game day published by
The Auburn Plainsman
WHAT’S INSIDE
IRON BOWL: Special preview of the big game vs. Alabama
JORDANHARE: The danger zone for the SEC
page 3
LOOKING TO THE WIN FOR THE FUTURE: Team ‘focused’ moving into Saturday against ULM page 4
AUBURN’S FINAL GRADES FROM UGA: A breakdown of the Tigers’ performance against the No. 1 team
page 8
LOUISIANA MONROE: A word from The Hawkeye
page 10
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE 3
Home cookin’ Jordan-Hare Stadium becoming death trap for SEC teams ahead of Iron Bowl By ZACH TANTILLO Sports Writer The Auburn Tigers kept playoff hopes alive after a huge upset victory over No. 1 Georgia, thanks to the Tigers continued stellar play at home. The victory marked Auburn’s fourth 40-point outing at home this season. The game did end the Tiger’s streak of four 500-yard performances in a row when they gained only 488, the most the ffithranked Bulldogs defense has given up all season. Auburn has played at another level on The Plains this season. The Tiger offense is outscoring the opponents 198-64, while outgaining them by almost 254 yards a game. On both sides of the ball, players have performed exponentially better. At home, the ferocious defense is only allowing 266 yards per game, compared to 322 yards on the road.
The offense explodes when at home, averaging 521 yards compared to 415 on the road. One player shines the most at home, and it’s quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The Baylor transfer’s two worst games have come on the road this season against LSU and Clemson, when he threw for a combined 22-for-50 and averaged 4.9 yards per attempt, as opposed to 10.4 yards at home. When at home, Stidham lives up to the preseason hype, throwing for an SEC-leading 73.6 completion percentage and nine touchdowns. Those numbers are compared to a 60.7 completion percentage with only five touchdowns away from Jordan-Hare. The season of dominating home performances started when Georgia Southern came to town and Auburn bested them 41-7. Auburn outgained Georgia Southern 535-78, which set the standard for both the offense and defense for the rest of the season.
Coming off a tough road loss to Clemson, Auburn’s biggest hiccup at home came against FCS Mercer, when the Tigers committed five turnovers and escaped with a 24-10 victory. Besides the turnovers, Auburn still recorded over 500 yards, and Stidham had one of the best statistical days in SEC history, throwing 32-for-37 for 364 yards. After opening SEC play at Missouri, Auburn traveled back home to face a talented Mississippi State team, a game in which the Tigers dominated the Bulldogs 49-10. The Auburn offense eclipsed 500 yards for the third-straight home game, while the defense held highly touted dual-threat quarterback Nick Fitzgerald to only 157 yards through the air. Surging from a big victory over Mississippi State, the Tigers used the home field advantage against a reeling Ole Miss team to explode on offense and displayed their best rushing performance
» See HOME FIELD, 5
ADAM SPARKS / PHOTOGRAPHER
Deshaun Davis (57) stares down Jake Fromm (11) before the snap.Auburn versus Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Auburn,Ala.
Auburn’s swagger is back, and it came at the right time By BENNETT PAGE Sports Writer The most dangerous phrase that can ever be uttered about a Gus Malzahn-led team is true again: Auburn has momentum. A new trend is also true for this Tigers team: they have swagger. In 2010, Malzahn’s offense had momentum going through the final stretch of the season, which led to huge comeback victories over Georgia and Alabama and a domination of South Carolina. In 2013, after a disappointing loss to LSU, the Ti-
gers regained momentum behind an on-fire Tre Mason and Nick Marshall. That led to two of the most memorable plays in college football history. This year, after disappointing losses to both Clemson and LSU, it’s back. In the 40-17 beat down of the Bulldogs from Georgia, Auburn didn’t just show us that it has its momentum back. It has its swagger back. One of the biggest storylines in college football this year has been that “The U” is back. Miami football has returned to its historical dominance, and many would attribute it to the new
swagger that the team has found. The celebrations of Miami, the dancing on the sidelines, the players having fun and, most of all, the turnover chain – the Canes just look like they’re having fun again, and it’s done amazing things for their record. There was always a sense of concern and worry around this Auburn team, even if they were up. Unless a drive ended in a score for the offense or a forced punt for the defense, the players just didn’t look
» See SWAGGER, 5
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
Steele, Lindsey ‘focused’ on ULM after silencing Bulldogs KATHERINE MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Georgia player, Riley Ridley, and Auburn player, Carlton Davis, during the Auburn versus Georgia game on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Auburn,Ala.
