Southern Miss Travels to Auburn for Final Non-Conference Tilt of the Season

Saturday, September 29

Auburn, Ala.

3:00 PM

Southern Miss

Auburn

Photo by: Joe Harper

Southern Miss Travels to Auburn for Final Non-Conference Tilt of the Season

9/28/2018 5:03:00 PM | Football

Auburn Game Notes

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss football team takes to the road for the first time this season when they travel East to face nationally ranked Auburn in the team's final non-conference game of 2018.

Game time from Jordan-Hare Stadium is at 3 p.m., CT. The game can be seen on the SEC Network as well as heard on one of the affiliates of the Southern Miss IMG Sports Network.

The two teams meet for the first time in 10 seasons as Auburn tallied a 27-13 home victory in the last meeting to give the No. 10-ranked Tigers (3-1) their third-straight victory over the Golden Eagles (2-1). Overall, this will be the 23rd meeting between the two schools with Auburn holding a 17-5 advantage.

While third-year coach Jay Hopson is more concentrated on what his team has needed to do to get prepared for this contest, he did say that the Tigers possess a strong football team.

"They're a good football team, there's no "ifs" or "buts" about that," said Hopson earlier this week. "We know we've got a challenge and we know we're playing a really good football team so we have to prepare."

Sophomore quarterback Jack Abraham continues to lead the Golden Eagles with 1,048 yards passing, including 10 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. His top two targets have been sophomores Quez Watkins and Jaylond Adams, who are tallying 24 catches for 304 yards and 17 grabs for 215 yards, respectively.

Abraham ranks No. 6 in the FBS in both completions per game (25.7) and passing yards per game (349.3), while holding a No. 10 spot in total offense (336.3). For Watkins, he holds fifth-place in the FBS in both receptions per game (8.0) and scoring (12.0), while holding down a No. 6 ranking in receiving TDs (five).

On defense, senior Jeremy Sangster leads the squad in tackles with 14, while fellow senior Picasso Nelson, Jr., ranks second at 13 and sophomore Racheem Boothe has added 11.

The Golden Eagles also hold five interceptions of which sophomore Ky'el Hemby leads the way with two.

As a team, Southern Miss ranks first in the FBS in first downs allowed, third in red zone defense, fourth in passing yards allowed (139.3), ninth in total defense allowed (271.7) and No.21 in scoring defense (16.7 points allowed).

Saturday's game is the latest Southern Miss has played its first road game of the year since playing at Ole Miss in a 13-9 loss in Oxford on Sept. 30, 1972.