Healthier People are Happier People Staying active keeps us healthier and socializing makes us happier. That’s why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is proud to sponsor athletics across the state. Learn more about getting healthier and happier at AlabamaBlue.com/Happy.Make escape part of your winning game plan. Escape every day at Wind Creek Casino and on the Casinoverse app. Aruba • Atmore • Bethlehem Chicago Southland • Curaçao Montgomery • Wetumpka (866) 946-3360 | WindCreek.com ©2023 Wind Creek Hospitality.4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 .................................................................... 2023 Schedule 6 .................................................................Scouting Auburn 8 ......................................................................Scouting LSU 10 ....................................................................Auburn Roster 12 .........................................................................LSU Roster 14 .................................................... Opponent Outlook: LSU 16 .............................................................. Auburn Traditions 18 ..................................................................... Depth Charts 20 .............................................................. Stat Comparisons 22-24 ....................... Cover Feature: The Road Less Traveled 28-30 ........................................... Head Coach Hugh Freeze 32-36 ........................................................ Assistant Coaches 38 .................................... University News: Facilities Updates 40 .............................................................Auburn University 42 ..................................................Auburn Board of Trustees 44 ..........................................................University President 46 .......................................................... Director of Athletics 48 ................................................ Through the Lens: Georgia 50 ................................................. University News: AUTeach 52 ................................... Meet the Coaches: Dom Studzinski 54 .......................................... Jordan-Hare Stadium Diagram 56-57 .............................. Jordan-Hare Stadium Parking Map 60 .................................................. Heisman Trophy Winners 62 ................................................................... All-Americans 64 ......................................Meet the Coaches: Josh Aldridge 66 ..............................................Postseason Trophy Winners 68-69 .........................................................Tigers in the NFL 73 .................................................Auburn Tigers Superlatives 75 ...................................... University News: Auburn at Work 77 .................... Cheerleaders, Tiger Paws and Marching Band 79-90 ........................................................... Auburn Players 91 ............................ University News: Everybody Loves Aubie 93 ......................................................... Undefeated Seasons 95 ................................. University News: Alabama Extension 97 .................................................Southeastern Conference 99 ...................................Olympic Sports Update: Men’s Golf 103-104 .........................................Auburn Sports Properties Cover: Marcus Harris and Jayson Jones TABLE OF CONTENTS AUBURNTIGERS.COM2023 AUBURN SCHEDULE 5 AUBURNTIGERS.COM THE RIVER REGION'S OFFICIAL BROADCAST PARTNER OF AUBURN ATHLETICS IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, LISTEN HERE 9.2 UMass Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium 9.16 Samford Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium 10.28 Mississippi State Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium 9.9 Cal Berkeley, Calif. California Memorial Stadium 10.21 Ole Miss Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium 10.14 LSU Baton Rouge, La. Tiger Stadium 9.23 Texas A&M College Station, Texas Kyle Field 11.4 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. FirstBank Stadium 9.30 Georgia Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium 11.11 Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark. Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium 11.18 New Mexico State Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium 11.25 Alabama Auburn, Ala. Jordan-Hare Stadium Blue - Home Orange - Away 2023 AUBURN SCHEDULE6 SCOUTING AUBURN HEAD COACH Hugh Freeze (Southern Miss, 1992) Auburn Record .........................................................................3-2 (1st Season) Career Record .................................................................78-50 (13th Season) vs. LSU .......................................................................................................................2-3 AUBURN (3-2 0-2 SEC) Sept. 2 ...............................UMASS ......................................................W, 59-14 Sept. 9 ...............................at Cal ............................................................W, 14-10 Sept. 16 ..............................SAMFORD ...............................................W, 45-13 Sept. 23..............................at Texas A&M ..............................................L, 10-27 Sept. 30 .............................