Cadillac Williams, Ronnie Brown among college football’s best-ever duos

The tag team of Brown and Williams provided many memories for Auburn fans in 2024.

The 20th anniversary of Auburn’s undefeated 2004 season will be celebrated this year, and the contributions of two Tiger playmakers are still being discussed today.

Sure, players such as [autotag]Jason Campbell[/autotag], [autotag]Courtney Taylor[/autotag], and [autotag]Carlos Rodgers[/autotag] were important to Auburn’s Sugar Bowl-winning season, but the efforts of [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] were arguably the most vital to Auburn’s success in 2004.

The 1-2 punch rushed for 2,078 yards and 20 scores in 2004 with Williams taking the bulk of those numbers with 1,173 yards and 12 scores. Finding a tandem as elite as Auburn’s 2004 running backs is hard to find these days, which is why Brown and Williams are considered to be one of the best playmaking duos in college football history.

247Sports ranks the tag team of Brown and Williams as the fifth-best all-time playmaking duo in college football history. 247Sports’ Brad Crawford says that Brown and Williams make the case to be one of the SEC’s best rushing duos of all-time.

There’s going to be some debate here, but Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams are just behind two other ball carriers considered the SEC’s greatest rushing duo of all-time. Brown’s 2,707 yards rushing and Williams’ 3,831 yards on the ground featured a stunning two dozen 100-yard performances between the pair. Brown was the bruiser and Williams had breakaway speed, anchoring a 13-0 Auburn team in 2004 that was left out of the BCS National Championship. Williams finished with 45 career rushing touchdowns while Brown tallied 28. Auburn’s backfield hasn’t seen this level of elite tandem since.

Crawford ranks the duo of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones from Arkansas’ 2007 squad as the SEC’s best-ever running back duo. The top playmaking duo of all-time belongs to USC‘s Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, who enjoyed several successful seasons together in Los Angeles during the early 2000s.

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Bowl predictions: Is a New Year’s Day bowl on the horizon?

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura pictures Auburn facing a familiar bowl foe on New Year’s Day in his latest projection.

Auburn’s chance of making a bowl game has increased drastically over the last two weeks, and the experts at ESPN are confident that the Tigers will end the season with a respectable bowl bid.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach updated their bowl projections following week 10’s action, and both have given Auburn a favorable bowl outlook.

Bonagura’s prediction is the best one that Auburn has received to date. According to Bonagura’s calculations, the Tigers are poised to meet Wisconsin in the Reliaquest Bowl on New Year’s Day in Tampa, Florida. Heading into week 11, Wisconsin is 5-4 under first-year head coach Luke Fickell.

Auburn has an immense history with the Badgers in bowl games. Auburn and Wisconsin have played three times in bowl season, with the Badgers winning the last two games in 2006 and 2015. Auburn’s lone win over the Badgers came in 2003 when [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag] each rushed for two scores in the Tigers’ 28-14 win over Wisconsin in the Music City Bowl.

Schlabach predicts that Auburn will play two days earlier in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville against another Big Ten squad in Minnesota. The Tigers and Golden Gophers have met just once on the gridiron, which was the 2020 Outback Bowl. Auburn’s [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag] threw for 176 yards and [autotag]Noah Igbinoghene[/autotag] had a 96-yard kickoff return, but the Tigers ultimately fell to Minnesota, 31-24. The game would ultimately be the final game for head coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag].

Auburn is currently 5-4 and needs just one more win to qualify for a bowl game. The Tigers have three chances to earn at least one more win, starting this Saturday at Arkansas.

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How to listen to Auburn football this season

Find your nearest Auburn Sports Network affiliate so that you never miss the action of Auburn football this fall.

Nothing beats a Saturday listening to Auburn Sports Network’s all-day coverage of Auburn Tigers football in the fall.

This season’s lineup within the Auburn Sports Network changes slightly, as Andy Burcham will be joined by former Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell in the color analyst’s chair.  Campbell replaces Stan White after he served in the role since 2001.