By TYLER ROUSH Sports Reporter Following a win over top-ranked Georgia, Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson evoked the names of Barry Sanders and Mark Ingram into the Tigers’ coaching staff. Offensive and defensive coordinators Chip Lindsey and Kevin Steele, respectively, provided Johnson huge bodes of confidence following his destruction of Georgia’s defense. A common thread of praise ran through the team’s star running back. “The great ones have an ability: They’ve got great vision,” Steele said. “The one thing they all have in common is vision, and that’s what he’s got.” Johnson currently leads the SEC in rushing with 1,035 yards and 15 touchdowns, tied for fourth in the nation. He finished the game with 167 yards on 32 carries against the No. 3 defense and was the first running back this season to rush for more than 100 yards against the Bulldogs. “Since I’ve been here, he’s really smart and he’s really intelligent,” Lindsey said. “I think he’s a complete running back. I’m glad he’s on our team. “I think he makes everyone associated with Auburn proud.”
In addition to Johnson’s success this season, both the oftensive line and, notably, wide receiver Ryan Davis have impressed, he said. “The thing about [Davis] is he catches the ball with his feet on the ground, and he keeps on moving,” Lindsey said. “He’s definitely one of our best playmakers.” Davis finished the game with four catches for 55 yards including a 32-yard touchdown to make the score 30-7. The offensive line, Lindsey said, has been playing off the success of Marquel Harrell. “I’ve been really pleased with him,” Lindsey said. “I think he’s one of those bright young players who’s ready to take that next step.” In contrast, Auburn’s defensive line was able to take advantage of the Bulldog line, holding the nation’s eighth-best rushing attack to just 46 total yards. Prior to a matchup at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Georgia averaged 279.3 yards per game with running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. That kind of effort, Steele said, was worthy of the dance moves that ensued in the fourth quarter. “The big thing is energy and enthusiasm is great in football,” he said. “Now you can’t get so involved that you lose your edge. Because you’re not at the club, you’ve got to go back out there and play.”
Another thing that brought the team together, Steele said, was the common identity that each player had built with each other from spring training. “I think our guys know their own identity,” he said. “Everybody shows up at the stadium and is disappointed when anyone gains a yard.” While Steele knew early on that dominance could become a normality, injuries affected early season play. Now, with safety Tray Matthews making a definitive return with a tackle for loss in the Tigers’ win, Steele believes his team knows the task at hand and the confidence required to be successful. Linebacker Deshaun Davis held down his end of the fort as well with five total tackles and a sack to add to Auburn’s dominating performance. “You know when you’re doing your job, and you know when you’re affecting things in a positive way,” Steele said. “That gives you confidence, and that breeds confidence.” Prior to a matchup with another top-ranked Alabama at home, Auburn hosts the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Even with a shot at the SEC Championship coming in two weeks, Lindsey said he is more focused on taking on the Warhawks than preparing for the Crimson Tide. “We’re focused on Louisiana-Monroe,” he said. “It’s what you have to do.”
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE 5
SWAGGER
HOME FIELD
» From 3
» From 3
to date with 326 yards behind a career day for Kerryon Johnson. Auburn won the game 44-23 and once again hit the 500-yard mark for the fourth-straight home game. Now, after the big win against Georgia, Auburn has Louisiana-Monroe as a tune-up before taking on No. 1 Alabama at home in the most highly anticipated Iron Bowl since 2013. Auburn has shown that at home, they have what it takes to take on anyone and handle them easily. On paper, the matchup between Alabama and Auburn is close and both teams are looking for any way to get a leg up on the other. The home field advantage might be the x-factor that the Tigers are looking for to knock off two No. 1 teams in three weeks.