#1 GEORGIA .............................................L, 20-27 Oct. 14 ...............................at #22 LSU .......................................................6 p.m. Oct. 21 ................................#13 OLE MISS ................................................6 p.m. Oct. 28 ..............................MISSISSIPPI STATE .........................................TBA Nov. 4 .................................at Vanderbilt .......................................................TBA Nov. 11 ................................at Arkansas ..........................................................TBA Nov. 18 ...............................NEW MEXICO STATE ...................................TBA Nov. 25 ..............................#11 ALABAMA ...................................................TBA TIGER TRIP n Auburn visits No. 22 LSU for an SEC West matchup on Satur- day, Oct. 14, in a 6 p.m. CT game played at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. ESPN will televise the contest. n In all-time SEC play, Auburn holds a 335-270-18 mark (.552) back through 1933. In SEC games played in Auburn, the Tigers are 144-67-6 (.680) all-time; away from Auburn, the Tigers are 191-202-12 (.487) overall. SERIES HISTORY n Auburn trails the all-time series with LSU by a 32-24-1 count. Auburn leads 13-8 in games played in Auburn. The home team has won 18 of the last 23 in the series. Thirteen of the last 19 meetings in the series have been decided by seven points or less, including the four games from 2016-19, which were decided by a total of 14 points. n LSU leads 19-6-1 in games on its home field. Last time at LSU (2021), Auburn won in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1999 in a come-from-behind 24-19 victory using a 92-yard drive capped by a Jarquez Hunter 1-yard run with 3:11 to play and a Bydarrius Knighten interception to seal the win. n Since the SEC moved to two divisions in 1992, LSU leads the series just 17-14. In 25 of the last 28 meetings between Auburn and LSU, at least one of the teams was ranked at the time of the game. KICKOFF COVERAGE n Auburn leads the SEC and ranks 14th nationally in red zone defense (.692). The Tigers are third in the SEC in team pass efficiency defense (116.38). n The Tigers are third in the SEC in rushing offense, averag- ing 202.0 yards per game. Twelve of the Tigers’ 17 offensive touchdowns have come via the ground game. n The Tigers are second in the SEC in turnovers forced with 10 through five games (6 interceptions, 4 fumbles recovered). n Saturday is the 129th time Auburn plays a team with the nickname Tigers. Auburn is 67- 56-5 in the previous such matchups against Clemson, LSU, Memphis, Missouri, Pacific and Sewanee. n With four interceptions, Jaylin Simpson is one of two FBS players tied for the national lead in pickoffs (0.80 per game) this season. He was the first Tiger with interceptions in three straight games (UMass, Cal, Samford) since Jerraud Powers in 2007. n Auburn is one of 11 FBS teams that have returned a fumble and an interception for a touchdown and is one of 24 teams with multi- ple defensive scores this season. n Oscar Chapman was the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week for his play against Georgia, highlighted by a career-best 71-yard punt, fourth longest in FBS this season n Since the 2000 season, Auburn is 18-9 after an in-season bye week (11-4 at home; 7-5 on the road). SCOUTING AUBURN AUBURNTIGERS.COM Elijah McAllisterCommitted to playing with a purpose. We’re all about that gameday energy. At Alabama Power, we share your passion for the team— and your pride for where we live. We love big wins, but celebrate all victories that push our state forward. For over 100 years, we’ve been committed to proving what we accomplish together, on and off the field, makes us stronger. It’s Power for a Better Alabama. We proudly support the Auburn Tigers. alabamapower.com © 2023 Alabama Power Company8 SCOUTING LSU HEAD COACH Brian Kelly (Assumption, ‘83) LSU Record .....................................................................14-6 (2nd Season) Career Record .......................................................298-103-2 (33rd Season) vs. Auburn ................................................................................................................1-0 LSU (4-2, 3-1) Sept. 3 ............................vs. #8 Florida State ...........................L, 24-45 Sept. 9 ............................GRAMBLING STATE .......................W, 72-10 Sept. 