remain in the transfer portal.

pic.twitter.com/QZRrxb1Drh

— Bri Ellis (@briellis1) June 19, 2023

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On3 Roundtable highlights Auburn’s playmakers at wide receiver

Who will be the Tigers’ top receiving targets in 2023?

The 2023 edition of the Auburn Tigers will look vastly different.

Auburn’s offense will see notable changes at offensive line and wide receiver. The latter position group was discussed on a recent episode of The On3 Roundtable.

Host J.D. PicKell welcomed Auburn Live’s Justin Hokanson to chat about the Tigers last week. Auburn will have several new faces lining up to catch passes from either [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] or [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] this season thanks to the transfer portal. Players such as [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag], and [autotag]Nick Mardner[/autotag] will be tall targets for Auburn’s quarterbacks, but the one transfer receiver that Hokanson is most looking forward to watching is FIU transfer [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag].

Fairweather comes to Auburn after reeling in 28 catches for 426 yards and three touchdowns last season at FIU and is poised to help out the Tigers at tight end.

He’s only played football for four or five years of his life, but played basketball, played soccer in high school, super athletic and super raw,” Hokanson said. “That kid’s got NFL potential written all over him. He’s going to be really interesting to see. Is he involved in just the red zone or is he involved all the way up and down the field? He’s a guy that’s going to be a big target.”

Outside of the new transfers, Auburn’s leading receiver from a season ago returns to the roster.

[autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] caught 26 passes for 493 yards last season for the Tigers. Hokanson believes that Auburn’s fresh receivers will provide relief to Johnson.

“I think there’s a lot to be determined. I don’t know that there will be a premier pass catcher,” Hokanson said. “I feel like you’ve got some guys that can maybe turn into reliable guys across the board but I would probably start with those four.”

According to Pro Football Focus, three of Auburn’s top offensive players reside in the receiving corps.

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