auburn tigers GAME 8 AUBURN (7-0, 4-0 SEC)

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1 auburn tigers 2010 FOOTBALL GAME 8 #5/5/5 AUBURN (7-0, 4-0 SEC) vs. #6/6/6 (7-0, 4-0 SEC) OCTOBER 23, :30 PM CT TV: CBS JORDAN-HARE STADIUM (87,451) AUBURN, AL QUICK FACTS COACHES Gene Chizik (Florida, 1985) Auburn Record (2nd year) vs Overall Record (4th year) vs Les Miles (Michigan, 1976) Record (6th year) vs. Auburn Overall Record (10th year) vs. Auburn SERIES leads, at Auburn...AU leads, 9-6 at Baton Rouge... leads, Neutral sites...au leads, 5-4 at Birmingham, AL...AU leads, 3-2 at Mobile, AL...AU leads, 2-0 at Montgomery, AL... leads, 2-0 Last Meeting... 31, AU 10 Oct. 24, 2009 in Baton Rouge, LA Current Streak..., 3 RANKINGS Auburn...5 AP/5 USA Today/5 Harris...6 AP/6 USA Today/6 Harris TELEVISION = CBS Verne Lundquist...Play-by-play Gary Danielson...Analyst Tracy Wolfson...Sidelines RADIO =AUBURN ISP SPORTS NETWORK THE GAME The only two unbeaten teams in the Southeastern Conference square off when visits Auburn Saturday afternoon in a nationally televised game on CBS. Both teams enter the contest with identical records of 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the SEC. Auburn is ranked fifth nationally in all three polls while is ranked sixth. AUBURN HEADLINES } Auburn is 7-0 for the first time since 2004 and has its longest winning streak (eight games) since ending the 2004 campaign with a 15-game streak. } Auburn has its highest ranking in the Associated Press poll since a No. 5 ranking in the 2006 season. } Auburn has won nine of its last 16 games against teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll, and has 15 wins over top-10 teams since } Auburn is ranked sixth nationally in rushing offense (283.7) and scoring offense (40.7), and is ninth in total offense (481.1). } Auburn has rushed for at least 300 yards against three straight SEC teams for the first time since available data began in } Cam Newton leads the SEC and ranks 11th nationally (third among quarterbacks) in rushing (122.9). He has posted four of the top 50 rushing performances in school history. } Newton is the only player in school history to rush for at least 170 yards in three straight SEC games, and his four 170-yard games in one season has been matched only by Bo Jackson (1985) in Auburn history. } Newton leads the nation with 25 combined touchdowns rushing and passing, which is just one shy of the Auburn single season record. } Newton is second in the nation in passing efficiency (180.53) and 11th in total offense (305.4). } Auburn ranks 15th in the nation in rushing defense, allowing just yards per game, and has not allowed a rush of more than 26 yards this season. } Auburn s defense has allowed just 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime this season, including just 11 points against its four SEC opponents. } Auburn has a turnover margin of +8 (12 takeaways/4 giveaways) in its last four games, forcing eight turnovers in the fourth quarter in the last four contests. } Senior kicker Wes Byrum is just four points away from becoming Auburn s all-time leading scorer. He currently ranks second with 309 career points. AUBURN (7-0, 4-0 SEC) (7-0, 4-0 SEC) The Auburn ISP Sports Network provides radio coverage to over 50 stations that cover the Southeast. Rod Bramblett (play-by-play), Stan White (color), Quentin Riggins (sideline), Paul Ellen (studio), Andy Burcham (locker room) and Brad Law (SEC Report) provide gameday analysis. SATELITTE RADIO...XM 143/Sirius 122 LOCALLY...WKKR-FM (97.7) INTERNET Live audio & stats... Date Opponent Score/Time Sept. 4 ARKANSAS STATE [FSN] W, Sept. 9 at Mississippi State [ESPN] W, Sept. 18 CLEMSON [ESPN/3D] W, [OT] Sept. 25 #12/15 S. CAROLINA [ESPN/3D] W, Oct. 2 ULM [ESPNU] W, 52-3 Oct. 9 at Kentucky [ESPN2] W, Oct. 16 #12/13/13 ARKANSAS [CBS] W, Oct. 23 #6/6/6 [CBS] 2:30 pm Oct. 30 at Ole Miss TBA Nov. 6 CHATTANOOGA (HC) TBA Nov. 13 GEORGIA TBA Nov. 26 at Alabama [CBS] 1:30 pm All times Central Date Opponent Score/Time Sept. 4 vs. #18/18 North Carolina [ABC] W, Sept. 11 at Vanderbilt [ESPNU] W, 27-3 Sept. 18 MISSISSIPPI STATE [ESPNU] W, 29-7 Sept. 25 #22/21 WEST VIRGINA [ESPN2]W, Oct. 2 TENNESSEE [CBS] W, Oct. 9 at #14/12 Florida [ESPN] W, Oct. 16 McNEESE STATE [FSN] W, Oct. 23 at #5/5/5 Auburn [CBS] 2:30 pm Nov. 6 ALABAMA TBA Nov. 13 LOUISIANA-MONROE TBA Nov. 20 OLE MISS TBA Nov. 27 at Arkansas TBA All times Central

2 STATISTICAL COMPARISON AUBURN VS. AU Points Scored Total Offense First Downs Rushing Yards Passing Yards Time of Possession 28:05 30:41 3rd Down Pct. 47% 41% Points Allowed Yards Allowed Rushing Yards Allowed Passing Yards Allowed STATISTICAL LEADERS RUSHING YARDS AUBURN Cam Newton Stevan Ridley Michael Dyer Jordan Jefferson Onterio McCalebb..374 Russell Shepard Mario Fannin Michael Ford PASSING YARDS AUBURN Cam Newton Jordan Jefferson Neil Caudle...42 Jarrett Lee RECEPTIONS AUBURN Darvin Adams...23 Terrence Toliver...22 Terrell Zachery...18 Russell Shepard...20 Mario Fannin...12 Rueben Randle...19 Emory Blake...9 Deangelo Peterson...9 POINTS SCORED AUBURN Cam Newton...72 Josh Jasper...57 Wes Byrum...69 Stevan Ridley...36 Two tied with...24 Jordan Jefferson...24 TACKLES AUBURN Josh Bynes...42 Kelvin Shepherd...66 Zac Etheridge...41 Ryan Baker...42 Aairon Savage...37 Drake Nevis...38 Daren Bates...35 Brandon Taylor...36 INTERCEPTIONS AUBURN Josh Bynes...3 Morris Claiborne...4 Three tied with...1 Patrick Peterson...2 SACKS AUBURN Nick Fairley Jake Bequette Antoine Carter Tenarius Wright Auburn Football Game Notes AUBURN- SERIES NOTES The home team has won nine of the last 10 games in the series... At least one of the two teams has been nationally ranked in each of the last 10 meetings, and last season snapped a string of six straight years that both teams were ranked... Eight of the last 15 games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including five of the last six... Dating back to 1973, only six of the 23 meetings have been decided by more than 14 points... The winning team has reached 30 points just twice in the last six years, after the winning team had scored at least 31 points in six of the previous seven games... The winning team posted shutouts in nine of the first 11 meetings in the series... Auburn s secondary has picked off 18 passes in AU s last seven wins over, including six in QUICK HITTERS improved to 7-0 with a victory over McNeese State last Saturday... The Tigers rank third nationally in total defense (242.1), sixth in rushing defense (83.6), eighth in pass defense (158.6) and 11th in scoring defense (14.4), leading the SEC in all but scoring defense... has had some struggles offensively, ranking last in the