AUBURN — Coming off a bye week, and still with a sour taste in its mouth from a 17-7 loss to Vanderbilt in its last outing, Auburn looks to keep its hopes at a bowl game alive with a win against the University of Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Here are the biggest things to look for in Saturday’s game:
Who trots out at quarterback?
There's been speculation throughout the week on who Auburn's starting quarterback would be come Saturday, but on Friday that was put to rest with reports saying that Payton Thorne would get the start.
Thorne, who suffered a shoulder injury late in the fourth quarter against Vanderbilt, was held out of practice during the bye week and head coach Hugh Freeze was doubtful when asked on Wednesday if Thorne looked ready to play in practice.
With Thorne most likely feeling the lingering affects of the injury still, he could be on a shorter leash leaving room for Hank Brown or even Holden Geriner and Walker White to get some run under center.
Will Jarquez Hunter surpass the 1,000-yard mark?
Jarquez Hunter, who is second in the SEC in rushing yards with 913, is looking to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark on Saturday.
A feat that, truthfully, should have already been accomplished, 87 yards from Auburn’s star running back on Saturday seems like a feasible task. With uncertainty at the quarterback position, you can bet on the Tigers relying heavily on their run game.
Could Auburn play some newcomers down the stretch?
Already leading the nation in defensive snaps played by a freshman, there are still a handful of guys on Auburn’s roster who are yet to see any action on the field.
With a sizable lead going into the fourth quarter, guys like Walker White, Joe Phillips, Bryce Cain or DeAndre Carter could get some playing time together on Saturday and still maintain their redshirt for the 2025 season.
Stop the run
While ULM’s offensive stats do not jump off the page at you – currently in the bottom half of the Sun Belt in yards per game with 300.8 – the Warhawks do have a lethal weapon at running back in Ahmad Hardy who leads the Sun Belt with 915 yards rushing.
With their passing offense ranking dead last in the Sun Belt, the Warhawks' game plan will be to rely on Hardy and the run game to provide a spark on Saturday.
Kickoff is set for 11:45 a.m. CT and will be aired on ESPN.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email logan.fowler@1819News.com.
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