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Auburn freshman running back Jarquez Hunter receives game ball

Chandler Vesselsby:Chandler Vessels•09/11/21•

ChandlerVessels

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Michael Chang/Getty Images

Auburn freshman running back Jarquez Hunter received the game ball for his performance against Alabama State on Saturday. The No. 25 Tigers cruised to a 62-0 victory.

Hunter stepped up as the second-team running back with Shaun Shivers sidelined. He led the team in rushing with eight carries for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Auburn coach Bryan Harsin summarized the running back’s performance in three simple words.

“He can go,” he said.

Hunter took off for a 94-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. It was the longest touchdown run in school history.

A true freshman from Philadelphia, Mississippi, this wasn’t the first time that Hunter made his presence known. He finished with nine carries for 110 yards and a touchdown in the season opener against Akron.

He was not ranked in the On3 class of 2021 top 300 prospects. However, he was a top 12 prospect in the state of Mississippi, according to 247Sports. He chose to commit to Auburn over offers from Tennessee, Iowa and Ole Miss, among several other schools.

The Tigers mustered just two field goals in the first quarter and led 20-0 at halftime. They scored 35 points in the third quarter to pull away for good, culminating with Hunter’s long touchdown run.

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Hunter wasn’t the only 100-yard rusher for Auburn on the afternoon. Tank Bigsby mustered 122 yards on 11 caries but no touchdowns.

The defense was fantastic all day. They held the Hornets to just 176 yards of total offense and forced two turnovers in the victory. Through two games, Auburn has surrendered only 10 points and scored 122.

The win improved the Tigers to 2-0 on the season. They have a much more challenging opponent on tap next week, when they take on No. 11 Penn State at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Fresh off his record-setting performance that earned him the game ball, can Jarquez Hunter continue his success against the Nittany Lions?