SEC in passing offense (140.3) and 10th in both total offense (328.6) and scoring offense (26.7)... Stevan Ridley ranks second in the SEC in rushing, averaging 98 yards per game... Cornerback Patrick Peterson has excelled as a returner, leading the SEC and ranking fourth nationally in punt returns (21.1), including two touchdowns, and ranking second in the league in kickoff returns (28.2)... Kelvin Sheppard is second in the SEC in tackles, averaging 9.4 per game... Drake Nevis is third in the league in tackles for loss (11.5) and tied for second with five sacks. AUBURN TIGERS FROM LOUISIANA Auburn has five members of its squad who hail from the state of Louisiana. Sophomore WR DeAngelo Benton is from Bastrop, junior DE Joel Bonomolo is from Metairie, freshman WR Trovon Reed is from Thibodaux, junior LB Ashton Richardson is from New Orleans and sophomore WR Travante Stallworth is from Leesville. TIGERS FROM ALABAMA There are five members of the squad who hail from the state of Alabama. Junior DE Kendrick Adams is from Enterprise, freshman DB Sam Gibson is from Prattville, freshman RB Connor Neighbors is from Huntsville, freshman TE Jeremy Peeples is from Selma and redshirt freshman OG Josh Williford is from Dothan. AUBURN- CONNECTIONS } Auburn linebacker Ashton Richardson is the son of Al Richardson, who starred at linebacker for from The elder Richardson earned All-American and first-team All-SEC honors as a senior, and still holds the records for most tackles in a game (21) and a career (452). } tight ends coach Steve Ensminger coached at Auburn from , coaching quarterbacks in 2003 before moving to tight ends from } Ensminger was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas A&M in 1996 when Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes was in his first year as an offensive graduate assistant for the Aggies. } offensive coordinator Gary Crowton was the head coach at BYU in 2004 when Grimes was in his first year as the Cougars offensive line coach. } defensive coordinator John Chavis held that same position at Tennessee when Auburn assistant head coach/wide receiver coach Trooper Taylor coached the Vols running backs ( ) and wide receivers ( ). } defensive line coach Brick Haley was the defensive line coach at Troy State from , while Auburn director of football relations Wayne Bolt was the offensive line coach. } Auburn safeties coach Tommy Thigpen was the cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator at Bowling Green from , while offensive line coach Greg Studrawa coached the offensive line and wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales coached the receivers for the Falcons. } Assistant AD/Football Operations Dr. Sam Nadar was a quarterback at Auburn from Nadar received his undergraduate degree from Auburn in 1967 and his master s from AU in } Auburn assistant equipment manager Mike Bones Boniol is a 2001 graduate of and served on the Tigers equipment staff from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Twelve of the 22 meetings in the Auburn- series since 1988 have been decided by less than a touchdown. And like all good Southern football series, many of those games have earned memorable titles. Examples: 1988: scored with 1:41 remaining to down fourth-ranked Auburn, 7-6. The noise from the Tiger Stadium crowd registered on a campus seismograph, thus earning the contest the title of Earthquake Game. 1994: Auburn returned three of its five fourth-quarter interceptions for touchdowns to rally from a two-touchdown deficit and win Auburn and fans alike still recall the Interception Game.

3 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes 1995: Wearing the traditional white jerseys at home for the first time in 13 years, stunned fifth-ranked Auburn, 12-6, when Troy Twillie intercepted Patrick Nix s 11-yard pass into the end zone with no time remaining. The 1997 media guide referred to this game under the heading Bring Back The Magic. 1996: The Night The Barn Burned will long be remembered on the Plains. As the old Auburn Sports Arena burned just outside Jordan-Hare Stadium, defeated Auburn After missing three field goals and an extra point, Auburn cut s lead to with :38 remaining, but Jon Cooley s two-point pass attempt was picked off by Raion Hill, who returned it the other way for two points. 1997: Dameyune Craig led Auburn on an 80-yard, 10-play drive in the game s final three minutes to deliver a upset of 10th-ranked in The Comeback. Rusty Williams capped the drive on a 1-yard touchdown plunge with :30 remaining. attempted a 65-yard FG on the game s final play, but Quinton Reese blocked it to seal the Auburn win. 2004: With the threat of Hurricane Ivan looming, members of the Auburn football team spent Wednesday though Friday nights in hotels as the Auburn University campus was closed, but the game went on as scheduled. The seemingly automatic extra point proved to be a challenge for both teams, but a second chance for Auburn allowed the Tigers to emerge with a 10-9 win in The Extra Point Game. missed the PAT after its first-quarter touchdown, but still led 9-3 late in the game. After Courtney Taylor hauled in a 16-yard score with just 1:14 left to tie the score, Auburn missed its extra point. An personal foul gave John Vaughn a second chance, and he delivered the winning point. 2005: The first overtime game between the two teams was won by, 20-17, when John Vaughn s 39-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright. A 30-yard field goal by s Chris Jackson to start the overtime turned out to be the winning points. Jackson forced overtime with a 44-yard field goal with just 1:40 left, moments after Auburn had taken a lead on a 5-yard pass from Brandon Cox to Anthony Mix on fourth down with 4:52 left. 2006: In a battle between two top-10 teams, Brandon Cox s 1-yard quarterback sneak in the third quarter was the only touchdown in a 7-3 Auburn victory. No. 3 Auburn held off two late scoring chances for No. 6, as Eric Brock ended one drive by tipping away a fourth-down pass, then tackled Craig Davis on the 4-yard line on the game s final play to preserve the victory. 2007: Matt Flynn hit Demetrius Byrd with a 22-yard scoring pass with just one second left to lift No. 5 to a victory over No. 18 Auburn. Brandon Cox had connected with Rodgeriqus Smith on a 3-yard scoring pass with just 3:21 left to give Auburn a lead before Flynn s pass capped a 58-yard game-winning drive. 