Tag: Auburn

Tony Vitello previews Tennessee-Auburn baseball series

Vols’ head coach Tony Vitello previews the Tennessee-Auburn baseball series.

Tennessee enters Week 8 of the 2024 college baseball season. Auburn (17-11, 1-8 SEC) will host No. 4 Tennessee (24-5, 5-4 SEC), Friday-Sunday, at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Alabama.

Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

The Tennessee-Auburn baseball series marks the third week of Southeastern Conference play.

Tennessee’s home SEC schedule in 2024 consists of series against Ole Miss (W, 2-1), Georgia (W, 2-1), LSU, Missouri and South Carolina.

The Vols have SEC road series in the regular-season at Alabama (L, 2-1), Auburn, Kentucky, Florida and Vanderbilt.

READ: 2024 Tennessee Vols baseball schedule

READ: 2024 Tennessee Vols baseball roster

Seventh-year Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello met with media on Thursday to preview the Auburn series. Vitello’s media availability canoe watched below.

Former Dolphins LB Mike ‘Captain Crunch’ Kolen dies at age 76

Mike Kolen, a key member of the Dolphins’ famed “No Name Defense,” died Wednesday at the age of 76.

Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Mike “Captain Crunch” Kolen died Wednesday at age 76, his alma mater Auburn University announced.

Kolen was the Dolphins’ 12th round draft pick in the 1970 NFL draft and spent his entire eight-year career with the team. As a key member of Miami’s “No Name Defense,” Kolen was part of a Dolphins dynasty that went undefeated in the 1972 season and won back-to-back Super Bowls.

In 2016, Kolen published The Greatest Team: A Playbook for Champions, a novel about his journey in football and life. A year later, the former Dolphins linebacker revealed to the Miami Herald that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Kolen first earned his nickname “Captain Crunch” while at Auburn where he was a two-time All-SEC selection and one-time All-American. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and Auburn has long given the “Mike Kolen Award” to its leading tackler at the end of the season.

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Auburn ends Lady Vols’ 20-game win streak

Auburn softball ends the Lady Vols’ 20-game win streak.

Auburn (16-11-1, 3-9 SEC) defeated No. 4 Tennessee (28-5, 8-1 SEC), 4-2, Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

The loss ended the Lady Vols’ 20-game win streak.

Tennessee managed five hits and stranded five runners in the series finale against the Tigers.

Laura Mealer went 1-for-4 for Tennessee. She recorded one RBI. Taylor Pannell went 1-for-2, totaling one RBI and one walk.

Sophia Nugent went 1-for-3 and recorded one double, while McKenna Gibson went 1-for-2. She recorded one double and one walk.

Karlyn Pickens (16-3) started for the Lady Vols. She pitched 5.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned, four hits and two walks, while recording four strikeouts.

Charli Orsini pitched 0.2 innings and allowed one walk.

Lady Vols win series at Auburn

Tennessee softball wins 20th consecutive game.

No. 4 Tennessee (28-4, 8-0 SEC) defeated Auburn (15-11-1, 2-9 SEC), 8-4, on Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

Tennessee won its 20th consecutive game and clinched a third straight series win.

Giulia Koutsoyanopulos went 2-for-4 and recorded one home run, two RBIs and one run for the Lady Vols.

McKenna Gibson went 2-for-4 and recorded one home run, two RBIs and one run, while Zaida Puni went 2-for-4 and totaled one home run, two runs and one RBI for Tennessee.

Taylor Pannell also hit a home run for Tennessee.

Tenessee will conclude its three-game series at Auburn on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. EDT (SEC Network+).

Lady Vols defeat Auburn tennis in top 25 match

Lady Vols tennis defeats Auburn in top 25 matchup.

No. 24 Tennessee (12-6, 4-4 SEC) defeated No. 16 Auburn (12-8, 6-3 SEC), 4-3, on Friday at Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Alabama.

