Auburn Football – Page 8 – Syndication Server

DL Gage Keys enters transfer portal after one season in Auburn

Keys, who transferred to Auburn from Kansas last cycle, is searching for his fourth collegiate home.

This week is important in terms of shaping the 2025 roster for the Auburn Tigers. In addition to the early signing period, the transfer portal is beginning to field names before its opening day of Dec. 9.

Three players from Auburn’s 2024 roster: QB [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag], TE [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag], and OL [autotag]EJ Harris[/autotag] have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens next week, and a defensive lineman is set to join them.

[autotag]Gage Keys[/autotag], a junior defensive lineman from Hilliard, Ohio, announced Monday that he will enter the transfer portal after spending one season with the program. Keys will be searching for his fourth home, as he made stops at Minnesota and Kansas before joining Auburn’s roster last cycle.

Keys transferred to Auburn in hopes of cracking the rotation on the Tigers’ defensive line. However, he managed to play in just two games, totaling 18 snaps in Auburn’s wins over Alabama A&M and New Mexico. He failed to record a tackle during his time on the Plains but registered a quarterback pressure in Auburn’s season-opener vs. Alabama A&M according to Pro Football Focus data.

Keys is the fourth Tiger to declare his intention to enter the transfer portal Several others could follow him once the early signing period begins Wednesday and concludes Friday. Check Auburn Wire for updates as transfer portal news continues to pour in.

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Auburn linebacker Jalen McLeod accepts invite from Senior Bowl

McLeod joins Eugene Asante and Jarquez Hunter as players representing Auburn in the game.

Auburn senior linebacker Jalen McLeod may have played his final game in an Auburn uniform following the Tigers 28-14 loss in the Iron Bowl, but the Washington, DC native will still have a final chance to campaign for his NFL draft stock this winter.

McLeod accepted an invitation to play in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl on Monday, joining fellow linebacker Eugene Asante and running back Jarquez Hunter as Tigers set to compete in the game. The senior finished his 2024 regular season as one of the key contributors on Auburn’s defensive front, breaking out for 19 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in the Tigers final two, and most important, games of the season against Texas A&M and Alabama.

On the season, the 6-foot-1, 236-pound linebacker registered 56 tackles and a team-leading 8 sacks on the campaign. He finished his Auburn career with 13.5 sacks and 106 total tackles over the course of two seasons. While most experts don’t provide mock drafts past the third or fourth rounds, McLeod is likely projected as a ‘Day 3’ pick in the upcoming NFL Draft this spring. He’ll have the chance to heavily jump up draft boards across the league with a strong showing against the best seniors in the country in a few short months.

The 2025 Senior Bowl is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, February 1 of 2025. The game will be played in Mobile, AL and can be viewed on NFL Network at 1:30 CST. The 2025 NFL Draft takes place just under two months after the game, on April 25.

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Auburn quarterback Holden Geriner to enter transfer portal

The former top-15 quarterback prospect was buried on the quarterback depth chart for the entirety of his Auburn tenure.

Auburn sophomore signal-caller [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] is reportedly entering the transfer portal following another season in a reserve role on the Plains.

A former top 15 quarterback prospect in his class, Geriner was buried on the quarterback depth chart for the entirety of his Auburn tenure. After spending his first collegiate season as the third-string quarterback behind [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] in the quarterback room, Geriner failed to beat out transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] for the starting quarterback role in 2023. With the aforementioned Ashford relegated to backup duty, the former four-star recruit saw his role once again reduced to “mop up” duty at the end of blowout games.

Things didn’t change for the better this season, as Geriner attempted just two passes in two appearances, both coming in the early season. The 6-foot-3 quarterback found himself fourth on the depth chart by the end of the season, behind the aforementioned Thorne, and freshmen [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Walker White[/autotag]. With White and Brown expected to return next season and the likely arrival of five-star quarterback [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] and at least one transfer portal signal-caller, Gernier will seek a better opportunity at a new program next fall.

Over three seasons on the Plains, the former four-star quarterback completed 9 -of-20 pass attempts for 116 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. Geriner officially recorded five rush attempts in an Auburn uniform, although three were sacks for negative yardage.

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Jarquez Hunter accepts invite from Senior Bowl

After rushing for 3,371 yards and 25 touchdowns throughout his Auburn career, Hunter will lace up his cleats one final time in February.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] played his final game in an Auburn uniform last Saturday in the Tigers’ 28-14 loss to rival Alabama in Tuscaloosa. However, the Auburn running back recently accepted an opportunity to lace up his cleats one final time as a collegiate athlete.

On Monday, it was announced that Hunter had accepted an invite to compete in the Reese’s Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. This would give him one final chance to showcase his skills in front of NFL scouts ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.

Hunter had a stellar four-year career at Auburn, ending his time on the Plains with 3,371 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. His first two seasons saw him complement [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag] by rushing for 1,261 yards and ten touchdowns during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In 2023, he took over as the premier back where he added 2,110 yards along with 15 touchdowns to add to his career total. In 2024, he reached the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career by rushing for 1,201 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.