2008: Jarrett Lee s 18-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell with 1:03 left gave No. 6 a come-from-behind win over No. 10 Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn had taken a lead with just 6:40 left when Chris Todd found Robert Dunn for a 15-yard score, before Lee led on the game-winning drive. In all, 21 of the 44 games played between the two schools have been decided by a touchdown or less, with owning an edge in those games. TALE OF THE TIGERS Auburn and have been two of the most successful teams in the SEC during the past decade. Since 2000, has the second-best record in the SEC in conference games at 59-25, while Auburn is fourth at The winner of the Auburn- game has represented the SEC West in Atlanta for the SEC Championship game six times in the last 10 years (Auburn in 2000 and 2004, in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007). won national championships in 2003 and 2007, while Auburn posted an undefeated season in BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES STANDINGS October 17 Standings Harris Poll Coaches Poll Computer BCS Team Rank Pts. Rank Pts. Pts. Avg. Prev. 1. Oklahoma N/A 2. Oregon N/A 3. Boise State N/A 4. Auburn N/A 5. TCU N/A N/A 7. Michigan State N/A 8. Alabama N/A 9. Utah N/A 10. Ohio State N/A AUBURN SINGLE SEASON RUSHING LEADERS, QUARTERBACKS Att Yards 1. Jimmy Sidle (1963) 185 1, Cam Newton (2010) Travis Tidwell (1946) Phil Gargis (1974) Phil Gargis (1975) Phil Gargis (1976) Kodi Burns (2008) Jimmy Sidle (1962) C. Thomas (1979) Tom Bryan (1964) AUBURN CAREER RUSHING LEADERS, QUARTERBACKS Att Yards 1. Phil Gargis ( ) 456 1, Jimmy Sidle ( ) 326 1, Travis Tidwell ( ) Cam Newton (2010) Charles Thomas ( ) Kodi Burns ( ) Pat Sullivan ( ) Randy Campbell ( ) Dameyune Craig ( ) Charlie Trotman ( ) Note: Sidle rushed for 1703 yards in his career, but 303 were accumulated as a tailback. Burns has rushed for 794 yards in his career, but 180 were accumulated as a wide receiver. TALE OF THE TAPE Below is a comparison of the size of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and other notable Auburn quarterbacks over the past 40 years (senior year in parentheses). Cam Newton Chris Todd (2009) Brandon Cox (2007) Jason Campbell (2004) Ben Leard (2000) Dameyune Craig (1997) Patrick Nix (1995) Stan White (1993) Reggie Slack (1989) Jeff Burger (1987) Pat Washington (1985) Randy Cambpell (1983) Charlie Trotman (1979) Phil Gargis (1976) Pat Sullivan (1971)

4 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes AUBURN IN 2010 BY THE NUMBERS CATEGORY 2010 Record SEC West East Non-Conference Home Away Neutral Day Night (6 p.m. or later) TV Games CBS ESPN ESPN ESPNU ESPN 3D FSN SEC Network Scoring First Opponent Scoring First Leading at Half Trailing at Half Tied at Half Leading after Third Trailing after Third Tied after Third Overtime Games Scoring fewer than 20 pts Scoring 20+ points Scoring 30+ points Allowing fewer than 20 pts Allowing 20+ points Allowing 30+ points Rushing for less than 100 yds Rushing for 100+ yds Rushing for 200+ yds Passing for 200+ yds Passing for 300+ yds Totaling less than 300 yds yds. of total offense yds. of total offense Allowing less than 100 yds. rushing Allowing less than 300 yds. total off Allowing 300+ yds. total offense Having 100-yd. rusher Opp. have 100-yd. rusher No turnovers Fewer than 3 turnovers or more turnovers No takeaways Fewer than 3 takeaways or more takeaways More than 30:00 of possession Less than 30:00 of possession TIGERS TOUGH ON TOP TEN Auburn has won nine of its last 16 games against teams ranked in the Associated Press top 10, and has 15 wins in 26 attempts over Top 10 teams since The Tigers last win over a top- 10 ranked team came in In 2007, Auburn won at No. 4 Florida, 20-17, and in 2006, the Tigers beat No. 6 (7-3) and No. 2 Florida (27-17). In 2005, Auburn posted victories at No. 9 Georgia (31-30) and against No. 8 Alabama (28-18). In 2004, Auburn defeated No. 5 (10-9), No. 10 Tennessee (34-10), No. 8 Georgia (24-6) and No. 9 Virginia Tech (16-13) in the NOKIA Sugar Bowl. In 2003, the Tigers beat No. 7 Tennessee (28-21), then the new No. 7 team, Arkansas, the following week (10-3). In 2002, Auburn beat No. 10 (31-7), No. 9 Alabama (17-7) and No. 10 Penn State in the Capital One Bowl. The streak started in 2001 with a victory over No. 1 Florida. VS. TEAMS RANKED NO. 6 Auburn has an all-time record of 4-4 against teams ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press poll. Ironically, Auburn s last two games against No. 6-ranked teams were also against, in 2006 and No. 3 Auburn won the 2006 game, 7-3, and won the 2008 contest over No. 10 Auburn, Auburn s other victories over No. 6-ranked teams came in 1954 (14-13 over Miami (Fla.)), 1963 (10-8 over Alabama) and 1965 (23-18 over Kentucky. Auburn has a better record against No. 6 teams when the Tigers are not ranked (2-1) then when Auburn is ranked (2-3). ON THIS DATE Auburn has an all-time record of 11-5 on Oct. 23, including a 4-1 record in games played in Auburn. The Tigers are 4-0 when playing on Oct. 23 as a ranked team, with wins in 2004 (42-10 vs. Kentucky), 1971 (35-13 vs. Clemson), 1959 (21-6 vs. Miami) and 1937 (21-0 at Georgia Tech). Auburn is 0-1 when playing nationally-ranked teams on Oct. 23, losing at Tulane, 21-6, in IN OCTOBER Auburn, which just concluded its seventh consecutive winning month of September, is (.657) all-time in the month of October. The Tigers are (.718) in their last 39 games in October. IN THE POLLS Auburn is currently ranked fifth in the Associated Press, USA Today and Harris Interactive polls, receiving one first-place vote in the coaches poll. It marks the highest ranking in the AP poll for Auburn since the 2006 season, when Auburn was ranked fifth in the Nov. 5 poll prior to a game against Georgia. 7-0 START ADDS TO WINNING STREAK Auburn s 7-0 start is the first for the Tigers since the 2004 season, and the fourth in the last 18 seasons. In the previous 18-year period from , the Tigers only started 7-0 one time (1986). Auburn has now started a season times in its history. The 7-0 start extended Auburn s winning streak to eight games, which is the longest since Auburn won 15 in a row from THROUGH SEVEN GAMES Below is a statistical comparison of Auburn s two Gene Chizik-coached teams after seven games. Category Record Points Scored Total Offense First Downs Rushing Yards Passing Yards Time of Possession 27:49 28:05 3rd Down Conversion Pct Points Allowed Yards Allowed Rushing Yards Allowed Passing Yards Allowed SCOOTIN NEWTON Junior quarterback Cam Newton leads the SEC and ranks 11th nationally (third among quarterbacks) in rushing, averaging yards per game. His numbers are even better in SEC games, as he averages yards per game and has 10 rushing touchdowns - both league bests. He is the first player in school history to rush for three or more touchdowns in three consecutive SEC games, and the second player in school history to rush for three or more touchdowns in back-to-back games, joining Joe Cribbs (1979). In just seven games, Newton already has the sixth-best single-season rushing total by a quarterback in SEC history with 860 yards. With just over half the regular season completed, Newton is on pace to finish the regular season with 1,474 yards rushing. The SEC record for yards rushing by a quarterback in a single season is 1,006 by Auburn s Jimmy Sidle in Newton, who leads the SEC in rushing by 174 yards over his nearest competitor, also has a chance to become the first quarterback to lead the SEC in rushing since Sidle in The top 10 single-season rushing totals by a quarterback in SEC history are: 1. 1,006 Jimmy Sidle (Auburn) Tim Tebow (Florida) Mike Fanuzzi (Kentucky) Tim Tebow (Florida) Andy Johnson (Georgia) Cam Newton (Auburn) Travis Tidwell (Auburn) Derrick Ramsey (Kentucky) Ray Goff (Georgia) Matt Jones (Arkansas) 2003