“Our coaching staff is so proud of our team’s continued fight,” Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. “What I love most about today’s win is we knew we had to battle at all six spots in singles and that’s exactly what we did. We faced some adversity and we persevered. Leyla (Britez Risso) did a fantastic job of responding to us asking her to play after the doubles point. Her whole team is proud of her and thankful to her dedication to practice and a tough mindset this week.”

Tennessee-Auburn tennis results

Singles

1. #18 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #17 Sofia Cabezas (TENN) 6-1, 6-1

2. Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #62 DJ Bennett (AUB) 7-5, 6-2

3. Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. #74 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5)

4. #116 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Esther Adeshina (TENN) 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2

5. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) def. Selin Ovunc (AUB) 6-4, 6-4

6. Leyla Britez Risso (TENN) def. Adeline Flach (AUB) 6-4, 6-2

Order of finish: (1,6,5,2,4,3)

Doubles

1. #9 Ariana Arseneault/DJ Bennett (AUB) vs. #21 Elza Tomase/Sofia Cabezas (TENN) 5-3, unfinished

2. Angella Okutoyi/Adeline Flach (AUB) def. #49 Esther Adeshina/Alana Wolfberg (TENN) 6-2

3. Carolyn Ansari/Selin Ovunc (AUB) def. Catherine Aulia/Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) 6-2

Order of finish: (3,2)

How to watch Tennessee-Auburn softball series

How to watch the Tennessee-Auburn softball series Friday-Sunday.

Auburn (15-9-1, 2-7 SEC) will host No. 4 Tennessee (26-4, 6-0 SEC), Friday-Sunday, at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

The Lady Vols enter the series with an 18-game win streak. Tennessee’s last loss took place Feb. 25 against UCLA.

First pitch for game No. 1 between Tennessee and the Tigers is slated for 6 p.m. EDT and will be televised by SEC Network. Tiffany Greene (play-by-play) and Madison Shipman (analyst) will be on the call.

Saturday’s contest is scheduled for 5 p.m. EDT and can be watched on SEC Network+. Sunday’s series finale will take place at 2 p.m. EDT (SEC Network+).

Tennessee leads the all time series versus Auburn, 44-27.

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB Bo Nix, Oregon

Nix is a first-round talent that will be taken as a future franchise player.

Bo Nix is one of the rare college players who started for five full seasons between two major college programs.  Nix was rated as the best dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school and signed up to play for Auburn as their starter and won the SEC’s Freshman of the Year in 2019.

Nix played the next two years in Auburn, and suffered a season-ending injury in 2021 after ten games. He announced that he would enter the transfer portal, saying that he was unhappy playing under the new Auburn head coach, Bryan Harsin,  in 2021.

Thanks to the fifth-year added to eligibility from the COVID years, Nix went on to play two more seasons at Oregon where he posted his best years. He was a Heisman finalist and broke Mac Jones record for the highest single-season completion percentage at 77.45%. Nix ended with a total of 15,352 passing yards (sixth in NCAA history) and 108 passing scores. He also ran for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Height: 6-2
Weight: 214 pounds
40 time: 4.60 seconds estimated

Nix threw at the NFL combine but did not participate in the timed drills. He was the highest-rated quarterback who did throw. He remains a first-round value but most likely to be drafted fourth or fifth among quarterbacks.

Table: Bo Nix NCAA stats (2020-23)

Year School Games Runs Yards TD Pass Complete Yards Avg. TD Int
2019 Auburn 13 97 313 7 377 217 2542 11.7 16 6
2020 Auburn 11 108 388 7 357 214 2415 11.3 12 7
2021 Auburn 10 57 168 4 323 197 2294 11.7 11 3
2022 Oregon 13 89 510 14 409 294 3593 12.2 29 7
2023 Oregon 14 54 234 6 470 364 4508 12.4 45 3

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

  • Very mature and experienced 24-year-old. Showed continual improvement as a passer.
  • Superior athlete with dangerous skills as a runner and underneath passer.
  • Dual-threat that combined pinpoint passing with the ability to move the sticks with his legs on any play.
  • “Quarterback fast” and superior quickness picks up the initial yards when he runs.
  • Highly mobile with elite pocket awareness which makes him tough to sack. Creates opportunities when he breaks from the pocket.
  • Open-field rushing ability forces defense to account for him breaking free on a run.
  • Already accomplished at reading defenses, influencing the coverages and delivering highly accurate strikes.