ADAM SPARKS / PHOTOGRAPHER
Jeff Holland (4) celebrates after recording a sack in the first half. Auburn versus Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Auburn,Ala.
relaxed and would walk off the field with upset faces being concerned about the next drive. Malzahn said before the game that he wanted his players to be loose the whole week. The result of this was an air of confidence surrounding the team, and that confidence was evident on the field and on the sidelines Saturday. One of the most fun moments for the players was in the fourth quarter during the long timeout after Malzahn challenged the spot of the ball on the field. During the reviewing process, Jordan-Hare Stadium played a plethora of classic songs from a few years back. The songs included “Crank That,” “Swag Surfin’” and “Teach Me How to Dougie.” The players, both on the field and on the sidelines, had a big party. Showing off their dance moves, it was clear that the players were having fun with their 40-10 lead that they held with six minutes left in the game. “We wanted to be loose,” junior linebacker Deshaun Davis said. “I actually feel like this was the first time our coaches allowed us to have fun like that on the sideline. But we know as a unit — we’re big kids, bro, we like to have fun so when we hear a song we can dance to, we dance to it, and then we go back out there and get a three-and-out. That’s just how we operate.” Auburn safety Tray Matthews appeared to be enjoying himself against his former team. “It was definitely a party. We had a big party,” Matthews said after the game. “We’ll have another party tonight.” The confidence Auburn showed on the field Saturday can be seen as a big contribution to their pummeling of the Dawgs, and the return of their swagger is something Auburn fans haven’t really seen since Trooper Taylor was running up and down the sidelines and celebrating big plays with Nick Fairley. If the Tigers go into the Iron Bowl with the same swag and the same confidence around their team, Malzahn could be booking his second trip to the SEC championship as a head coach.
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE
PLAINSMAN PICK ‘EM Auburn-ULM
Mich-Wisc
MIZ-Vandy
Texas-WVU
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
secstandings SEC EAST
Gannon Padgett Video Editor
1st - Georgia (9-1, 6-1) 2nd - South Carolina (7-3, 5-3) 3rd - Kentucky (7-3, 4-3)
Will Sahlie (31-18) Sports Editor
4th - Florida (3-6, 3-5) 5th - Missouri (5-5, 2-4)
Nathan King (30-19) Asst. Sports Editor
T-6th - Tennessee (4-6, 0-6) T-6th - Vanderbilt (4-6, 0-6)
Tyler Roush (29-20) Sports Reporter
SEC WEST 1st - Alabama (10-0, 7-0)
Sumner Martin (28-21) Sports Writer
2nd - Auburn (8-2, 6-1) 3rd - LSU (7-3, 4-2)
Jake Wright (28-21) Sports Writer
4th - Miss State (7-3, 3-3) 5th - Texas A&M (6-4, 3-3) 6th - Ole Miss (5-5, 2-4)
Peter Santo (28-21) Sports Writer
7th - Arkansas (4-6, 1-5)
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE 7
Left Tackle: Austin Golson - 73 Prince T. Wanogho - 76 Bailey Sharp - 66
Running Back: Kerryon Johnson - 21 Kam Martin - 9 Devan Barrett - 5
Left Guard: Mike Horton - 66 Marquel Harrell - 77
H-Back: Chandler Cox - 27 Tight End: Sal Cannella - 80 Jalen Harris - 85 Wide Receiver: Darius Slayton - 81 Nate Craig-Myers - 3 Ryan Davis - 23 Will Hastings - 33 Eli Stove - 12
Center: Casey Dunn - 50 Right Guard: Braden Smith - 71 Wilson Bell - 74
Defensive End: Marlon Davidson - 3 Nick Coe - 91 OR Big Kat Bryant - 1 Defensive Tackle: Dontavius Russell - 95 Tyrone Truesdell - 94 Defensive Tackle: Derrick Brown - 5 Andrew Williams - 79 Buck: Jeff Holland - 4 Paul James III - 10 OR T.D. Moultry - 55
Right Tackle: Darius James - 78 Calvin Ashley - 70
Middle Linebacker: Deshaun Davis - 57 K.J. Britt - 33 OR Chandler Wooten - 17