5 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes FOUR OF THE TOP 50 Cam Newton has only played seven games at Auburn, but amazingly, he already owns four of the top 50 rushing performances in the history of a school known for its long line of stellar running backs. In his Auburn debut, Newton posted the second-highest rushing total ever for an Auburn quarterback, gaining 171 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas State. He topped that against South Carolina, going for 176 yards and three scores, then went for 198 yards and four TDs at Kentucky, tying the school single-game record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. He added 188 yards and three TDs against Arkansas. Newton is the only player in school history to rush for 170 or more yards in three consecutive Southeastern Conference games. Only two others rushed for at least 150 in three straight SEC games: James Brooks (1980) and Carnell Williams (2004). Newton is also only the second player in school history to rush for 170 ore more yards four times in a single season, joining Bo Jackson who accomplished the feat in MORE THAN JUST A RUNNER Cam Newton hasn t only excelled with his feet, but also throwing the ball. Newton ranks second nationally in passing efficiency (180.73) and became the first quarterback in school history to throw at least two touchdown passes in each of the first five games of a season. No other Auburn quarterback had done that in as many as the first three games. Newton has accounted for five TDs in a game twice this season (vs. Arkansas State and South Carolina) and was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week after both games. In addition to his rushing and passing efficiency numbers, he leads the SEC and ranks 11th nationally in total offense (305.4), ranks sixth in the SEC in all-purpose yards (126.0), has caught a pass for 22 yards and even punted once for 22 yards. ON THE VERGE OF HISTORY Through seven games, Cam Newton is on pace to become the first quarterback in SEC history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season - a feat accomplished by just seven quarterbacks in NCAA history entering this season, including just three from BCS conference schools. Newton is currently on pace to finish the regular season with 2,191 yards passing and 1,474 yards rushing. The list of quarterbacks who have achieved the 2,000/1,000 milestone follows: QB School Year Pass Rush Dwight Dasher Middle Tenn ,789 1,154 Colin Kaepernick Nevada ,052 1,183 Joe Webb UAB ,299 1,427 Colin Kaepernick Nevada ,849 1,130 Joe Webb UAB ,367 1,021 Dan LeFevour Central Mich ,652 1,122 Brad Smith Missouri ,304 1,301 Vince Young Texas ,036 1,050 Brad Smith Missouri ,333 1,029 Woodrow Dantzler Clemson ,360 1,004 CARRYING THE LOAD Cam Newton has been extremely vital to Auburn s success this season, as he has had a hand in 25 of the team s 35 (71.4 pct.) offensive touchdowns, throwing for 13 and rushing for 12. The 25 TDs passing and rushing leads the nation and already ranks second best in a single season in school history, just one away from the school record held by Pat Sullivan (1970). Newton has accumulated 2,138 yards of total offense, with 1,278 yards through the air and 860 yards rushing. That makes him responsible for 63.5 percent of Auburn s 3,368 yards of offense, which is ninth most nationally. OFFENSE KEEPS ROLLING Auburn s offense continues to shine under second-year offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, as the Tigers rank sixth nationally in scoring offense (40.7) and rushing offense (283.7) and ninth in total offense (481.1). In 20 games under Malzahn, Auburn has totaled at least 500 yards of offense seven times. Prior to Malzahn s arrival in 2009, Auburn hadn t had a single 500-yard game since the 2005 Georgia game - a streak of 40 games. GAINING GROUND Auburn s running game has been dominant this season, as the Tigers lead the SEC with their average of yards per game. Auburn has four of the top 18 rushers in the SEC, led by junior quarterback Cam Newton, who averages a league-best yards per game on the ground even after not calling his own number on a running play once Oct. 2 vs. ULM. Freshman Michael Dyer is 10th in the SEC averaging 63.3 yards per game, while sophomore Onterio McCalebb (53.4) and senior Mario Fannin (37.3) have also contributed in the ground game. Against South Carolina Sept. 25, Auburn had two 100-yard rushers in the same game for the third time in the last two seasons, as Newton had 176 yards on the ground and Dyer rushed for an even 100. Auburn rushed for 367 yards against Arkansas State, 334 yards against South Carolina, 311 yards at Kentucky and 330 yards against Arkansas. Since records became available in 1967, Auburn had never before rushed for at least 300 yards in three straight SEC games. In 20 games under Gus Malzahn Auburn has now rushed for at least 300 yards six times. Prior to Malzahn s arrival, Auburn had just four 300-yard rushing games in the previous six seasons combined. SEC STANDINGS Eastern Division SEC Overall W L W L South Carolina Florida Georgia Vanderbilt Kentucky Tennessee Western Division SEC Overall W L W L Auburn Alabama Mississippi State Arkansas Ole Miss THIS WEEK S SCHEDULE Saturday, Oct. 23 Ole Miss at Arkansas, 11:21 am [SEC NET] at Auburn, 2:30 pm [CBS] Alabama at Tennessee, 6 pm [ESPN] UAB at Mississippi State, 6 pm [ESPNU] South Carolina at Vanderbilt, 6 pm [FSN] Georgia at Kentucky, 6:30 pm [CSS] All times listed are Central time LAST WEEK S RESULTS Saturday, Oct. 16 GEORGIA 43, Vanderbilt 0 AUBURN 65, Arkansas 43 KENTUCKY 31, South Carolina 28 Mississippi State 10, FLORIDA 7 32, McNeese State 10 ALABAMA 23, Ole Miss 10 Home team in CAPS COACHING STAFF ASSIGNMENTS Jay Boulware: TE (Field) Jeff Grimes: OL (Field) Phillip Lolley: CB (Press Box) Curtis Luper: RB/Recruit. Coord. (Press Box) Gus Malzahn: OC/QB (Field) Tracy Rocker: DL (Field) Ted Roof: DC/LB (Field) Trooper Taylor: Asst. HC/WR (Field) Tommy Thigpen: Safeties (Field)