Cons

  • Will sometimes telegraph his primary read which will be penalized against NFL secondaries.
  • Decision-making still needs work, particularly when hurried by  pass rushers that force him off-script and into making quick decisions between where to throw or if to run.
  • Coachable, but has played best within a system  where he has reduced need to improvise. Has tended to throw more short passes, particularly under pressure.
  • Comes from a program in Oregon that was predicated on throwing screens, Run-Pass Options and short-to-intermediate passes which account for his high completion rate. Less experienced in vertical schemes.

Fantasy outlook

Even in this quarterback-rich draft, Nix is expected to be called in Round One. Despite his extensive playing time and stats in college, he’s still needs more development and would best fit into any of the West Coast variant schemes that move the ball primarily on RPO’s in a very structured offense. His rushing ability puts him ahead of most other rookie quarterbacks.

Still, he is expected to be taken no higher than the fourth or fifth quarterback selected. That’s still first round and he’ll be selected to become a starter sooner than later. He’s been linked to teams like the Patriots, Giants, Vikings, Broncos, and Raiders. Spots where he may not be the Week 1 starter, but could take over at some point this season with an eye towards a bigger playoff as the fulltime starter in 2025.

March Madness: NCAA Tournament East Region odds, picks and predictions

Looking at March Madness futures odds to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament East Region, with expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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March Madness tips off Thursday, and the East Region bracket is absolutely loaded.

Below, we look at FanDuel Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament East Region futures odds and and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

The East includes last year’s champs, the UConn Huskies (31-3); they’re the No. 1 seed. For Connecticut to get through this region, it will have to get past this season’s title teams from the Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC in Iowa State (27-7), Illinois (26-8), and Auburn (27-7), respectively. The Huskies (KenPom No. 1), Tigers (No. 4) and Cyclones (No. 5) represent 3/5ths of the top 5 on KenPom’s rankings.

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East Region futures odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 1:25 p.m. ET.

1 seed: UConn +110 (bet $100 to win $110)

2 seed: Iowa State +440 (bet $100 to win $440)

3 seed: Illinois +800 (bet $100 to win $800)

4 seed: Auburn +500 (bet $100 to win $500)

5 seed: San Diego State +2100 (bet $100 to win $2,100)

6 seed: BYU +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400)

7 seed: Washington State +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)

8 seed: FAU +2900 (bet $100 to win $2,900)

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9 seed: Northwestern +5500 (bet $100 to win $5,500)

10 seed: Drake +4200 (bet $100 to win $4,200)

11 seed: Duquesne +13000 (bet $100 to win $13,000)

12 seed: UAB +13000 (bet $100 to win $13,000)

13 seed: Yale +11000 (bet $100 to win $11,000)

14 seed: Morehead State +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

15 seed: South Dakota State +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

16 seed: Stetson +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

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East Region expert pick and prediction

Iowa State (+440)

Putting all the key betting factors together and weighing in the prices, the Cyclones come out with a lot of value. The champions of this year’s toughest league are elite at the defensive end and usually maintain key edges in turnovers, rebounding and free-throw frequency.

The analysis of the East includes some slight fading of No. 1 UConn, heavier fading of No. 3 Illinois and a bit of extra potential for an upset in No. 4 Auburn’s path.

Top 25: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

East Region contenders

AUBURN (+500)

The Tigers rank in KenPom’s top 10 in both offensive (10th) and defensive (4th) efficiency. The defense (including what AU does along the perimeter) and overall court skills should help Auburn avoid a misstep in what could be an interesting 1st-round game against Yale.

