SEC football – Page 5 – Syndication Server

‘Can they both lose?’: Alabama fan Justin Thomas calls Texas-Georgia SEC title game a ‘lose-lose’

“I don’t know who I want to win.”

Justin Thomas is as big a fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide as anyone out there.

His Tide football team, however, is not in the SEC title game Saturday. Instead, his 8-3 Alabama squad will sit back and watch Texas and Georgia battle it out in Atlanta. All three seem to be in the 12-team College Football Playoff field but JT was asked if he’s rooting for Texas, assuming a healthy hatred for the Georgia Bulldogs.

“My hate? Well, I don’t really like Texas, either. I’m kind of in a lose-lose in that game, I don’t know who I want to win. I mean, it’s good for the conference. I think Texas comes in in their first year and I think they’re one of the best teams in the country,” he said. “Yeah, I don’t know. I’m rooting for a tie maybe.”

He then asked: “Can they both lose?”

Why Bevo won’t be at Texas vs. Georgia in the 2024 SEC championship game

Bad news, Longhorns fans.

That Uga vs. Bevo beef has been put on hold again.

With Georgia facing Texas in the SEC title game, Bevo the beloved live mascot for the Longhorns won’t be there, even though his canine counterpart will be in attendance on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Why is that? It’s because there’s not enough space for him and his enclosure. Per an SEC statement: “The reality is there is limited sideline space at the stadium. We can’t jeopardize the safety of Bevo or the game participants. With the narrow sidelines, location of multiple sets for television and camera carts, there is not enough space. While we want to honor tradition across the conference, the space limitation is a reality.”

There’s a Change.org petition going around to reverse this, but alas. No Bevo for now.

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Auburn named a potential landing spot for former USC quarterback Miller Moss

ESPN’s Max Olson believes Auburn has weapons that will allow Moss to succeed.

Auburn football has two young quarterbacks with bright futures in [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag]. However, following the departure of two-year starter [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], Auburn will need a “bridge year” to allow both quarterbacks to another season to develop.

Because of this, it is expected that head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will look to fill the void by using the transfer portal. Several key names have declared their intention to enter the portal, including Washington State’s [autotag]John Mateer[/autotag] and Oklahoma’s [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. Ahead of the portal’s official opening on Dec. 9, ESPN’s Max Olson feels that one portal addition could fit in well at Auburn.

Olson suggests Auburn would be a great fit for former USC quarterback [autotag]Miller Moss[/autotag]. Moss, who has one season of eligibility remaining, passed for over 2,500 yards as a junior in Los Angeles last season and could find success by throwing to Auburn’s many targets at wide receiver.

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze knows he needs to go get a transfer QB who can take the Tigers to the next level in 2025. Auburn has a ton of promising young talent to build around, especially at wide receiver, with standout true freshmen Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons and Perry Thompson. Their presence makes Auburn an appealing destination for QBs like Moss, who have one year left and are looking to put up big numbers next season.

Outside of Auburn’s targets, Moss fits the mold by having starting experience and one season of eligibility. Moss took over the starting quarterback role for Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams this season, where he passed for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in nine games played. However, following a tough stretch of games that included a loss to Washington, where he threw three interceptions, USC head coach Lincoln Riley pulled Moss in favor of Jayden Maiava for the final three games.

Moss is looking for a home he deems a “better fit.”

“There comes a point where there’s a time to move on to new opportunities,” Moss said in an interview with ESPN. “And I’m hoping to better myself as a person and a player.”

In four seasons at USC, Moss has completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns with just ten interceptions. The winter transfer portal window officially opens on Monday, Dec. 9, and will close on Dec. 28.

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__

Former Fresno State LB Phoenix Jackson schedules visit to Auburn

Johnson made 49 stops with four sacks as a senior at Fresno State in 2024.

Following a successful early signing period that saw the Auburn Tigers sign 25 high school recruits, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff are now shifting their focus to filling needs through the transfer portal.

One area of need is at linebacker, a unit that will need to replace key players such as [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag], [autotag]Dorian Mausi[/autotag], and [autotag]Austin Keys[/autotag]. One player who could fill one of those roles is [autotag]Phoenix Jackson[/autotag], a linebacker formerly of Fresno State. After a successful four-year career in Fresno, Jackson will look to use his final season of eligibility to play elsewhere.

According to a report by Pete Nakos of On3, there is mutual interest between Auburn and Jackson. Jackson has scheduled an official visit to Auburn for Dec. 13 and 14 and will also visit Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State this month.