Another former Tiger joins the crew this season as well. Former Auburn linebacker [autotag]Will Herring[/autotag] joins [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag] as a sideline reporter, which brings another perspective to the broadcast.

Weekly coverage of Auburn football from Auburn Sports Network begins Thursday nights at 6 p.m. CT for Tiger Talk. Andy Burcham and Brad Law will be joined weekly by head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and other in-season coaches to preview the weekend’s action.

Gameday coverage begins with the Tiger Tailgate Show three hours before kickoff and will end with postgame interviews with players and coaches. From beginning to end, Auburn Sports Network provides seven hours of coverage on football game days.

Find your nearest Auburn Sports Network affiliate below.

Abbeville 98.7 FM
Albany, Georgia 102.9 FM
Atlanta, Georgia 1010 AM
Auburn 94.3 FM
Alexander City 97.5 FM
Andalusia 93.7 FM
Bainbridge, Georgia 99.3 FM
Bainbridge, Georgia 930 AM
Birmingham 100.5 FM
Centre 100.5 FM
Centre 990 AM
Columbus, Georgia 102.9 FM
Cullman 92.1 FM
Cullman 98.3 FM
Demopolis 106.5 FM
Dothan 102.5 FM
Eufaula 102.9 FM
Evergreen 101.1 FM
Flomaton 105.1 FM
Florence 94.9 FM
Foley 92.5 FM
Foley 1310 AM
Fort Payne 100.9 FM
Fort Payne 1250 AM
Gadsden 1350 AM
Greenville 94.3 FM
Hackleburg 95.5 FM
Huntsville 100.3 FM
Jasper 88.5 FM
Ocean Springs, Mississippi 106.5 FM
Oxford 92.7 FM
LaGrange, Georgia 102.3 FM
Macon, Georgia 102.9 FM
Mobile 106.5 FM
Montgomery 92.3 FM
Moulton 97.9 FM
Panama City, Florida 104.3 FM
Pensacola, Florida 105.1 FM
Roanoke 102.3 FM
Scottsboro 1050 AM
Selma 1490 AM
Spartanburg, SC 1530 AM
Sylacauga 100.3 FM
Sylacauga 1290 AM
Thomasville 95.5 FM
Troy 970 AM
Tuscaloosa 100.5 FM
Vernon 100.7 FM
Vernon 1380 AM

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Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Auburn Sports Network announces additions to football coverage

Two key members of Auburn’s 2004 undefeated team are now key members of Auburn’s gameday coverage.

The 2023 Auburn football season is upon us. With it, comes changes to how fans listen to gameday coverage. Auburn Sports Network announced this week that there will be an addition to its crew, while one member is set to take on a new role.

[autotag]Jason Campbell[/autotag], who played quarterback for Auburn from 2001-04, is moving into the color analyst seat for the 2023 season. Campbell joined the Auburn Sports Network in 2016 as an analyst for pregame and halftime coverage. He takes over for [autotag]Stan White[/autotag], who stepped aside after serving in the role since 2001.

“I would like to thank God for this amazing opportunity to continue doing something I enjoy and love,” Campbell said of the change. “I appreciate the Auburn Sports Network team and Stan for their immediate confidence in me as I move into the analyst role.  I know I have incredibly big shoes to fill.  It has been a privilege watching and learning from Stan during our time in the booth together.  Auburn Family, I look forward to sharing great memories with you alongside the Voice of the Tigers, Andy Burcham, this fall.”

As for new additions, the Auburn Sports Network is welcoming former Auburn linebacker [autotag]Will Herring[/autotag] to the crew. Herring will share sideline reporter duties with [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag] this season.

With Herring’s addition, it solidifies that three key members of Auburn’s 2004 undefeated season will now be a part of Auburn Sports Network’s coverage.