If the bracket plays out with AU playing UConn or Iowa State, consider that coach Bruce Pearl owns an 8-4 record against the spread when lined as an underdog.

San Diego State (+2100)

The Aztecs (24-10) are just 6-4 over their last 10 games, but they have the defense (39% field-goal accuracy allowed over those 10 games) and court skills to make for profit leverage at this price point. San Diego State sports a veteran lineup, and it gets its 1st 2 potential games in its own time zone (games in Spokane).

The futures market had shorter overall futures odds on SDSU a couple weeks ago. The Aztecs’ Jaedon LeDee is a power forward with possible late 1st-round NBA talent, and he’s a likely match-up problem for most teams San Diego State would play.

East Region long shots

Drake (+4200)

The Bulldogs (28-6) come out of the Missouri Valley Conference, a league that has often done damage from underdog slots in recent years’ brackets. Drake won the MVC Tournament and is 10-1 in its last 11 games.

DU hits from distance (36.5% from 3-point range) and takes great care of the ball. The Bulldogs are a top-notch defensive rebounding team. They have a 6-1 record in neutral-site games, and that includes a Dec. 9 rout of West No. 10 seed Nevada.

Morehead State (+25000)

Morehead State is a slow-tempo squad trending the right way at the defensive end, and that’s a dangerous combination. The Eagles often win the 3-point shooting battle, and they should be considered a live wire against 1st-round opponent Illinois and either team they might play in the 2nd round (BYU, Duquesne).

Both Drake and Morehead State are in the bottom half of the East Region bracket. Making the plays in tandem has merit.

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No. 9 Tennessee defeats Auburn for sixth consecutive win

No. 9 Tennessee defeats Auburn for sixth consecutive win.

No. 9 Tennessee (14-3, 3-0 SEC) defeated Auburn (10-5, 1-2 SEC), 6-1, on Friday at Barksdale Stadium.

Friday’s win is the Vols’ sixth consecutive.

Rain caused play to move to Goodfriend Tennis Center for singles competition.

Tennessee-Auburn tennis results

Doubles

1. Raul Dobai/Finn Murgett (AUB) def. #4 Angel Diaz/Johannus Monday (TENN) 6-4
2. #20 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (TENN) def. Billy Blaydes/Alejandro Moreno (AUB) 7-5
3. Filip Apltauer/Younes Lalami (TENN) def. Will Nolan/Tyler Stice (AUB) 6-1

Order of finish: 3,1,2

Singles

1. #6 Johannus Monday (TENN) def. #40 Tyler Stice (AUB) 6-2, 6-2
2. #23 Shunsuke Mitsui (TENN) def. #73 Finn Murgett (AUB) 6-4, 6-3
3. Chris Li (TENN) def. Raul Dobai (AUB) 6-0, 6-2
4. Angel Diaz (TENN) def. Alejandro Moreno (AUB) 6-1, 6-3
5. #94 Filip Pieczonka (TENN) def. Nicholas Heng (AUB) 4-6, 6-3, 10-5
6. Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Filip Apltauer (TENN) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5)

Order of finish: 3,4,1,2,5,6

Week 16 AP Poll sees Alabama Crimson Tide rise all the way to No. 13 in the country

Alabama basketball jumps Auburn in Week 16 AP Poll

The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off of back-to-back 100-point victories over LSU and Texas A&M and are playing as well as anyone in the country right now. The Tide stand alone atop the SEC leaderboard, and with just six games left in the regular season a conference title is within reach.

However, it will be no walk in the park as four of the Tide’s remaining six games come against ranked teams with trips to Florida and Kentucky on the horizon. Although, the biggest test will be when No. 5 Tennessee comes to town on March 3rd as they are the only team within one game of Alabama.

With Alabama playing their best ball of the season, the Week 16 AP Poll has the Crimson Tide ranked at No. 13 in the country. One spot ahead of Auburn who ranks No. 14 this week. Alabama will be back in action Wednesday evening against the Florida Gators.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.