Alabama may have a different kind of quarterback decision on its hands this Saturday against Vanderbilt.
With Keelon Russell dealing with an ankle injury and listed as day-to-day after the Crimson Tide’s win over LSU, Austin Mack could be the next man up. On Monday, Kalen DeBoer mentioned the possibility of Mack seeing the field, and that opens the door for the junior to get a real look in game action.
Russell won the starting job in camp over Mack, and the choice has paid off so far. Alabama is 7-2 through nine games, and Russell has already shown a knack for late-game heroics, including another second-half rally last Saturday against LSU.
Still, there’s a case for Alabama to be careful with its starter and give Mack the assignment instead. Vanderbilt is the kind of opponent where the Crimson Tide may not need to push Russell if the goal is simply to keep him healthy.
Mack brings plenty of intrigue of his own. He was once a five-star recruit for DeBoer at Washington before following him to Tuscaloosa in 2024. At 6-foot-6 with tremendous arm strength, he still looks the part of a quarterback with real upside.
The bigger issue has been opportunity. Mack has thrown just 39 passes in his college career, which has left his future a little murky. With Russell now viewed as the long-term starter, Mack almost certainly will transfer out of the program this winter.
If he does get the chance against Vanderbilt, it could be a useful showcase. Quarterback-needy teams around the country will be watching, and Mack would finally have a chance to remind everyone why so many once viewed him as a major prospect.
He may not carry the same buzz he did earlier in his career, but Mack remains an intriguing passer who could still make noise next season.
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For Auburn, the timing matters because the Tigers are still sorting through their own options at the position and had reason to monitor the portals upper tier closely. With Taylor off the board, attention shifts even more toward other possible targets from places like Ohio State and Michigan, leaving Auburn to keep weighing fit, availability and cost in a market that is already getting thinner by the day. [Read more 🡒]
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Auburns recent addition gave the class a boost, but the final stretch is still about roster evaluation and how the staff chooses to spend its time and resources. Some current pledges could be revisited while other targets get a more aggressive push, which leaves the Tigers with a few important calls still hanging in the balance before signing day arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Bowl Push Comes With Real Upset Risk In Starkville
Auburn heads to Starkville with a chance to keep its winning streak alive and move one step closer to bowl eligibility, but this is the kind of SEC trip that can get tricky fast. Alex Golesh has already pointed to the early kickoff as one of the hurdles, and Auburn will need to bring a sharp, high-level effort against a Mississippi State team that has dropped five straight but still has enough pieces to make this uncomfortable.
The matchup comes down to a few familiar pressure points for Auburn: slowing down AJ Swann, leaning on the run game and keeping Byrum Brown protected up front. Linebacker depth and time of possession also loom large, especially in a road setting where Auburn cannot afford to let the game drift into a grind. On paper, the Tigers have the better path, but this is exactly the sort of spot where a bowl push can turn into a stress test. [Read more 🡒]