6 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes AUBURN IN THE SEC/NCAA STATS (Through games played 10/16) TEAM SEC Pass Efficiency (178.07)...1st Scoring Offense (40.7)...1st Rushing Offense (283.7)...1st Total Offense (481.1)...1st First Downs (23.4)...1st Red Zone Offense (89.5)...T1st Turnover Margin (+0.6)...2nd Rushing Defense (101.7)...3rd Kickoff Returns (25.9)...3rd Third-Down Conversions (46.6)...3rd Sacks Allowed (1.3)...4th Kickoff Return Defense (20.3)...4th Tackles For Loss (7.3)...5th Opponent 3rd-Down Conv. (35.6)...5th Sacks By (2.4)...5th Pass Offense (197.4)...7th Scoring Defense (24.4)...8th Total Defense (367.9)...9th Punt Returns (6.8)...9th Pass Def. Efficiency (136.65)...10th Time Of Possession (28:05)...10th Red Zone Defense (91.3)...10th Penalities (57.6)...11th Net Punting (34.6)...11th Pass Defense (266.1)...11th Opponent First Downs (22.7)...12th NCAA 2nd 6th 6th 9th 21st T18th T30th 15th 16th 29th 32nd 41st 24th 36th 38th 76th 63rd 63rd 80th 86th 97th 109th 80th 84th 108th 110th INDIVIDUAL SEC NCAA C. Newton, Passing Eff. (180.53)...1st 2nd N. Fairley, Tackles for Loss (1.9)...1st T5th C. Newton, Rushing (122.9)...1st 11th C. Newton, Total Offense (305.4)...1st 11th C. Newton, Scoring (10.3)...T2nd T10th W. Byrum, Field Goals (1.6)...3rd T20th W. Byrum, Scoring (9.9)...4th T18th J. Bynes, Interceptions (.4)...T4th T35th N. Fairley, Sacks (.71)...T4th T37th C. Newton, All-Purpose Yards (126.0)...6th 45th D. Washington, Kickoff Returns (25.2)...8th T47th Q. Carr, Punt Returns (6.8)...8th 53rd A. Carter, Sacks (0.58)...9th T61st D. Adams, Receiving Yards (59.9)...9th 84th M. Dyer, Rushing (63.3)...10th 82nd PASSING FANCY Auburn currently ranks second in the nation in passing efficiency with a rating of , thanks largely to two key factors. First, the Tigers lead the nation with an average of yards per pass attempt. Only one other school (Boise State ) averages at least 10 yards per attempt. Second, the Tigers have scored touchdowns on 9.85 percent of their pass attempts, which is second in the nation. Individually, Cam Newton leads the SEC and ranks second in the country with a rating of , thanks largely to his nation-best touchdown percentage, and his average of yards per pass attempt, which also leads the country. BIG PLAYS The Tigers have run 17 plays already this season that covered at least 35 yards, including 10 that resulted in touchdowns. Last season, Auburn had 22 plays of at least 35 yards. In 2008, before Gus Malzahn s arrival, the Tigers had just nine plays that covered 35 or more yards all season. EXPERIENCED O-LINE PAVES THE WAY Auburn has one of the most experienced if not one of the best offensive lines in the country, with four starters returning who have combined to make 137 career starts. Senior All- American candidate and Outland Trophy watch list candidate Lee Ziemba has started all 45 games at tackle since arriving as a true freshman, while center Ryan Pugh, a Rimington Trophy candidate, has made 39 starts since his true freshman season. Guards Mike Berry (28 starts) and Byron Isom (25 starts) round out the experienced group. Auburn s offensive line was ranked as the fifth-best OL unit in the country by Phil Steele and Lindy s in their preseason publications. CARDIAC KIDS Auburn has won four games this season by single digits, including three games that were decided by just three points. The last time Auburn won three games by three of fewer points in the same season was 2007, and the last time Auburn was 3-0 in any season in games decided by three points or less was in 2001, when the Tigers beat Vanderbilt (24-21), Mississippi State (16-14) and Florida (23-20) on consecutive Saturdays. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT Of Auburn s 45 scoring drives in regulation this season, 18 have taken less than two minutes off the clock, while seven have taken more than four minutes. Fourteen used just four plays or fewer, while 12 others have used nine plays or more. Auburn held the ball for the final 7:22 of the game against Kentucky, driving 86 yards on 19 plays before Wes Byrum kicked a game-winning 24-yard field goal as time expired. The 19- play drive tied for the second longest in school history, just missing the school record of 20 plays set at West Virginia in COMEBACK KIDS Auburn has trailed in five of its seven victories this season and overcame double-digit deficits to beat both Clemson and South Carolina. The Tigers trailed Clemson 17-0 in the second quarter Sept. 18 before winning in overtime, and trailed the Gamecocks 20-7 in the second period Sept. 25 before rallying for a victory. It marked just the third time since 1970 that Auburn has had two wins in the same season while overcoming double digit deficits, and the first time it happened in consecutive games. In 1997, Auburn overcame 11-point deficits to beat both Alabama in the Iron Bowl and Clemson in the Peach Bowl. In 1972, Auburn trailed Georgia Tech by 14 and Alabama by 16 in the Punt Bama Punt game before winning both contests. The victory over Clemson also marked the first time that Auburn overcame a deficit of at least 17 points to win since Sept. 28, 2002, when the Tigers trailed Syracuse 17-0 at Jordan-Hare Stadium before coming back to win in three overtimes. It was just Auburn s fourth 17- point deficit overcome in a victory since Year Opponent Trailed (Qtr) Final 2010 Clemson 0-17 (2nd) (OT) 2010 South Carolina 7-20 (2nd) Alabama 6-17 (3rd) Clemson 6-17 (3rd) Georgia Tech 0-14 (2nd) Alabama 0-16 (4th) STOPPING THE RUN Auburn s defense has excelled against the run this season, ranking third in the SEC and 15th nationally in rushing defense, allowing just yards per game. Auburn has held six of its last 11 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing dating back to the end of the 2009 season. The Tigers have not allowed a single running play of more than 26 yards this season. FOURTH QUARTER DEFENSE Auburn s defense has stepped up late in games, as the Tigers have allowed just 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime this season while limiting their four SEC opponents to just 11 fourth-quarter points. Auburn has held opponents to 5-of-23 (.217) on third-down conversion attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime, and forced turnovers on all four of South Carolina s fourth-quarter possessions Sept. 25 and three straight fourth-quarter drives by Arkansas Oct. 16.