Will Linebacker: Tre’ Williams - 30 Montavious Atkinson - 48 Sam Linebacker: Darrell Williams - 49 Richard McBryde - 51 Field Corner Jamel Dean - 12 OR Javaris Davis - 13 Field Safety: Stephen Roberts - 14 Daniel Thomas - 24 Boundary Safety: Tray Matthews - 28 Nick Ruffin - 19 OR Jeremiah Dinson - 20
SPECIAL TEAMS
Quarterback: Jarrett Stidham - 8 Malik Willis - 14 Ryan Davis - 23
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
AUBURN DEPTH CHART
Boundary Corner: Carlton Davis - 6 Traivon Leonard - 21
Kicker: Daniel Carlson - 38 Anders Carlson - 26 OR Sage Ledbetter - 31 Punter: Aidan Marshall - 41 Ian Shannon - 43 Long Snapper: Ike Powell - 69 Bill Taylor - 60 Holder: Tyler Stovall - 29 Punt Returner: Stephen Roberts - 14 Ryan Davis - 23 Kick Returner: Noah Igbinoghene - 4 Stephen Roberts - 14 Ryan Davis - 23
Nickel: Daniel Thomas - 24
Left Tackle: Devin Jackson II Trace Ellison
Running Back: Derrick Gore Ben Luckett
Left Guard: Frank Sutton II Brandon Jones
Tight End: Josh Pederson Sloan Spiller
Center: Bobby Reynolds Noah Ramsey
Wide Receiver: Xavier Brown Marcus Green D’Marius Gillespie
Right Guard: T.J. Fiaiola Ben Moye
Wide Receiver: Brandius Batiste Darius Rodrigue Brennen Bradley
Right Tackle: Thomas Eastwood Joquarius Savage
Defensive End: Caleb Tucker Defensive Tackle: Jaylen Veasley Mason Husmann
Sam Linebacker: Chase Day Marcus Hubbard Cornerback: Kendrick Marbles Jarrell Brown
Defensive Tackle: Tyler Johnson Howard Houston Jr.
Strong Safety: Rhoy Williams Wesley Thompson
Defensive End: Kerry Starks
Free Safety: Corey Straughter
Will Linebacker: David Griffith Cortez Sisco Jr.
Cornerback: Juwuan Offray
Middle Linebacker: Donald Louis Jr. Ty Shelby
Star: Ty Shelby
SPECIAL TEAMS
Quarterback: Caleb Evans Garrett Smith
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
LOUISIANA-MONROE DEPTH CHART Kicker: Craig Ford Matthew Wylie Punter: Harrison Heim Craig Ford Long Snapper: Luke Hutchinson Holder: Josh Pederson Punt Returner: Marcus Green Kick Returner: Marcus Greenw
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
By PETER SANTO Sports Writer
Grading Auburn’s upset win over UGA In its biggest game of the season, Auburn came to play Saturday, turning in their most complete performance of the season as the Tigers completely dismantled No. 1 Georgia 40-17. Auburn will take on Alabama in the Iron Bowl Nov. 25 with the winner moving on to the SEC Championship Game. Let’s hand out some grades:
A+ QUARTERBACK:
Presented with the chance to prove himself on a national stage, Jarrett Stidham put together a flawless performance that left little doubt regarding his ability to lead the Tigers moving forward.The Stephenville, Texas, native was 16-for-23 for 214 yards and three touchdowns on the day, and his touchdown pass to Darius Slayton late in the first half was one of his best throws of the year. That throw swung the momentum completely as the Tigers took a 16-7 lead at halftime. Stidham also wasn’t afraid to make plays outside the pocket. His throw to Nate Craig-Myers on the Tigers’ first possession kept the defense honest and Stidham’s rushing touchdown gave Auburn a commanding 23-7 lead early in the third quarter. By the time Stidham threw his third touchdown, a 32-yard screen pass to Ryan Davis, the game was all but over.
A+ RUNNING BACKS:
Coming into the game as the SEC’s leading rusher, Kerryon Johnson was already regarded as one of the conference’s best running backs. But Johnson cemented himself as one of the best running backs in college football with a 32-carry, 175-yard performance Saturday.Johnson showed great patience as he waited for space to open before hitting the hole with conviction. While he didn’t get into the end zone, his 5.2 yard per carry average helped the Tigers move the ball at will. All that made Gus Malzahn wonder aloud postgame if there was a better running back in all of college football. After Saturday’s success, it may be time for voters to put Johnson in the Heisman Trophy discussion.