Hunter joins linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] as Tigers who have accepted Senior Bowl invites. The Senior Bowl will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on NFL Network.

Auburn tight end Micah Riley entering transfer portal

The former three-star recruit caught three passes during his time on the Plains

Auburn sophomore tight end Micah Riley is reportedly entering the transfer portal following another disappointing season on the Plains. The Omaha, NE native played sparingly during his time with the Tigers, catching just three passes in two seasons during his career.

The second-year pass catcher was buried on the depth chart behind star tight end Rivaldo Fairweather and team captain Luke Deal, but was seemingly set to gain plenty of playing time with both pass catchers set to graduate after the 2024 season. Instead, Riley will enter the portal in hopes of landing with a program which promises him more time on the field.

A former three-star prospect, Riley failed to haul in a reception against an SEC opponent during his time on the Plains. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound pass catcher captured his first career catch, and touchdown, against Samford last season. He would go on to haul in another reception in the Music City Bowl against Maryland before securing his second, and final, touchdown of his Auburn career this season against New Mexico.

With Riley set to depart, Auburn’s tight end room will be wide open next season. Seniors Rivaldo Fairweather (31 receptions), Luke Deal (1 reception) and Brandon Frazier (1 reception), were the only Tiger tight ends other than Riley to enter the stat sheet in 2024. Hugh Freeze does have a pair of 2025 recruits, four-star Hollis Davidson and three-star Ryan Ghea, set to join the squad next season.

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Former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn to become OC at Florida State

Malzahn will return to a coordinator position for the first time since 2011

Former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn resigned from his position as UCF head coach on Saturday. Auburn’s leading man from 2013-2020, Malzahn led the Tigers to a National Championship in 2011 as the offensive coordinator before finishing as the National runner-up as the head coach in 2014.

The 59-year-old left the Plains to coach UCF in 2020, where he led the Knights to three-straight bowl game appearances from 2021-2023, including an appearance in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl to finish off UCF’s first season in the BIG 12 conference. Malzahn failed to lead UCF to a postseason birth for the first time since taking over the program this season, leading to his resignation this weekend.

Malzahn now heads to Florida State in hopes of turning around the program after its worst season in recent memory. After failing to qualify for the 4-team College Football Playoff despite an undefeated season in 2023, FSU won just 2 games in 2024 after a preseason ranking of No. 10 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. With head coach Mike Norvell likely to clean house and create a new look to his program, Malzahn will now return to a coordinator role for the first time since 2011.

In six seasons as head coach on the Plains, Gus Malzahn led Auburn to a 53-27 record, including appearances in a pair of SEC Championships and four “New Year’s 6” bowl games. The Tigers program has yet to re-gain the stability it had under the 59-year-old coach, and he’ll look to bring his winning culture to a FSU program in need of a culture change.

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In photos: Alabama defeats Auburn in 89th Iron Bowl

Here are the best photos from No. 13 Alabama’s 28-14 win over Auburn on Saturday.

Auburn football fell to the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, 28-14.

The visiting Tigers stayed close to Alabama in the yards department, being out-gained 457-399. Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] passed for 301 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but two late interceptions, including one on a trick play by running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], killed Auburn’s hopes of erasing the 14-point deficit in the final quarter of play.

Third down was an issue for Auburn on Saturday, as they converted just 4-of-12 opportunities. Considering that Auburn recovered three Alabama fumbles and picked off Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe once, the lack of being able to take advantage of extra opportunities on offense hurt the Tigers’ chances to pull off an upset win.

Here are the best images from Auburn’s loss to Alabama on Saturday.

Instant analysis: Jalen Milroe, Alabama ends Auburn’s bowl hopes in Tuscaloosa

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe gained 360 of Alabama’s 457 yards in the Tide’s win over Auburn on Saturday, eliminating them from bowl eligibility.

Auburn football’s quest for bowl eligibility was officially halted on Saturday.

The Auburn defense could not slow down Alabama‘s offense as the Crimson Tide created separation in the second half by out-gaining Auburn, 457-399 on its way to a 28-14 win over the Tigers on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Alabama led by just eight points heading to halftime but quickly established dominance in the 3rd quarter by scoring two quick touchdowns to jump out to a 28-6 lead. Auburn cut into the lead on a touchdown pass from Auburn quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne [/autotag]to wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag]. However, the Tigers’ comeback effort fell short in the 4th quarter as Auburn’s final two drives of the game ended with Thorne interceptions.

Another major factor in the game was the play of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. Milroe ended the game by completing 75% (18-of-24) of his passes for 256 yards and rushed for an additional 104 yards and three scores.

Alabama held a tight 14-6 advantage heading into the locker room at halftime after outgaining Auburn in yards, 222-204. The Tigers struggled on third down during the first half, converting just 2 of 9 opportunities. Auburn also turned their three red zone opportunities into points. Kicker [autotag]Ian Vachon[/autotag] connected on kicks of 37 and 25 yards in the half while missing a kick from 39 yards early in the 1st quarter.

