Auburn got the kind of injury-report news that changes the feel of a Saturday night in a hurry.
When the SEC’s mandatory availability report dropped Wednesday night, edge rushers Da’Shawn Womack and Chris Murray were nowhere to be found on it. After both sat out Week 2 against Southern Miss with injuries, that absence from the report points strongly toward both players being available when the Tigers face Florida this weekend.
For Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, that’s a major boost. Murray was one of the anchors up front last season, while Womack arrived in the offseason as Auburn’s headline defensive transfer from Ole Miss.
Both had been active in practice this week, and the signs were already trending in the right direction. Murray has been sidelined, and Womack could have played last weekend in Auburn’s win over Southern Miss, but instead chose to rest with SEC play opening.
The only three Tigers listed were the ones expected to appear. Offensive lineman Tai Buster was the lone player officially ruled out, while tight end Hunter Herring and edge rusher Joe Phillips were listed as questionable for Saturday.
Even when Murray and Womack were on the field in Auburn’s win over Baylor, their box score numbers were modest. Murray finished with two total tackles, and Womack had one. But their value goes beyond the stat sheet, especially for a defense that’s about to see a Florida offense led by former Georgia Tech playcaller Buster Faulkner.
That challenge gets even sharper with running back Jadan Baugh in the mix. Auburn’s front will be tasked with slowing a back who sits in the top five nationally in both rushing yards and touchdowns, and getting Murray and Womack back should help the Tigers do exactly that.
The return also means Auburn is closer to full strength for what is the biggest game of Alex Golesh’s tenure so far. The Tigers have a chance to keep building early momentum, but a flat showing would hand Golesh his first loss as Auburn’s head coach.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Central time at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the game airing on ESPN.
In Other News...
Alabama Commit Just Changed The In-State Recruiting Conversation
Trent Seaborn has become one of the biggest talking points in Alabama recruiting, and not just because he is already committed to the Crimson Tide. The Thompson senior quarterback opened the season at No. 12 in AL.coms Best in Bama rankings, then surged all the way to No. 1 as his play and profile kept climbing. For Auburn fans watching the in-state board, it is another reminder of how quickly the recruiting conversation can shift when a high-profile quarterback starts separating himself from the pack.
The movement at the top also came with a bit of turbulence elsewhere, as former No. 1 Gunner Rivers slid to No. 3 after a right knee injury in the season opener altered the picture. The latest rankings brought in new names and updated several other top prospects, along with their college commitments, giving a fresh snapshot of where the states elite talent stands right now. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Fans Have Plenty To Debate After That Auburn Loss
Baylors season opener against Auburn had all the ingredients of a September talking point, from the defensive pressure to the late-game drama that left both sideline and fan base replaying every snap. The Bears came up just short in a 17-16 loss, but there was plenty in the performance to keep their followers engaged, especially after a defense that piled up five sacks and three interceptions made Auburn work for every yard.
Gavin Freeman gave Baylor a true spark with 12 catches for 154 yards, and DJ Lagways debut added another layer to the conversation even before the ankle injury limited what he could do. The close finish, the failed two-point attempt in the final seconds and the national audience of 4.24 million viewers turned this into one of those openers that lingers, because the result was clear even if the questions around the Bears are still settling in. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns SEC Opener Just Got More Personal Than Fans Expected
Floridas first Southeastern Conference game under new coach Jon Sumrall already had plenty of weight to it, and now it carries a little more edge for Auburn fans watching from a distance. Sumrall, an Alabama native and former Troy coach, comes into the matchup with a personal backdrop that stretches well beyond the standings, even as both teams arrive undefeated and with quarterbacks Aaron Philo and Byrum Brown drawing attention for their play.
For Auburn, there is the football part and then there is the family side of it, with Sumrall openly acknowledging ties to the school while making clear where his loyalty sits now. That makes the SEC opener feel less like a standard early conference test and more like a meeting layered with history, pride and a few extra storylines for Alex Goleshs team to manage once the game starts. [Read more 🡒]