[autotag]Andy Burcham[/autotag] remains the voice of Auburn Football, while [autotag]Paul Ellen[/autotag] and [autotag]Brad Law[/autotag] remain with the network in their usual capacities. Ellen will host the pregame, halftime, and postgame show, while Law will be a vital part of pregame and postgame coverage.

Auburn Sports Network announced a change to its flagship station over the summer. Local Auburn fans, as well as fans who choose to listen to the game while on campus, can listen to Auburn Sports Network’s coverage of each game on Wings 94.3.

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Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Jason Campbell tabbed as next color analyst for Auburn Sports Network’s football coverage

Campbell takes over for fellow former Auburn QB Stan White, who held the title for 22 years.

For just the third time since 1980, Auburn will have a new voice in the booth to serve as the color analyst for football broadcasts on the Auburn Sports Network.

[autotag]Jason Campbell[/autotag], who played quarterback for the Tigers from 2001-04, has been named the next analyst for Auburn Sports Network’s football coverage. He takes over for Stan White, another former Auburn quarterback who served in the role since 2001.

“I would like to thank God for this amazing opportunity to continue doing something I enjoy and love,” Campbell said in a press release. “I appreciate the Auburn Sports Network team and Stan for their immediate confidence in me as I move into the analyst role.  I know I have incredibly big shoes to fill.  It has been a privilege watching and learning from Stan during our time in the booth together.  Auburn Family, I look forward to sharing great memories with you alongside the Voice of the Tigers, Andy Burcham, this fall.”

Campbell has been a member of the Auburn Sports Network since 2016, where he had the role of pregame and halftime show analyst.

The voice of the Auburn Tigers, [autotag]Andy Burcham[/autotag], shared his appreciation for White’s dedication to the network for over two decades and says that he is excited to get to work alongside Campbell in his new role.

“(Campbell) was the overwhelming choice to replace Stan in the booth. He continues the tradition of outstanding quarterbacks who have moved into the booth, including Pat Sullivan, Charlie Trotman, and Stan White. I look forward to working alongside Jason starting with the A-Day game.”

Campbell will become the second member of Auburn’s 2004 SEC Championship team to be a part of Auburn Football’s play-by-play coverage, joining sideline reporter [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag], who was also a first-round selection in the 2005 NFL Draft.

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Miami Dolphins fan cruise set to sail in April

A chance to enjoy the Caribbean with a number of former Dolphins.

In the same year that the franchise celebrates the 50th anniversary of their 1972 perfect season, the party extends to sea in a memorable experience waiting for Miami Dolphins fans of all ages.

Not only will the cruise allow you to embark from Miami, but you will also be welcomed on the industry’s newest ship the MSC Seascape! In addition to some amazing amenities, ship features and activities, onboard will be a slew of 1972 Dolphins from the 17-0 “Perfectville” team.

Of course, when you see that word, you know the mayor of that town, Mercury Morris, will be on the cruise. The running back will be joined by his backfield-mate, the great Hall-of-Fame fullback Larry Csonka. Fellow champion Larry Little, another Dolphins Hall of Famer, will be on the Seascape as well.

In addition to the 1972 team, the most prolific Dolphin of them all, Dan Marino, will be there, as well as his top four all-time targets. The Marks Brothers, Clayton and Duper, as well as O.J. McDuffie and Nat Moore will all represent the aqua and orange on board. And, just in case anyone tries to get too, too close to No. 13, Richmond Webb and Dwight Stephenson will be there, so you know he’ll be protected from more than the sun.

If you’re of a certain age, and your Dolphins clock started in the 1990s, you’ll be thrilled to know that players like Louis Oliver, Terry Kirby, Shawn Wooden and Troy Drayton will be joining in the experience.

Fan favorites like special-teamer Larry Seiple and an original swiss-army-knife type in Jim “Crash” Jensen are among the 35 Miami Dolphin legends scheduled to be on the seven-night cruise. There will even be a Wildcat sighting with Ronnie Brown joining the fun.

