Tigers score early and often

BY BRANDON HUGHES FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN — The Auburn Tigers recorded the 800th win in program history in grand fashion Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium, defeating the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 73-3. It was the most points scored in a season opener in 109 years and the largest margin of victory in 92 years.

Jordan-Hare Stadium buzzed with electric energy as fans packed the stands, brimming with the optimism of opening day — their team undefeated, every goal still within reach and the promise and hope of a thrilling season ahead. This particular opener comes after an offseason highlighted by a top-10 recruiting class, which included the “Freeze Four,” a quartet of highly rated wide receivers led by top-five overall player Cam Coleman. Although it would not take long for these highly rated and highly anticipated freshmen receivers to make an impact, it was the Tigers’ senior stalwart running back Jarquez Hunter who put Auburn’s first points on the board. On the game’s fourth play and Hunter’s first carry, he burst through the line and outran the Bulldog defense to the end zone for the 34-yard score. The quick score — 47 seconds into the game — was the fastest offensive score to begin an Auburn game since 2010 against Chattanooga.

After forcing a threeand-out, Auburn would waste no time — 12 seconds to be exact — extending its lead as quarterback Payton Thorne connected with Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 67-yard touchdown. Hunter ’s and Lambert-Smith’s scores are the fastest two touchdowns to begin an Auburn season since at least 1996 when such records started being tracked.

After holding the Alabama A&M offense to a second three-and-out in as many possessions, the crowd finally got what it was hoping for. Once again, on the drive’s first play, the Tigers struck pay dirt. Freshman phenom Cam Coleman made a double move, left his defender flat-footed, and caught a 44-yard pass from Thorne for his first touchdown as a collegian.

After the game, a smiling Coleman said of his touchdown catch: “I saw that they [Alabama A&M] had no safety, so I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s bingo,’ and they called it. Coach Heath [Dedeaux] and I made eye contact, and I was like, ‘It’s go time.’ Then me and Payton [Thorne] made eye contact, ‘It’s go time,’ and then I saw it, and I stood there, and I saw him fall. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s coming,’ and I looked up at the ball, and I was wide open. I was like, ‘Don’t drop it. Don’t drop it.’ And then I caught it.”

To recap, Auburn’s first three offensive drives resulted in three touchdowns and amassed 166 yards while taking only one minute and nine seconds.

Alabama A&M moved the ball on the ensuing possession, aided by a wild play that went from a sure Auburn interception to a 56-yard completion by the Bulldog receiver down to the Auburn one-yard line. The visitors would fail to capitalize as the offense moved backward and ended the drive by missing a 29-yard field goal attempt.

Auburn failed to do anything on its next possession. After the teams traded punts, the Tigers put together a six-play 65yard drive that culminated in Lambert-Smith’s second touchdown reception of the game — a four-yard pass from Thorne — and extending Auburn’s lead to 28-0.

The senior signal caller’s three TD passes in the first quarter was the first time an Auburn QB has thrown three TD passes in a quarter since 2010 when Cam Newton did so against Chattanooga. The 28 first-quarter points were also the most since they scored 28 against Purdue in the 2018 Music City Bowl and only the fourth time the Tigers have done it in program history.

The Tiger defense held the Bulldogs to yet another three-and-out, which led to an apparent punt return touchdown by Keionte Scott. However, after replay review, it was ruled that Scott stepped out of bounds at the Bulldogs 21 yard line. The Tiger offense was unable to get a first down and settled for a 32-yard field goal by freshman Towns McGough, an Auburn native, to push the lead to 31-0.

“It hit me yesterday in the hotel that I would be playing in front of the stands and on the field that I grew up as a fan coming to,” McGough said about kicking in Jordan-Hare Stadium. “It’s all glory to God. After that first field goal, there was so much excitement in my heart. I almost had tears of joy running out on the field for the first time. It was a surreal moment and a full circle, taking it all in. I’m so blessed to have this opportunity.”

Getting a fourth down stop on Alabama A&M’s next drive, the Tiger defense watched from the sidelines as the Auburn offense once again didn’t waste any time. It wasn’t a one-play drive this time … it was two. Another mem- b er of the heralded “Freeze Four,” Perry Thompson, got in on the action with a 12-yard reception on the first play, followed by a 70-yard touchdown catch and run on the drive’s second play, making the score 38-0.