A+ OFFENSIVE LINE:
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart summed up Auburn’s offensive line play, saying: “They just whipped us up front. Bottom line.’’ Despite missing left guard Mike Horton, the offensive line opened plenty of holes for the running backs as the Tigers averaged 5.2 yards per carry and tallied 237 rushing yards.The O-line will need to continue giving Stidham time to throw as Auburn has been looking to throw the ball down the field more often.
A+ DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKERS:
The game-plan in this game for Auburn was to establish the run, and to stop the run on defense. The Tigers’ front seven harassed Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm all day and held the Bulldogs’ star running back tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to just 48 yards on 20 carries.Jeff Holland was once again a force on the Auburn defensive line. Further establishing himself as one of the SEC’s premier pass rushers, the Jacksonville, Florida native recorded five tackles, added a sack and was consistently in the Georgia backfield. Deshaun Davis had five tackles and a sack and Derrick Brown had four tackles and 0.5 sacks. This group will need to continue to wreak havoc if Auburn hopes to upset Alabama and reach the SEC Championship Game.
A WIDE RECEIVERS:
Ryan Davis led the way with four catches for 55 yards, and made multiple defenders miss as he raced for a 32-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Eli Stove had four catches for 14 yards but kept the defense honest in the running game, countering Johnson’s between the tackle runs with jet sweeps to the outside. Stove finished with four carries and 55 yards on the ground.Nate Craig-Myers did not have a catch last week against Texas A&M, and only had one catch Saturday, but look for Stidham to get him more involved moving forward.Darius Slayton had just two receptions but made a great adjustment to make a spectacular catch for a 42-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. Slayton is quickly emerging as a deep threat and one of Stidham’s favorite targets.
B DEFENSIVE BACKS:
The defensive backs struggled on Georgia’s opening drive as Fromm was 3-for-3 for 56 yards on that possession. They settled down quickly, however, as Fromm had just 128 passing yards the rest of the game. Tray Matthews continues to establish himself as a shutdown defensive back and even stepped up in run support with a tackle for loss. The Newnan, Georgia, native had three tackles on the day.
C SPECIAL TEAMS:
Special teams was the one area where Auburn struggled Saturday. The Tigers gave up 152 yards on kickoff returns and Georgia was close to breaking one for a touchdown. Daniel Carlson, who’s usually stellar on kickoffs, did not record a touchback and was forced to resort to high, short kickoffs to limit the Bulldogs’ return ability.Kicking in cold and windy conditions, Carlson was 4-for-4 on field goals including a 54-yarder. Auburn did force one turnover on special teams as they took advantage of a muffed punt by the Bulldogs and quickly scored a touchdown to open the second half.
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE 9
No. 1 Crimson Tide limping into next
week’s winner-take-all Iron Bowl By JAKE WRIGHT Sports Writer November is here and double-digit games into the season, injuries are taking a toll across the country on many teams. As the Iron Bowl nears, Auburn is relatively healthy, while Alabama has lost several key players to injuries. For Auburn, Kamryn Pettway has been hurt all season, but the dominance of Kerryon Johnson has mitigated his absence. Up front, Darius James and Mike Horton have been banged up and missed time. Marquel Harrell has stepped in during their absence and played excellent at guard. Gus Malzahn is happy about his offensive line even though Horton and James have not been fully healthy. “The good thing about it is we have seven guys that have played in SEC games and all seven of them have played well,” Malzahn said. “We talked about the depth, the quality depth up front at the
first of the year, and we are feeling really good about those seven guys.” On the other end of the Iron Bowl, Alabama is decimated at the linebacker position. Terrell Lewis, Christian Miller, Shaun Dion Hamilton and Mack Wilson are all out for season. Lewis and Miller were lost in the season opener against Florida State, while Hamilton and Wilson were injured against LSU. On Alabama’s offensive line, guard Ross Pierschbacher left the game against Mississippi State early with a high ankle sprain. He will miss Alabama’s game versus Mercer, but there is hope that he will be back in time for the Auburn game. To make matters worse, arguably Alabama’s best defensive player Minkah Fitzpatrick is not 100 percent. He missed action against LSU and was not back to full health last weekend against Mississippi State even though he played the whole game. Nick Saban said Fitzpatrick was “day to day” this week with a hamstring injury.