Remember the famous “hook-and-lateral” play against the San Diego Chargers in 1981? You can watch Tony Nathan score in highlights, or you can get a chance to talk to him about it directly.

With outstanding food onboard, the culinary critics will be there making sure of it, as restauranteurs, Kim Bokamper and Bob Baumhower will be approving the menus. Bokamper and Baumhower are a few of the “Killer Bee” defensive players from the Dolphins’ 1980s teams, and throw in Bob Brudzinski, yet another owner of a sports restaurant, who’ll be taste-testing from deck to deck.

With the number of exclusive activities scheduled for the Dolphins Fan Cruise guests, on-ship and at certain destinations, you’ll have the opportunity to talk and vacation with heroes from players across the history of the Miami franchise that has seen five Super Bowls and two Lombardi Trophies.

Certainly, a likely pair to document parts of this trip will be Dolphin players turned broadcasters, Jimmy Cefalo and Joe Rose. Both were former receivers for Miami and are now popular media figures in South Florida. Rose is the host of “The Joe Rose Show” on WQAM 560 as well as the color man next to Cefalo, who’s the Dolphins’ play-by-play man on the radio. Bokamper is also part of the Dolphins broadcast team.

The cruise sails April 2-9, and, throughout the week, there will be countless activities, events and competitions with fellow fans and the Dolphins as you sail the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. The ticket price includes all the special events with the Dolphins players, activities and competitions.

Some of the features include a welcome aboard party, player introductions and highlight reels, photo opportunities, basketball shootouts, quarterback competition, karaoke competition, trivia contests, a Talent show, and more. There’s even an ambassador program that can gain you access to super-VIP events with exclusive time and access to the players.

With a private island stop at MSC’s exclusive Ocean Cay beach in the Bahamas, as well as a private beach party with the Dolphins at another port-of-call in Nassau, you’ll also have destinations to look forward to in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

More legends are set to be announced in the coming days, so check the Dolphins’ website for the latest information.

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Kickoff time, TV network revealed for Auburn’s game with Western Kentucky

Auburn’s final home game of the season gets the afternoon treatment.

Auburn Football will host Western Kentucky for its’ final home game of the season, and will do so during the afternoon slot on SEC Network.

The Tigers and Hilltoppers will square off at Jordan-Hare Stadium at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 19, and will be broadcasted live on SEC Network.

Nex Saturday’s game will mark the third time in history that these two programs have met. Both meetings took place at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

In 2003’s game, both [autotag]Jason Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Sullivan[/autotag] threw for over 100 yards while [autotag]Brandon Jacobs[/autotag], [autotag]Carnell Williams[/autotag], and [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag] scored one touchdown each in Auburn’s 48-3 win. In 2005, [autotag]Blake Field[/autotag] threw for three touchdowns and 200 yards while the Tiger defense made seven stops behind the line of scrimmage, leading Auburn to a 37-14 victory over the Hilltoppers.

Week 12 is usually designated as the final nonconference weekend for most SEC teams. There will only be three games involving mutual conference opponents: Florida at Vanderbilt, Georgia at Kentucky, and Ole Miss at Arkansas.

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A look at Cadillac Williams’ dominating history against Mississippi State

Carnell Williams is set to lead his alma mater as head coach on Saturday at Mississippi State and hopes to return to the same success he had as a player against the Bulldogs.

[autotag]Carnell Williams[/autotag] has been named interim coach of his alma mater’s football program. He becomes the first Auburn alum to take the role since Ralph “Shug” Jordan when he became the head coach at Auburn in 1951.

Before joining the coaching world, Williams had a storied career that saw him rush for 3,831 yards and 45 touchdowns from 2001-04. He dominated the running game alongside [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Brandon Jacobs[/autotag], and [autotag]Tre Smith[/autotag] during his career.

One program that Williams had massive success against was Mississippi State. Williams played the Bulldogs four times during his career and was on the winning side of the game each time. In those four games, Williams accumulated 421 rushing yards and found the end zone ten times.

