Auburn Tigers 2023 football season

Final injury report ahead of Texas A&M vs. Auburn

Here is the final injury report ahead of Texas A&M’s SEC opener vs. Auburn on Saturday afternoon

Texas A&M (2-1) will take on the visiting Auburn Tigers (3-0) on Saturday afternoon inside Kyle Field, and yes, it’s going to be a scorcher, as temperatures will be as high as 95 degrees, and even hotter on the field.

Both programs are coming off wins against lesser opponents, as the Aggies blew out UL Monroe 47-3 last Saturday, while the Tigers downed Samford 45-13 to stay perfect on the season, setting up for one of the most challenging matchups to predict at the start of SEC play.

While Texas A&M’s defense has been less than exceptional, quarterback Conner Weigman tore the Warhawks secondary to shreds, throwing for an efficient 25/29, 337 yards, and two touchdowns, including a 19-yard rushing score, further proving that the Aggies offense will be their predominate strength in 2023.

Earlier this week, head coach Jimbo Fisher provided a brief update regarding the injury report after several players sat down last weekend, headlined by star wide receiver Evan Stewart, starting center Bryce Foster, and freshman tackle Chase Bisontis.

While Stewart, Foster, and Bisontis are primed to return to the lineup against Auburn, starting right tackle Reuben Fatheree II is reportedly still in the process of rehabbing before he can fully return, according to Fisher during his weekly SEC teleconference:

“I do not know. That will be up to his development on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis we are seeing. But he is practicing well, doing well, getting better each and every day and we will see as that goes.”

Noah Thomas left mid-game due to a lower body stinger but will reportedly return as well, as the Aggies’ entire wide receiver depth chart will be available against the Tigers.

For Auburn, linebacker Austin Keys will miss the game, and most notably, starting cornerback Keitonte Scott will also miss the game as a late scratch this week.

Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m., where it will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Aggies Wire Staff Predictions ahead of Texas A&M vs. Auburn

Our Staff at Aggies Wire have predicted just how things may shake out during Texas A&M’s Saturday afternoon SEC opener vs. Auburn

Texas A&M (2-1) may not be completely removed from its 48-33 loss to Miami; as they say, time heals all, and after blowing out UL Monroe 47-3 last Saturday, Jimbo Fisher’s squad at least exercised some demons ahead of hosting Auburn this Saturday afternoon to open SEC play.

Unsurprisingly, sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman stole the show once again, throwing for 337 yards and a touchdown with dead-set accuracy, hitting 25/29 of his targets for a nearly record-setting 86% completion rate. With wide receiver Evan Stewart out, Ainias Smith (7 rec, 127 yards) and Jahdae Walker (5 rec, 110 yards, 1 TD) showed up and showed out, while the Aggies’ up-and-down defense held the Warhawks to three points and only 95 passing yards (all in the first half).

Looking to get off to a hot start against an Auburn team looking to pull an SEC upset, this game is vital from a momentum perspective and perhaps Jimbo Fisher’s long-term future at the helm.

Providing several key storylines and five players to watch ahead of the game, Our Staff have made our predictions ahead of Saturday’s showdown.

Cameron Ohnysty, Managing Editor

“Under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, the Tiger’s identity is still unknown, but with an experienced defense that will look to pressure Weigman early while challenging him in the passing game, the Aggies will have their hands full but still hold the advantage on offense by a large margin.

Defensively, the Aggies’ showed more effort and physicality compared to their lackadaisical showing against Miami, and even though the pass rusher was still an issue, defensive end Shemar Turner has begun to find his footing after recording this third sack in three games.

Conner Weigman’s recent press conference appearance in which he discussed last year’s ugly loss to Auburn and what he has learned since has eased the mind of most Aggie fans who are still hesitant to believe that things will turn around. Suppose the Aggies’ offensive line holds, and The Payton Thorne/Robby Ashford combination is at least managed defensively. In that case, I’m giving Texas A&M the nod and a solid first showing to defend home turf and send a message to the rest of the SEC West.”

Final score: Texas A&M 31, Auburn 24

Pete Hernandez, Staff Writer:

“The Aggies mustered just 215 yards of offense with four turnovers generated between these two teams late last season. Thankfully, both of these teams look improved to start 2023, which means we should expect a highly competitive game.

While I believe A&M has the QB advantage with Conner Weigman playing arguably the best ball in the SEC, that’s not to say the Tigers will roll over easily. In particular, I think the tandem of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford could at least give the Aggies some trouble, namely the latter. Ashford flashed his ability to make some plays with his legs, which I think spells trouble for A&M on the edge as they have easily given up contain on numerous occasions.

Texas A&M has too much talent and an innovative play-caller in Bobby Petrino, which means they should win their first SEC matchup of the season. Just don’t expect it to be a blowout win, and there’s a chance that the Aggies could fail to cover the spread.”

Final score: Texas A&M 30, Auburn 23

Jarrett Johnson, Staff Writer:

“After a poor offensive outing last year, I expect a much-improved showing. Conner Weigman has been hitting on all cylinders with Bobby Petrino and the wideouts. The Aggies will extend their 30-point-scoring streak to four games this season, putting up 37 points with another strong day through the air.

I do believe the defense will struggle again; however, I’m convinced DJ Durkin will make some scheme tweaks for this game. Between Auburn QB Payton Throne and RB, Damari Alston will give Aggie’s front seven a lot to think about in the ground. They cannot have the same type of performance as week two and must show that improvements have been made in the past 14 days.

I made this game a little bit closer than my original prediction, but I am still trying to find the balance between how much the offense can carry this team while the defense figures things out against level competition. However, the Aggies will still win, and Kyle Field can breathe a sigh of relief for one more week.”