Jalen Milroe was the star of the show for Alabama in the first half. The Alabama quarterback scored twice on two runs in the half, including a 19-yard run to put Alabama on the scoreboard, 7-0, with 3:18 in the 1st quarter. Milroe extended Alabama’s lead to 14-3 with 2:44 in the 2nd quarter on a one-yard rush.

Alabama built upon its halftime lead by scoring two quick touchdowns within the first eight minutes of the 3rd quarter. Alabama running back Justice Haynes capped Alabama’s first drive of the 3rd quarter by scoring on a 2-yard rush to extend the Crimson Tide’s lead to 21-6. Milroe added his third score of the night on a 17-yard rush to push the Tide’s lead to 28-6 with 6:54 in the quarter. Auburn capped scoring in the quarter when quarterback Payton Thorne connected with wide receiver Cam Coleman on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 2:31 remaining in the 3rd. A successful two-point conversion cut Alabama’s lead to 28-14 heading into the last quarter of play.

Auburn ends the 2024 season with a 5-7 record and a 2-6 mark in SEC play. The next big chapter in Auburn football begins next week as the early signing period begins. Auburn’s newest roster pieces will sign beginning Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Auburn, Hugh Freeze preparing for ‘best’ version of Jalen Milroe

Auburn will need to slow down Alabama QB Jalen Milroe to steal a win in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.

Auburn football’s most important game of the season will take place less than 24 hours from now in Tuscaloosa.

Not only will Auburn look to win the 89th Iron Bowl to earn bragging rights over rival Alabama for the next year, but they will earn bowl eligibility after starting the season 2-5. One of their key focuses this week will be Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, the lifeblood of the Alabama offense. Milroe has experienced inconsistency this season, but that is not stopping Auburn’s head coach from preparing his team for the best version of Milroe.

During his weekly preview press conference, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] broke down Milroe’s ability and what his team should prepare for this Saturday.

“You look at the good. That’s what (Milroe is) capable of. I hope we get the lesser-than version. In a game like this, I would think – I don’t know him personally, but everything you see, he’s made of the right stuff and he competes at a high, high level in some of the biggest games. I would think he’d be determined to bounce back. So I think we’ve got to plan to get his best. I feel confident they’ll use him as a runner. That’s when they’ve been the most dangerous, and we’ve got to have a plan for that.”

Milroe enters Saturday’s game vs. Auburn with 2,396 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Milroe is also the Crimson Tide’s leading rusher with 615 yards and 17 touchdowns on 135 carries. His rushing ability will make or break Alabama’s success on offense.

In Alabama’s eight wins, Milroe has rushed for 587 yards and 16 scores. In Alabama’s three losses, Milroe has been held to 28 yards on 36 carries with just one touchdown. In last week’s loss to Oklahoma, Milroe was limited to seven rushing yards on 15 carries while being sacked once.

Milroe has not faired well in “bounce back” games, either, In Alabama’s win over South Carolina following its loss to Vanderbilt, Milroe rushed for 36 yards on 18 carries. In the Crimson Tide’s win over Missouri, Milroe gained 50 yards on the ground on 11 carries.

However, he has managed to pass well in said “bounce back” games. Two of Milroe’s top-five passing performances of the season have taken place following a loss. Milroe passed for 215 yards in Alabama’s win over Missouri and 209 yards vs. South Carolina.

Auburn will look to slow down Jalen Milroe and the Alabama offense on Saturday when it faces the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted on ABC.

USA TODAY Sports experts reveal predictions for Saturday’s Iron Bowl

Saturday’s game between Auburn and No. 13 Alabama is a ‘must-win’ for each team. USA TODAY Sports experts forecast the winner.

Saturday’s Iron Bowl between Auburn and No. 13 Alabama is a must-win game for each team.

For the home-standing Crimson Tide, a win boosts its chances of earning a seat at the College Football Playoff table. On the other side, Auburn needs a victory to claim bowl eligibility and to run its winning streak to three games.

Which side will emerge victorious? The experts at USA TODAY Sports have submitted their predictions for every top-25 contest throughout “rivalry week,” including this Saturday’s Iron Bowl. The panel of Scooby Axson, Jordan Mendoza, Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus, and Dan Wolken have made their picks for the game. As expected, all six experts have Alabama winning its fifth-straight Iron Bowl.

Not only will Saturday’s game be crucial to both team’s successes, but both teams also enter the game on opposite ends of momentum. The Tigers have won two-straight games including last Saturday’s four-overtime thriller over then-No. 14 Texas A&M. A win over Alabama would allow Auburn to carry momentum into next week’s early signing day as well as bowl season.

Alabama has lost three games in the regular season for the first time since 2010 and is looking to avoid its first four-or-more loss season since 2007. The Crimson Tide is down on its luck after losing to unranked Oklahoma on the road last Saturday, 24-3, and wants to hop back into the win column by gaining a win over its bitter rival.

The 89th Iron Bowl will take place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Watch the game live on ABC.