7 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes CREATING TURNOVERS Auburn has forced 12 turnovers in the last four games, and eight of the 12 turnovers came in the fourth quarter, resulting in 42 Auburn points. In the first three games of the season, Auburn was -4 in turnover ratio (2 forced/6 giveaways), while in the last four games, Auburn is +8 in turnover ratio (12 forced/4 giveaways). FAIRLEY DOMINANT Nick Fairley has emerged as a force at defensive tackle for Auburn, leading the SEC in tackles for loss (13.5) and tying for second in sacks (5.0). His 13.5 tackles for loss are tied for fourth most in the country and he has at least one in every game this season. Fairley was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at Mississippi State, where he totaled five tackles including 2.5 for losses and 1.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and three quarterback hurries. He was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after recording four tackles, three of which went for losses including a sack, against ULM. BYNES LEADS LINEBACKERS Senior Josh Bynes led Auburn in tackles last season with 104, and is leading again this season with 42 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss. He has also recorded three interceptions, giving him seven for his career, two pass breakups and four quarterback hurries. Bynes has started the last 28 consecutive games at linebacker for the Tigers. BYRUM RECORD WATCH Lou Groza Award candidate Wes Byrum is closing in on becoming Auburn s all-time leading scorer. Byrum, who set a school single-season record for points by a kicker last season with 99, has 69 points this season and needs just four more to pass John Vaughn ( ) for the top spot on Auburn s career points scored list. Byrum is currently second on the list with 309 points, which ranks 18th in SEC history. Byrum had a field goal attempt blocked in the fourth quarter at Mississippi State, snapping a streak of nine consecutive made field goal attempts dating back to last season. His last previous miss was at Tennessee in He currently has a streak of six straight and has made 26 of his last 30 field goal attempts after hitting just 11-of-19 in He scored 17 points on three field goals and eight PATs vs. Arkansas Oct. 16, which was the most points by an Auburn kicker since Jaret Holmes had 17 against UAB in SPECIAL TEAMS IMPROVEMENTS In addition to Wes Byrum, a number of other players are excelling on special teams. Senior Demond Washington ranks eighth in the SEC averaging 25.2 yards per kickoff return, and had 126 kickoff return yards against Arkansas State, which is the 12th best total in school history. Sophomore Onterio McCalebb returned a kickoff 99 yards against Arkansas. Junior Quindarius Carr has averaged 6.8 yards per punt return, which is eighth in the league. Freshman Demetruce McNeal has a team-high 10 tackles on special teams. In addition, senior Mike Blanc blocked a PAT against Arkansas State and freshman Antonio Goodwin blocked a punt against Arkansas. CHIZIK ERA IN SECOND YEAR Head coach Gene Chizik is in his second year at the helm of the Auburn program, after recording the second-most wins by a first-year coach in Auburn history last season. He also became the first Auburn head coach to take his team to a bowl game in his initial season, leading the Tigers to a overtime victory over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. Chizik also became just the third coach in Auburn history to win his first five games as head coach, and became just the third SEC coach since the league expanded in 1992 to start 5-0. STAFF REMAINS INTACT Auburn achieved a rare feat by keeping its entire coaching staff from last season, making Auburn the only school in the SEC to return its head coach and every full-time assistant coach. The last time Auburn returned its entire coaching staff was when the 2006 staff returned intact in THE SENIOR CLASS Head coach Gene Chizik has a senior class that includes 24 players at Auburn in 2010, which is the largest in Auburn history and almost double the size of last year s senior class of 13. The previous largest senior class was 23 in The 2010 seniors include: OL Mike Berry, DL Mike Blanc, OL Jorrell Bostrom, WR Kodi Burns, LB Josh Bynes, K Wes Byrum, DE Antoine Carter, QB Neil Caudle, LB Wade Christopher, DL Zach Clayton, OL Bart Eddins, S Zac Etheridge, RB Mario Fannin, DE Michael Goggans, OL Byron Isom, DB Woody Parramore, OL Ryan Pugh, DB Aairon Savage, P Ryan Shoemaker, LB Craig Stevens, DB Demond Washington, WR Jay Wisner, WR Terrell Zachery and OL Lee Ziemba. IRON MEN Of Auburn s 24 seniors, 13 have seen time in at least 30 games during their careers, including eight who have played in 40 or more games. Mario Fannin leads the group with 47 games played, including three in 2006 before redshirting and 44 games over the past four seasons, while Michael Goggans and Lee Ziemba have played in all 45 games since Mike Blanc and Wes Byrum are next with 44 games played each, followed by Zac Etheridge and Craig Stevens (43), Ryan Pugh (40), Kodi Burns and Antoine Carter (39), Mike Berry (38), Josh Bynes (37) and Zach Clayton (34). SEC SUCCESS Since the 2004 season, Auburn has won 35 of its 52 Southeastern Conference games and 36 of its 53 games against SEC schools, including the 2004 SEC Championship game victory over Tennessee. Auburn s success against conference schools dates back beyond 2004, however, as since the start of the 2000 season, the Tigers have the fourth best record among the 12 league schools in regular season conference games. The following are the combined conference records of the 12 SEC schools from W-L Pct. Florida Georgia Auburn Tennessee Alabama South Carolina Arkansas Ole Miss Mississippi State Kentucky Vanderbilt TIGERS SINCE 2000 Since the start of the 2000 season, Auburn has one of the best records in all of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Tigers record of (.709) ranks 14th among all 120 programs. The list of the top 20 programs since 2000 in terms of winning percentage follows: W-L Pct. 1. Boise State Texas Oklahoma Ohio State USC TCU Florida Virginia Tech Georgia Miami (Fla.) Utah Oregon Auburn West Virginia Wisconsin Florida State Boston College Nebraska Louisville