Jackson had a solid career at Fresno State, where he recorded 101 tackles with five sacks and three interceptions over the last four seasons. The 2024 season was the strongest for Jackson, where he recorded 49 tackles with four sacks. Coverage was his strong suit, as he graded out at 90.3 in the category, according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed 19 catches in 23 opportunities. However, he did not give up a touchdown while playing a coverage role on defense.

The winter transfer portal officially opens on Dec. 9 and closes on Dec. 28.

‘This is a good day for us.’ Hugh Freeze recaps 2025 Early Signing Day

Freeze is excited for his 2025 recruiting haul to get to campus so he can continue to build a successful program.

Auburn football remains in “rebuild mode” after a 5-7 season in 2024.

However, after the success of the 2025 recruiting cycle, this chapter in Auburn’s football history appears to be nearing its end.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn coaching staff secured the No. 6 recruiting class for the 2025 cycle on Wednesday when it signed 25 recruits. Freeze shared his thoughts on the class following the busy day, declaring Auburn’s 2025 class to be a sign of great things to come.

“I’m really excited; this is a good day for us,” Freeze said Wednesday. “Today is one of those days where the first emotion you probably feel is relief and excitement is the next one. It looks like we’ll finish with another Top 10 class, one of the tops in the SEC; I’ve been very clear since my arrival that I thought it would take three Top 10 classes in a row to get to where it’s apples to apples. Let’s get these guys here and continue to change our roster.”

Freeze and the staff took a step forward on Wednesday by signing the No. 6 class, two spots higher than the 2024 haul which included key players such as [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], and [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag]. Freeze is pleased with the players he signed but understands that development is the next step toward success.

“Now, it’s our job to develop and create a culture with those young men,” Freeze said. “Our vision here is very clear and I think today is a sign that good players see it, their families see it and it’s a validation that we’re on the right track.”

The Auburn Tigers added 25 players to its 2025 roster on Wednesday, headlined by five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], five-star DL [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], and five-star QB [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag]. For a full rundown of Auburn’s 2025 signees, click here.

Why three-star DL Darrion Smith flipped to sign with Auburn over Tennessee

Smith joins high school teammates Bryce Deas and Blake Woodby by signing with Auburn.

Opening day of the early signing period is flipping to the afternoon hours, and Auburn has already taken a prized recruit away from an SEC rival.

Hayes Fawcett of On3 reports that Auburn has officially flipped [autotag]Darrion Smith[/autotag], a three-star defensive lineman from Baltimore, Maryland, from Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers.

How did Auburn pull off the flip? They can credit their performance against Texas A&M as a major factor.

Smith took his official visit to Auburn during the weekend of Nov. 23 for the Texas A&M game and came away impressed with Auburn’s 43-41, double-overtime win over the Aggies. He broke down his visit with Cole Pinkston of Auburn Live.

“It was definitely amazing,” Smith said of his official visit to Auburn in November. “It was one of the best college visits I have had. The game, I don’t even know what type of words to put it in. It was a thriller. It was definitely the craziest game I have been to so far.”

It helped matters that he is teammates with two fellow 2025 Auburn commits: [autotag]Bryce Deas[/autotag] and [autotag]Blake Woodby[/autotag]. Deas was the first St. Francis prospect to commit to Auburn, doing so in June. Woodby followed suit by committing to Auburn during Big Cat Weekend in July.

The trio has officially signed with Auburn, becoming part of one of the nation’s top classes for the 2025 cycle.

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Record-setting running back Alvin Henderson signs with Auburn

The four-star running back from Elba holds several AHSAA records. How many records will he break at Auburn?

A record-setting running back is on his way to the Plains.

[autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag], who holds 12 AHSAA records including yards per carry, season rushing yards, and touchdowns per season, is officially an Auburn Tiger after signing with the program on Wednesday.

Henderson’s recruitment was a roller coaster. The four-star running back from Elba was favored to commit to Auburn earlier this year before changing course and committing to Penn State in April. However, he backed off his pledge to the Nittany Lions in June and reaffirmed his plans to join Auburn’s 2025 class.

“Deep down and truly I know where home is and I knew where home was from the beginning,” Henderson said of Auburn in an interview with Auburn Undercover in June.