16 ..........................at Mississippi State ............................W, 41-14 Sept. 23 .........................ARKANSAS .........................................W, 34-31 Sept. 30 .........................at #20 Ole Miss ..................................L, 49-55 Oct. 7 ..............................at #21 Missouri ..................................W, 49-39 Oct. 14 ............................AUBURN ....................................................6 p.m. Oct. 21 ............................ARMY ....................................................6:30 p.m. Nov. 4 .............................at #11 Alabama .............................................TBA Nov. 11 .............................FLORIDA ........................................................TBA Nov. 18 ............................GEORGIA STATE........................................TBA Nov. 25 ...........................TEXAS A&M ..................................................TBA LSU BACK IN TIGER STADIUM TO HOST AUBURN ON ESPN n Saturday Night in Death Valley is back this week as LSU hosts Auburn in a crucial SEC Western Division matchup. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and will televised on ESPN with Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Katie George on the call. n LSU is coming off a 49-39 road win over No. 21 Missouri last week, while Auburn enjoyed an open date. LSU won last year’s meeting, 21-17, at Jordan-Hare Stadium and leads the overall series 32-24-1. The teams aren’t scheduled to play next year, marking the end of a 32-year streak (1992-2023) between LSU and Auburn. QUICK NOTES n LSU will wear a No. 3 decal on its helmet again this week to honor senior captain Greg Brooks, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor the week of the Mississippi State game. Brooks is in Memphis at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital receiving treatment. n LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third time this season on Monday for his performance vs. Missouri. Daniels has been the SEC Player of the Week following wins over Mississippi State, Arkansas and Mizzou. n Offensive tackle Emery Jones earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance in the win over Missouri. LSU had two 100-yard rushers and racked up 274 rushing yards against a Missouri team that led the SEC in rushing defense at 74 yards per game. n LSU’s offense ranks in the top 10 nationally in six categories: first in first downs (169), third in total offense (548.3) and 3rd-down conversions (56.3 pct.), fifth in scoring (44.8) and pass efficiency (185.8 rating) and seventh in passing (337.7). n For only the eighth time in school history, LSU’s offense vs. Missouri featured two 100-yard rushers (Logan Diggs, 134 yards; Jayden Daniels, 130 yards) and a 100-yard receiver (Malik Nabers, 146 yards). n Logan Diggs has rushed for 100-yards in back-to-back games (101 vs. Ole Miss; 134 vs. Missouri) becoming the first LSU running back to do so in SEC games since Ty Davis-Price did it vs. Alabama (104) and Arkansas (106) in November of 2021. n Against Arkansas, Daniels became just the sixth player in FBS history pass for 10,000 yards and rush for 2,000-yards in a career. In 49 career games, Daniels has thrown for 10,906 yards and rushed for 2,570 yards. n Daniels has accounted for at least four touchdowns in five consecutive games. Daniels has also topped the 400-yard mark for total offense three times in 2023, joining Joe Burrow in 2019 as the only players in school history to do it at least three times in same season. n Wide receiver Brian Thomas leads the nation in receiving touchdowns with nine. Wide receiver Malik Nabers ranks second in the nation in receiving yards (771) and fifth in receptions (46). Nabers has caught a pass in 24 consecutive games and he’s riding a streak of four straight 100-yard games, the third-longest streak in LSU history. n Nabers became the 11th player in LSU history to top the 2,000-yard mark in receiving yards. In 31 career games, Nabers has 178 receptions for 2,205 yards and 18 touchdowns. n Brian Thomas and Malik Nabers stand as the top receiving duo in the SEC as they have combined for 83 catches for 1,374 yards and 15 touchdowns. The duo is combining to average 13.8 receptions for 229.0 yards and 2.5 touchdowns per game. SCOUTING LSU AUBURNTIGERS.COM Jayden DanielsPlease visit our website at www.vcom.edu/outcomes for a copy of our Outcomes Report. ©2023 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. All rights reserved. www.vcom.edu to become a physician? The Auburn campus of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine was created with a clear purpose to alleviate the physician shortage in Alabama. VCOM-Auburn constantly works to recruit students from rural and underserved areas. It is our hope that they will return home to serve their community and improve health outcomes across the state. 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