The Bulldogs finally dented the scoreboard with a 43-yard field goal, but Auburn answered with a four-yard rushing touchdown by Thorne.

After another three-andout forced by the Tiger defense, the Auburn offense once more found pay dirt by way of a two-yard run by Damari Alston, giving the home team a 52-3 halftime lead.

Thorne’s first-half passing yards (322), 52 firsthalf points, and 49-point halftime lead are all the most in their respective categories since the aforementioned 2018 Music City Bowl.

The decision was made by agreement between officials of both schools to play the second half with 10-minute quarters. Despite the visitors’ efforts to hasten the end of the game, the second half would begin as rudely as the first half ended as Auburn’s Micah Riley blocked the A&M punt, which was recovered by “Freeze Four” freshman Malcolm Simmons in the end zone for a touchdown pushing the lead to 59-3. It was the first punt blocked by Auburn for a score since

Caylin Newton blocked a punt recovered by Barton Lester vs. Georgia State in 2021 Hank Brown would take over for Thorne in the second half and, on his first drive, found Simmons for a 57-yard touchdown pass and catch, stretching the lead to 66-3. The scoring finally concluded on the third play of the fourth quarter when Cal Transfer Sam Jackson V caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Brown.

By the Numbers:

• Auburn wide receivers accounted for six receiving touchdowns Saturday night. In 2023, Auburn’s wide receivers had seven receiving touchdowns all season.

• Auburn QBs threw six touchdown passes Saturday night. In 2023, Auburn QBs threw 18 TD passes all season. They did not throw their sixth touchdown pass until the sixth game of the season.

• Auburn had five different players with receiving touchdowns — the most in a single game in Auburn history.

Of Note: Auburn WR Sam Jackson V was Cal’s starting QB when Auburn played in Berkley last season.

Next Up: At home versus the Cal Golden Bears. Kickoff is set for 2:30 on ESPN2.

>> from B1 to practice minutes early. Hall asked him why he was running — after all, he was three minutes early. Gary said, “Yeah coach, I ain’t gonna be late no more, but I gotta poop.”

“He was just a funny guy,” Hall added. “I miss that joker, man, but he’s in a better place now.”

As hard as the sudden loss of their beloved teammate has been, it has brought the guys closer with one another but also with the community. A few days after the loss of Gary, the Church of the Highlands reached out and invited the team to their “Men’s Night.”

The Dadeville football team also stopped by and signed a card for Loachapoka, and Lee-Scott brought their neighboring team a meal the day before playing them on Friday.

That’s how Loachapoka is making it through this tragedy. They are leaning on each other, those around them and fighting adversity with faith.

“It’s a tough situation, but they’ve found a way to come together, through our faith, and lean on one another,” Hall said. “They’re not taking things for granted like they were previously.”

The loss has been especially hard on Loachapoka quarterback K.J. Carter, who grew up as a close friend of Gary’s as a well as his teammate at the Opelika Dawg Pound Youth League. Carter, also a junior, was gearing up for his first high school season as his best

BEULAH >> from B2 plays later the Bobcats called his number again. His 5-yard TD run capped off an impressive 67-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock.

The Bobcats hope for another fast start when Dadeville comes to visit on Sep. 6 for the region opener for both teams. Beulah is riding high at 2-0, while the Tigers of Dadeville have started out 0-2 versus 5A Elmore County and 4A Handley. Beulah will be looking to avenge their largest regu- friend’s teammate, as he spent the past few years at Powhatan High School in Virginia while living with his mom.

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Although he didn’t get to play alongside Gary, Carter provided a spark with two touchdowns for the Indians in their season opener against LeeScott Academy. Despite a 21-12 loss to the Warriors, Loachapoaka felt relieved to play under the lights again after its week one matchup with Notasulga was cancelled because of the shooting that resulted in the arrest of two Notasulga football players corresponding to Gary’s murder and an injury to another Loachapoka student.

Like the rest of the team, Carter realizes there’s nothing left to do but honor his best friend’s legacy by continuing to play with passion. He said the best way to do that would be to win the state championship for him.