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With an abundance of injuries at linebacker, Alabama is being forced to throw underclassmen into the fire. True freshman Dylan Moses is playing inside linebacker along with Keith Holcombe. This caused problems against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs were able to run the ball effectively and control the clock against Alabama as they ran for 172 yards and had the ball for almost 39 minutes. Neither Alabama nor Auburn is fully healthy heading into the winner-take-all SEC West title game. Auburn has less key injuries that could affect the outcome of the game. The Tigers will more than likely try to attack Alabama’s defense on the inside with Johnson’s ability to run between the tackles. It is an obvious choice with the several of the Tide’s top linebackers out in the middle of the field. Alabama’s linebackers will be talented, but their lack of experience in such a big game might reveal vulnerabilities.
FILE PHOTO
FILE PHOTO
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The Auburn Plainsman: GAME DAY VS. LA MONROE
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
Behind Enemy Bylines: Louisiana-Monroe
FILE PHOTO
Malik Miller (32) runs the ball past defenders during the second half of a NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, in Auburn,Ala.
By WILL SAHLIE Sports Editor Jerimee Washington, sports editor at the ULM Hawkeye, answered a few questions from The Auburn Plainsman ahead of Auburn’s matchup with Louisiana-Monroe this Saturday. 1. Louisiana-Monroe is facing an uphill battle this weekend at No. 6 Auburn, how have the Warhawks prepared for this weekend against a far-more talented opponent? To prepare for this game against SEC powerhouse No. 6 Auburn, the Warhawks are focusing on stopping the run. Our run defense has been tested all season, but our pass defense is coming along with a young secondary consisting of mostly freshman starters. The Warhawks are ranked 96th in the nation in total defense, so this will be a big test for our young secondary to produce turnovers and make open-field tackles. The team will have to find a way to contain Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson who is 24th in the nation in rushing. They will also have to find a way to disrupt the timing and rhythm of Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham who has thrown 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions. 2. Who are some playmakers on the offensive side of the ball for the Warhawks that Auburn needs to prepare for? The Warhawks offense is producing at an extremely high level this season. The stellar play from quarterback Caleb Evans has been a huge bright spot for the offense in his sophomore season. He has thrown for 2076 yards, 12 touchdowns, with a 65 percent completion percentage and just three interceptions. Wide Receiver RJ Turner is making big plays toward the end of this season. He led the team to a go-ahead touchdown catch in a win against Sun Sun Belt conference leader App. State. Turner leads the team in receiving yards with 509 and averages 18.18 yards per catch. Another player to watch is our do-it-all player, wide receiver Marcus Green. He is an electrifying player on both offense and special teams, he is second on the team in receiving and is tied for the the lead in the nation for kickoff return touchdowns with three. 3. How about some playmakers on defense? Linebacker David Griffith is the heart and soul of this defense, his sideline-to-sideline speed helps the Warhawks keep contain. Safety Roland Jenkins is the glue guy in our young secondary. He makes big plays on the field, especially coming up to stop the run. He has 42 solo tackles on the season which is second on the team. Another player to watch is defensive end Caleb Tucker, he is usually rushing the passer on every down as he leads the team in sacks with four. Tucker keeps the D-line playing together and leads the push for the pass rush. 4. What have been the highlights of ULM’s season so far? One of the highlights of the season for the Warhawks was defeating ULL in a shootout 56-50 in double overtime. Quarterback Caleb Evans had the best game of his career and tied ULM’S school rushing
record for touchdowns with five. He received a helmet sticker on ESPN’S College Football Final for his break out performance, posting a stat line of 28-of-34, 343 yards and one touchdown. On the ground he rushed for 129 yards and five touchdowns on 16 carries. Another highlight of the season was the win against Sun Belt powerhouse App. State. It was a complete game of football for the team as ULM won the game in the closing minutes 52-45. 5. Score prediction? My score prediction for this game will be ULM 31, No. 6 Auburn 28 in a shootout, I’m calling the upset.
ADAM SPARKS / PHOTOGRAPHER
Kerryon Johnson (21) stiff-arms Aaron Davis (35) during a run in the first half. Auburn vs Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Auburn,Ala.
THURSDAY, NOV. 16, 2017
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