8 STARTS STREAKS Senior Lee Ziemba has the longest staring streak on the squad, having started all 45 games over the past four seasons. If he starts all 12 regular-season games this year, he will break Will Herring s school records of 49 career starts and 49 consecutive starts. One other senior has a streak that dates back to his freshman season, as Ryan Pugh has made 35 straight starts. Senior Josh Bynes is next with 28 consecutive starts and senior Mike Berry has made 25 straight starts. Sophomore Daren Bates has started all 20 games over the last two seasons. HIGHLY TOUTED RECRUITING CLASS While Auburn s seniors are a critical part of the team, another strong recruiting class is playing a big role in the Tigers success. Auburn s 2010 recruiting class was ranked No. 4 in the nation by both ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc., and Rivals.com and sixth by Scout.com. Seven members of the recruiting class were part of the ESPNU 150. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW The players on Auburn s roster ranged in age from 17 to 23 when the season opened. The oldest Tiger, sixth-year senior Aairon Savage (DOB 12/29/86) was 23 years, eight months and six days old on the date of the season opener. The youngest player is freshman Jonathon Mincy (DOB 9/5/92), who celebrated his 18th birthday the day after the Arkansas State game. SUCCESSFUL RETURN FOR DBs Auburn s secondary has been boosted by the return of three former starters who returned from injuries, including two that missed the entire 2009 season. Senior safety Zac Etheridge, who suffered a season-ending neck injury last Halloween against Ole Miss, is second on the team with 41 tackles, has an interception and a pass break-up, and returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown against Arkansas. Senior safety Aairon Savage, who missed both the 2008 (knee) and 2009 (Achilles) seasons in their entirety before being granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA in February, is third on the team with 37 tackles, including one for loss. Junior safety Mike McNeil, who missed all of 2009 after breaking his leg in the spring, has added 18 tackles and a pass break-up. YOUNG GUNS GET FIRST ACTION Auburn has played 15 true freshmen this season, including 12 who played in the season opener, which was tied for second behind Florida (15) for the most true freshmen played by any team in the country. The true freshmen who have played included: DL Kenneth Carter, P Steven Clark, LB Jessel Curry, DB Chris Davis, 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes RB Michael Dyer, WR Antonio Goodwin, LB Jake Holland, WR Shaun Kitchens, DE Corey Lemonier, DB Demetruce McNeal, K Cody Parkey, WR Trovon Reed, DE Craig Sanders, DB Ryan Smith and DL Jeffrey Whitaker. THIRD STRAIGHT NEW OPENING DAY QB Junior college transfer Cam Newton became Auburn s third opening-day starter in as many seasons, but he is no stranger to the SEC. Newton played at Florida as a true freshman in 2007, rushing 16 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns, and also played in the 2008 opener before redshirting. He spent the 2009 season at Blinn (Texas) College, helping the team to the 2009 NJCAA national championship by passing for 2,833 yards and 22 scores while also rushing for 655 yards and 16 TDs, making him the No. 1-ranked junior college prospect in the country according to Rivals.com. JORDAN-HARE STADIUM Now celebrating its 71st year as home to the Auburn football team, Jordan-Hare Stadium is the nation s 10th-largest on-campus stadium, with a capacity of 87,451 fans. The Tigers, who have averaged more than 80,000 fans during each of the past 17 seasons, are (.793) all-time at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn has clinched its 11th straight winning season at Jordan-Hare Stadium, posting a mark of (.803) at home since the 2000 season. The Tigers were undefeated at home during two of those seasons, going 7-0 in both 2000 and UNDER THE LIGHTS AT JORDAN-HARE Auburn has been tough to beat in night games at Jordan-Hare Stadium, accumulating a record of 22-4 (.846) since the 2000 season in home games starting at 6 p.m. or later, including a 3-0 mark this year. That stretch includes a 5-1 record against nationally-ranked opponents, with wins over No. 1 Florida in 2001, No. 2 Florida in 2006, No. 7 Tennessee in 2003, No. 12 South Carolina this season and No. 14 Georgia in TIGER GRADS Auburn began the season with 11 graduates on its roster, which is second most among all FBS schools. The Tiger graduates include: OL Mike Berry (Public Administration), DT Mike Blanc (Public Administration), DT Zach Clayton (Finance), S Zac Etheridge (Public Administration), RB Mario Fannin (Public Administration), DE Michael Goggans (Public Administration), OL Byron Isom (Public Administration), S Aairon Savage (Education/Master s in Exercise Science), P Ryan Shoemaker (Exercise Science), LB Craig Stevens (Business Management) and WR Terrell Zachery (Public Administration). Listed are the top 10 FBS programs in the nation in terms of number of players who have completed their bachelor s degrees prior to the start of the 2010 season. 1. Boston College Auburn Tennessee Kansas State...8 Virginia Tech...8 UCF Memphis...7 Texas A&M...7 Marshall...7 Northwestern POINTS EQUALS VICTORY Auburn has won 61 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points. The last time the Tigers lost when registering at least 30 points was a 56-49, four overtime loss to Georgia in In its history, Auburn is now all-time when scoring at least 30 points. WHEN SCORING 20+ POINTS Since the 2000 season, Auburn is (.885) when scoring 20 or more points in a game. Dating back to the start of the 1993 season, Auburn is (.874) when scoring 20 or more points in a game. TIGER PROS Auburn has demonstrated a proficiency for placing players in the National Football League. There were 27 former Auburn Tigers listed on NFL rosters on opening day, which was tied for 12th most from any school in the nation. Four NFL teams have three former Tigers on the roster, including the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans. Twentytwo of the 32 teams have at least one former Auburn player on the roster. AUBURN BY THE NUMBERS The Tigers return 48 lettermen from last season, including 24 on offense, 22 on defense and two specialists. Auburn returns seven starters on offense and eight on defense. Auburn s current roster of 112 players includes 24 seniors, 24 juniors, 22 sophomores, seven redshirt freshmen and 35 freshmen. The underclassmen (64) represent 57.5 percent of the Tigers roster. TIGERS ON CSS Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) will broadcast encore presentations of Auburn football every Sunday at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT, and on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT, with Andy Burcham handling play-by-play duties. CSS will also air the Auburn Football Review every Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT. CSS is a 24-hour regional sports network serving over six million customers in 13 states.