What is Auburn getting in Henderson? Henderson is the No. 9 running back in the nation according to 247Sports, and is the No. 12 recruit from Alabama for the 2025 cycle. He rushed for 3,456 yards as a senior at Elba High School and scored 61 touchdowns, which are state records. In Elba’s 80-78 loss to McKenzie High School in September, Henderson set another state record by rushing for nine touchdowns and three two-point conversions, resulting in 60 points.

He looks to break into the Tigers’ running back rotation next season alongside [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag]. How many records will Henderson break at Auburn?

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Brotherly love: Auburn inks brothers Derick, Erick Smith to 2025 class

The pair from Selma will bring plenty of talent to Auburn’s receiver room.

When receiving gifts, it is always better to get them in pairs.

Auburn secured two gifts on Wednesday in the form of brothers Derick and Erick Smith, as the pair from Selma signed with Hugh Freeze’s program.

[autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] committed to Auburn’s program after a successful stay at Big Cat Weekend, joining the Tigers’ 2025 haul in July after previously pledging to Alabama. The four-star receiver is the No. 5 receiver from the 2025 cycle and is the No. 9 player from Alabama.

[autotag]Erick Smith[/autotag] brings quite a presence to Auburn’s receiver room as well by standing at 6-6 and weighing 190 pounds. He did not receive as much attention from recruiting sites as he is only tabbed a three-star. However, he made an impact this season at Southside by recording 116 receiving yards per game and is sure to be a force in Auburn’s receiving game over the next several seasons.

Derick and Erick are two of three wide receiver commits who are expected to sign with Auburn this week. At the time of this post, three-star wide receiver commit Sam Turner has not signed.

Five-star quarterback Deuce Knight signs with Auburn over Ole Miss

Auburn signs the five-star QB from Mississippi despite late flip attempt by Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels.

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels worked tirelessly to flip Auburn commit [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] in the days leading up to the early signing period. However, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will get the last laugh at the end of the day.

Knight, a five-star quarterback from Lucedale, Mississippi, flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Auburn in October. On Wednesday, he honored his commitment to the Tigers by signing during the first day of the early signing period, spurning Kiffin and his home-state Ole Miss Rebels.

Knight visited Ole Miss several times after committing to Auburn, most recently for the Rebels’ win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl last Saturday. Talks of a possible flip began with David Johnson of 247Sports submitting a “crystal ball” prediction for Knight to flip to Ole Miss in November. However, Auburn never waivered and ultimately ended up with Knight in their 2025 recruiting haul.

Knight had a spectacular senior season at George County High School, where he passed for 2,082 yards and 24 touchdowns, throwing just five interceptions. On the ground, Knight added 450 yards and nine touchdowns to his overall total. In 26 total games as a high school quarterback, Knight completed 57% (324-of-560) passes for 5,618 yards and 50 touchdowns while adding 1,282 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground.

Knight is a 6-4, 206-pound quarterback from Lucedale, Mississippi, and is the No. 4 quarterback from the 2025 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. He will compete alongside [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Walker White[/autotag], and a possible transfer quarterback for the role of QB1 next fall for the Tigers.

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Auburn football lands five-star DL Malik Autry. Why he signed with the Tigers

Auburn fights off Ohio State and Florida to sign the five-star DL from Opelika. Why did Autry elect to stay home?

Auburn football has secured one of its important commitments as [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag] has officially signed with the Tigers.

Autry, a five-star defensive lineman from nearby Opelika, signed with Auburn on Wednesday morning, choosing [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s program over schools such as Ohio State and Florida, who made a late push to snag Autry away from Auburn.

How did Auburn beat out the Buckeyes and Gators? Last week, Autry publicly shut down his recruitment, citing that his time at Opelika High School prepared him for the situation he will endure at Auburn.

“Going to all the other schools made me realize what I really wanted,” Autry said in an interview with Auburn Undercover ($). “My high school, my sophomore year we went 5-5, my junior year we went 4-6 and this past year we went 9-3 with a second round exit but just to see our team turnaround really shows me that — I had opportunities to go play for Central-Phenix City and IMG and all those big-time programs — but to stick it out and fight with your brothers and fight for a place you really love does mean more than just joining something that’s already established. That’s kind of been my mindset and helped me narrow down my decision and let me know that Auburn was home.”

Autry joins a long list of recruits that have officially signed with Auburn for the 2025 cycle including five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] and four-star safety [autotag]Eric Winters[/autotag]. He is a 6-5, 320-pound defensive lineman from Opelika, Alabama, and is the No. 5 defensive lineman in the nation according to 247Sports composite rankings.

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