It’s a new day for Auburn, as a tumultuous week around the program culminates with Cadillac Williams’ head coaching debut.
Auburn (3-5, 1-4 SEC) will take on Mississippi State (5-3, 2-3) in Starkville, Miss., in what will be the Tigers’ first game since the firing of former head coach Bryan Harsin. Williams, who was tabbed interim head coach Monday, will lead his alma mater into Davis Wade Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will air on ESPN2.
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Auburn is seeking to snap a four-game losing streak and win its first road game in 385 days -- the last win away from the Plains coming last Oct. 16 at Arkansas -- as it takes on Mississippi State, which is riding a two-game losing streak into Saturday night’s SEC West matchup.
AL.com will provide live updates and analysis throughout the game in the space below, so be sure to refresh this page for all the latest action from Starkville. Also stay tuned to al.com/auburnfootball for full postgame coverage.
SECOND QUARTER: Mississippi State 24, Auburn 6
-- Anders Carlson with a pooch kickoff, so no return for Mississippi State, but the Bulldogs start at their own 33-yard line.
-- Mississippi State 24, Auburn 6 (4:05): Auburn gets down inside the 10, but a false start makes it third-and-12 from the 14. Robby Ashford is then sacked, and Anders Carlson nails a 42-yard field goal.
-- Tank Bigsby with a 38-yard gain out of the Wildcat to get Auburn into the red zone.
-- Robby Ashford with a 17-yard pass to Koy Moore, but it’s under review -- and the call stands. Auburn ball at its own 42.
-- Mississippi State 24, Auburn 3 (8:12): Lideatrick Griffin with a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown for Mississippi State.
-- Mississippi State 17, Auburn 3 (8:27): Anders Carlson with a 27-yard field goal to put Auburn on the board. Tigers get three points after starting with the ball on the 8-yard line. That’s tough.
-- After review, no targeting, but the blindside block call stands. That’s 15 yards against Auburn, which now has second-and-goal from the 25.
-- Jeremiah Wright called for a blindside block, with targeting. It’s under review. Miss State player took some time to get up, and that resulted in benches briefly clearing before things got settled back down.
-- Jeffrey M’ba with a strip-sack of Will Rogers, and Dylan Brooks recovers it for Auburn. Tigers’ offense takes over at the 8-yard line.
-- Man, Robby Ashford had Shedrick Jackson wide open behind the Bulldogs secondary on first down, but he can’t find him, dumps it off short. Instead, Auburn’s offense goes three-and-out again.
-- Mississippi State 17, Auburn 0 (14:11): Nehemiah Pritchett gets outplayed on a 22-yard fade to the left side of the end zone from Will Rogers to Rara Thomas. Rogers is 12-of-15 for 161 yards and two scores already, as the Bulldogs take quick advantage of the short field.
-- Auburn goes for it on fourth-and-short to open the period, but the quick sweep to Ja’Varrius Johnson is stopped for a 1-yard loss. Mississippi State takes over at the Auburn 25-yard line.
END FIRST QUARTER: Mississippi State 10, Auburn 0
-- Robby Ashford scrambles for 7 yards on third-and-8, coming up just shy of the marker. Auburn’s offense stays on the field for fourth down, but the quarter ends. Bulldogs outgained Auburn, 153-29, in the period. Mississippi State averaged 9 yards per play, while Auburn averaged just 2.4 yards per play.
-- Auburn gets its first first down of the game with 2:23 to play in the first quarter.
-- Mississippi State punts after the timeout, and Auburn is pinned at its own 5-yard line.
-- Auburn’s defense gets a third-down stop after Mississippi State crosses midfield. Bulldogs line up to go for it, but then they call a timeout to think things over with 3:54 to go in the quarter.
-- Another three-and-out for Auburn, and another strong punt from Oscar Chapman.
-- Mississippi State 10, Auburn 0 (9:16): A four-play, 78-yard scoring drive for the Bulldogs. Got a 57-yard pass from Will Rogers to get into the red zone, and then a 13-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Caleb Ducking. Rogers is already 7-of-9 passing for 116 yards and a touchdown.
-- Auburn goes three-and-out on its opening possession. First play under Cadillac Williams was a toss out of the I-formation. Robby Ashford airmails a short pass on third-and-long.
-- Mississippi State 3, Auburn 0 (12:26): Auburn forces Mississippi State to settle for a short field goal after J.D. Rhym makes a great pass breakup at the goal line on third down. Massimo Biscardi’s 28-yarder is good.
-- Zion Puckett shaken up on an early play, but he walks off on his own.
-- Mississippi State with a quality kickoff return, and after one play is out to midfield.
PREGAME
-- Auburn wins the coin toss and defers to the second half. Tigers will kick off to start the game.
-- Auburn defensive back Donovan Kaufman is in a boot pregame is not dressed out for Auburn.
-- As AL.com reported Friday afternoon T.J. Finley did not travel with the team to Starkville. Holden Geriner will serve as QB2 behind Robby Ashford today.
AL.com will update this post.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.