9 2010 Auburn Football Game Notes THE LAST MEETING AUBURN 10 #9 31 October 24, 2009 Tiger Stadium (92,654) Baton Rouge, La. No. 9 was too much for Auburn in Baton Rouge as Auburn fell, 31-10, before a crowd of 92,654 at noisy Tiger Stadium. Three turnovers and penalties plagued Auburn in the first half, and while the offense struggled against what Head Coach Gene Chizik called "one of the best defenses in the country," Auburn fought to the end--scoring its only touchdown on the last play of the game. Auburn's offense finished with a total of 193 yards--with 151 of them coming in the second half. Ben Tate led Auburn with 67 yards on 18 carries, while SCORING SUMMARY Auburn Toliver 14 yd pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick), 8:21, 1st - Jefferson 15 yd run (Jasper kick), 1:10, 1st - Jasper 32 yd field goal, 0:09, 2nd - LaFell 17 yd pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick), 13:41, 3rd AU - Byrum 24 yd field goal, 9:21, 3rd - Shepard 69 yd run (Jasper kick), 1:09, 3rd AU - Lutzenkirchen 1 yd pass from Caudle, 0:03, 4th TEAM STATISTICS AU First Downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yards Comp-Att-Int Total Plays-Yards Punts-Avg Fumbles/Lost 3/2 1/1 Penalties-Yards rd Down Conv. 4-of-13 6-of-15 Time of Possession 28:49 31:11 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: (AU) - Tate 18-67; Fannin 6-56; Burns 6-17; McCalebb 3-3; Zachery 1-minus 7; Todd 7-minus 24. () - Shepard 6-71 (TD); Jefferson (TD); Scott 10-20; Holliday 2-8; Williams 1-4; LaFell 1-minus 7 PASSING: (AU) - Todd ; Caudle ; Burns () - Jefferson ; Lee RECEIVING: (AU) - Smith 3-31; Lutzenkirchen 2-18 (TD); Tate 2-0; Blake 1-16; Trott 1-15; Zachery 1-1; Fannin 1-0. () - Toliver 9-86 (TD); LaFell 6-67 (TD); Holliday 2-32; Randle 1-31; Williams 1-20; Peterson 1-14; Mitchell 1-5; Scott 1-minus 1. Mario Fannin added 56 yards on just six carries. jumped out to a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when quarterback Jordan Jefferson found Terrance Toliver in the corner of the end zone on a 14- yard scoring strike. The Bengal Tigers went ahead 14-0 late in the first quarter after an Auburn turnover deep in its own territory. sacked Todd and forced a fumble at the Auburn 16. Jefferson scampered in from 15 yards out three plays later, stretching the lead to 14-0 with 1:10 remaining in the quarter. then drove to the Auburn 2-yard line, but the Tiger defense came up with a big stop when Zac Etheridge slung Jefferson to the turf, forcing a fumble that Craig Stevens recovered in the end zone, giving Auburn the ball on its own 20 with 10:03 left in the half. Auburn committed its third turnover of the half when Philip Pierre-Louis fumbled a punt return, and took over at the Auburn 36 with 1:42 left in the second quarter. drove to the Auburn 15 but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Josh Jasper to go ahead 17-0 with :09 remaining in the half. took advantage of a short field on the opening drive of the second half, going 45 yards in 4 plays to go ahead 24-0 on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jefferson to Brandon LaFell less than two minutes into the third quarter. Auburn responded with big runs by Ben Tate on a 53-yard, 9-play scoring drive deep into territory. The Tigers settled for a 24-yard Wes Byrum field goal to cut the lead to 24-3 at the 9:21 mark of the third quarter. responded as back-up quarterback Russell Shepard lined up in the backfield and ran off left guard for a 69-yard touchdown to put ahead The Tigers fought to the end as back-up quarterback Neil Caudle led Auburn on an 8-play, 59-yard scoring drive. Caudle found freshman tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen on a 1-yard scoring toss with :03 remaining to make the score Auburn's defense was led by sophomore linebacker Eltoro Freeman, who had 12 tackles, including a sack and 2 tackles for loss, in just his fourth career start. Neiko Thorpe was second on the team with eight tackles. CAREER STATS VS. PASSING Player C-A-I TD Yds Yds/Gm Neil Caudle Kodi Burns RUSHING Player No. Yds Avg. TD Mario Fannin Kodi Burns Onterio McCalebb Terrell Zachery RECEIVING Player No Yds Avg. TD Eric Smith Philip Lutzenkirchen Mario Fannin Emory Blake Terrell Zachery DEFENSIVE Player UA+A = Total Misc. Zac Etheridge = 21 2 FF Craig Stevens 7+8 = 15 FR Mike McNeil 10+3 = 13 TFL Eltoro Freeman 5+7 = 12 Sack, 2 TFL Neiko Thorpe 4+6 = 10 PBU Antoine Carter 5+2 = 7 TFL, PBU Josh Bynes 3+4 = 7 TFL Mike Blanc 0+7 = Sack, TFL Daren Bates 0+4 = 4 Aairon Savage 2+1 = 3 PBU Michael Goggans 1+2 = 3 Demond Washington 2+0 = 2 PBU Zach Clayton 1+0 = 1 Jonathan Evans 0+1 = 1 Nick Fairley 0+1 = 1 Emory Blake 0+1 = 1 DeAngelo Benton 0+1 = 1