Hall and his new-look staff want to help the team win for Gary, but they also have the task of helping the players recover emotionally. That’s a task that Hall labeled as “uncharted waters” — it’s something that there’s simply no manual for. However, guest speakers and helping hands from local churches and community members have helped the new staff navigate those tough emotions.

“The mark of a man is: how do you respond to negative things?” Stone responded when asked what the coaches are telling the team to get them ready to play after a tragedy. “You can sit lar season defeat of 2023 versus the Tigers who have won nine of the last 10 head-to-head matchups with the Bobcats. Johnson recognizes Dadeville as a tough there and wallow in it all day and not move forward, or you can look at the situation and let it be a learning lesson because that could’ve been any one of you guys.

“You never know when it’s your last day to be a part of this team. Only one person knows that, and that’s the guy up above. So come in here every single day like it’s your last.”

No matter what happens on the field, though, one thing is certain.

Loachapoka is dedicating this season to Gary and the No. 18 he wore.

Offensive coordinator Daniel Byrd helped craft the hashtag #chopfor18, and the team breaks it down on “18” and “family” each day at practice. The players also have “#18” engraved on the back of their helmets this year.

Anthony Bryant, Loachapoka linebackers coach and founder of the Opelika Dawg Pound where Gary and Carter grew up playing, was a key figure in raising Gary and is also the father of his best friend, the quarterback. Bryant echoed the sentiment that Gary will fill the hearts of the Loachapoka team, but the tragedy of his loss will give the team a higher purpose to fight — or chop — this season.

This one is for 18.

“It’s hard because you miss his presence. You miss his life and his energy,” Bryant said. “This season is dedicated to him, so we’ve just gotta keep his memory alive… It’s going to be hard, but hey, God doesn’t make mistakes.” region opponent, noting their athleticism.

“We’ve got to play our ball,” he said. “These guys come to practice to work every day. It’s our job to get them ready.”

ON THE MARK >> from B1 first game against rival Auburn. Former coaches Larry Gore, Kyle Gantt, Joe Wilson, Doug Barfield, Spence McCracken, Brian Blackmon, Caleb Ross and Erik Speakman lost their first game against AHS. Hopefully history will change Friday night at Duck Samford Stadium.

Although the series is only separated by one win, both schools have had win streaks. From 1960 to 1982 Auburn only lost five times to OHS: from 1983 to 2007 Auburn beat OHS only four times: Since 2008, Opelika has won only five games including the last win in 2019.

Auburn has gained the upper hand over the past 8-10 years. Auburn City School Superintendent Dr. Cristen Herrin puts value in having one of the best athletics departments in the state of Alabama and hiring the best people and coaches possible.

Opelika’s Bryan Moore is no stranger to the Auburn/Opelika rivalry, spending many years at OHS as an assistant and as offensive coordinator under Brian Blackmon. The team that is able to handle the intensity and pressure of playing in front of several thousand people against its rival is likely to end up on top at the end of the game. In most of these games the score changes hands as the game progresses, each play is important, and teams will have good and bad things happen. The team that responds the best will win.

Auburn has a senior QB, top notch running back and a solid offensive line and they play strong defense. Opelika can win the game by playing its best and not turning the ball over.

This is the first region game for both teams

Fans can listen to the Opelika vs Auburn football game on WKKR 97.7 Kicker fm, kickerfm.com and on the iHeartRadio app. Pre-game coverage begins at 6 p.m. with the Bulldog Tailgate show presented by Opelika Environmental Services with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Van Riggs, the Voice of the Bulldogs, and his crew will bring you all of the action.

JUNIOR VARSITY

Opelika JV Football

5, team will play Auburn at Duck Samford Monday Sept. 9 at 5 p.m.

LOACHAPOKA

JONES-TATE FIELD

Loachapoka High School Principal Albert Weeden held a ceremony last Friday prior to the LHS vs Lee-Scott football game, naming the football field Jones-Tate Field after former football head coaches Terry Jones and Jerome Tate. Jones started the Poka football program, Jerome Tate won more games than any head football coach in Lee County schools history. On a personal note: I have known coach Tate more than 30 years, watching him grow as a coach from assistant to head coach while at Lanett and Loachapoka. The ceremony was attended by many supporters including Jay Jones and the families of coaches Tate and Jones.

D Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.