Final score: Texas A&M 37, Auburn 30

Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m., where it will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Aggies Wire goes ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ with Auburn Wire

Auburn Wire editor Taylor Jones talks the QB duo of Peyton Thorne and Robby Ashford, the Tigers’ defense, and lingering injuries issues.

SEC play begins for nearly every conference program this weekend. Starting with Texas A&M (2-1) hosting the Auburn Tigers (3-0) with first-year head coach Hugh Freeze at the helm.

The Tigers are off to a surprising undefeated start after escaping Berekely with a late-night 14-10 victory over Cal in Week 2, while, similar to the Aggies’ 47-3 win over UL Monroe, dominated a lesser opponent last weekend after defeating Samford 45-13.

Auburn is led by a talented defensive secondary led by CB Nehemiah Pritchett and nickel Donovan Kaufman, who are both set to return this weekend. In contrast, the Tigers’ experienced defensive line can pressure the pocket during any possession.

Offensively, it may take a year or so to reach its true potential under Freeze, yet the quarterback duo of Michigan State transfer Peyton Thorne and duel threat Robby Ashford’s running ability serves as a 1-2 punch that could cause the Aggies defense some headaches on the ground if they can strike early.

To gain a deeper understanding of how the Tigers will perform on Saturday, we spoke with Auburn Wire editor Taylor Jones to gain said perspective. And as usual, he thoroughly delivered.

Jones spoke about Peyton Thorne and Robby Ashford under center, the Tigers’ defense, and lingering injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s festivities.

Enjoy this week’s edition of Behind Enemy Lines.

Texas A&M’s red zone efficiency will face Auburn’s No.1-ranked goal line defense in a battle of wills

Texas A&M is one of the top teams to consistently reach the red zone, but vs. Auburn’ goal line defense, it’s simply strength on strength.

It’s Auburn week, and in head coach Hugh Freezes’ first season at the helm, visiting Texas A&M for both programs’ SEC opener will be a battle of emotions, and while the Aggies’s predominate strength is behind the arm of sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman, the Tigers’ defense is well equipped to challenge his day in the pocket.

However, Freeze’s defense will be missing two starters, linebacker Austin Key and cornerback Keionte Scott, which should provide an opening for Weigman to expose the middle of the field with one of the deepest wide receiver units in the country. Regarding getting to the red zone, the Aggies are one of the top teams to consistently make their way to the goal line in their first three games but only convert at a 74% clip.

Just one spot below Washington, Texas A&M’s 52.78% rate of possessions in the red area is a direct result of offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s “feed the studs” mantra going into full effect, as the elite receiving weapons, including Evan Stewart, Ainias Smith, Noah Thomas, Jahdae Walker, and Moose Muhammad III are weekly matchup problems for nearly every opposing defense. Still, against Auburn’s No.1-ranked red zone scoring defense, the Aggies will need to find creative ways to either convert their opportunities with a mix of run/pass or focus on explosive down-field plays.

Both teams are coming off decisive victories against lesser opponents. Even though we didn’t learn much about The Aggies other than the offense’s continued dominance, the quarterback duo of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford present a challenge as both can make plays out of structure, so if the defense struggles to contain both options on Saturday, relying on Weigman’s arm and the run game should still result in positive results if this offense is as elite as we’ve witnessed thus far.

Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m., where it will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is well aware of the challenges ahead before taking on Texas A&M

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze knows that his first SEC road trip to College Station will start and end in the trenches.

Texas A&M (2-1) is set to open the 2023 SEC season against the visiting Auburn Tigers (3-0) in head coach Hugh Freeze’s inaugural season with the program, knowing that striking while the iron is hot is vital within an upcoming schedule that includes hosting Georgia and traveling to Baton Rouge to take LSU after facing the Aggies.

Earlier this week, Freeze sat down with the media to discuss Saturday’s battle, focusing on Texas A&M star wide receiver Evan Stewart’s game-changing potential in the passing game with ascending quarterback Conner Weigman leading the offensive charge.

“They have great receivers, One of the best I’ve ever seen in (Evan) Stewart,” Freeze stated. “He’s really talented, and I think they’re doing some really good things offensively. They’re going to be a great challenge for us to try to keep them under. Hopefully, keeping them from having explosive plays, particularly ones that lead to points.”

Even though the Aggies’ pass rush has been absent outside of defensive end Shemar Turners’ team-leading three sacks, the bevy of blue-chip talent in the defensive trenches will eventually find its footing.

If last Saturday’s 47-3 win over UL Monroe doesn’t indicate that said talent is resulting in on-field production, the Tigers may have a shot at moving the ball downfield. However, Freeze remains hesitant to doubt the Aggie D, specifically their third-down defense.

“It is a great concern. I want to be really clear; we are getting ready to play three teams that have – over the last four to five years – ranked in the top seven to five in recruiting. You are playing the best recruits in the nation. We are going to be there soon. That doesn’t mean you can’t compete. There is a reason they are third in the nation on third-down defense. They have a bunch of five-stars in the defensive line, linebacker and that safety, and that corner. They are really talented. When you put on the film you see that. Their closing speed is incredible. They are physical up front, and it is a tall challenge for us in year one to stand toe to toe with A&M and Georgia next week and LSU the following week. It is our goal to get there. But that is what reality is, we have had about eight months to recruit about half a class and these others have been stacking it, and that is why they are ranked third in the country (on third-down defense)”.

No matter what it says on paper for both teams, this is the SEC, meaning every matchup for the next two months will be dogfight after dogfight. Regarding Texas A&M vs. Auburn, head coach Jimbo Fisher is looking for revenge after falling to the then Cadillac Williams-led Tigers squad, who narrowly defeated the Aggies 13-10 last season.

Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m., where it will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.