Here is a breakdown of Williams’ success against Mississippi State during his time as a running back for the Auburn Tigers.

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Former teammates of Cadillac Williams issue challenge for next Saturday’s game with Texas A&M

Next Saturday’s game with Texas A&M will be a special occasion, and Carnell Williams’ former teammates want fellow former Tigers to be on hand.

Once the news broke that [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] had been relieved of his duties, the world as Auburn Football knew it began to shake, starting with Carnell Williams.

“Cadillac” found out 30 minutes following the official announcement of Harsin’s dismissal that he would take over as interim coach for the Tigers’ final four games.

As an Auburn Football legend, Williams says that he is excited to be in a position to give back to a program that has poured so much into his success.

“I mean, this place is dear to my heart, (Auburn) has done so much for my family and I, it has changed my life in so many ways,” Williams said during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference. “So, for me to have an opportunity to give back to Auburn in this position as the leader, you know at times it’s heavy, but Lord knows I’m excited, I’m grateful, I’m honored, and I am ready to serve and give all I can to these players, this coaching staff and the Auburn family.”

After the news of Williams earning the title of interim coach, his former teammates issued a call to action for former Auburn players to show up to Jordan-Hare Stadium for Auburn’s next home game against Texas A&M on Nov. 12.

Fellow running back [autotag]Ronnie Brown[/autotag] and quarterback [autotag]Jason Campbell[/autotag], who played with Williams from 2001-04, issued the challenge on Instagram, calling for former players to support Williams as he becomes the first black head coach in Auburn history, and the first Auburn alum to lead the program since Shug Jordan, who coached at his alma mater from 1951-1975.

Williams’ first game as head coach will be Saturday on the road at Mississippi State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.

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Throwback Thursday: Ronnie Brown’s monster day lifts Auburn over Penn State in 2003 Capital One Bowl

Take a look at the last time Auburn beat Penn State.

As Auburn prepares to hit the gridiron this Saturday against Penn State, it is time to take a look back at a memorable game in the series.

Auburn has a short history with this Big Ten foe, playing just three times in history. Last season’s meeting in State College, which ended in a 28-20 Penn State victory, was the first time that these two programs met on a home-field basis, as the two previous meetings took place in bowl games.

In today’s edition of the “Throwback Thursday” series, Auburn Wire time travels all the way back to New Year’s Day of 2003 to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, where Auburn faced Joe Paterno’s Penn State Nittany Lions.

As co-champions of the SEC West, Auburn’s reward was getting to play in a respectable bowl game against a top 10 opponent in Penn State, who checked into the game as the No. 10 team in the country.

The game featured two of the strongest running games in the country. Penn State’s rush attack was led by Heisman Trophy candidate Larry Johnson, who ended the 2002 season by rushing for 2,087 yards and 20 touchdowns. For Auburn, the early years of Ronnie Brown, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, and Tre Smith were unrolling before our eyes.

That season, Ronnie Brown was Auburn’s leading rusher with 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns. He would also become the hero in Auburn’s 13-9 Capital One Bowl win over the Nittany Lions.

Penn State led the game 6-0 at halftime thanks to a pair of Robbie Gould field goals. Brown finally put his team on the board with 4:00 remaining in the third quarter on a one-yard touchdown rush. Damon Duvall’s extra point lifted Auburn to a 7-6 lead.

The Nittany Lions responded with another Gould field goal with 10:30 remaining in the game to retake the lead 9-7. Auburn’s final blow was delivered at the 3:00 mark in the game when Brown rushed for his second touchdown, this time from 17-yards away. Brown’s dive over the pylon returned the lead to Auburn and ultimately gave them the win.

Brown ended the game with 184 yards on 37 carries, while Johnson was limited to just 72 yards on 20 carries.

Here’s a look back at Auburn’s most recent win over Penn State: