Live Updates: Auburn dominates Mercer 42-16 on opening night
AUBURN – Auburn opens the 2022 season tonight against Mercer here at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Welcome to your home for live updates throughout the contest.
We’ll take you from pregame all the way until the clock strikes quadruple zeroes in what will be an interesting home opener for the Tigers with new coordinators, a new starting quarterback, and program looking for positive momentum after a dramatic offseason.
Make sure and check out all The Basics ahead of the game
Auburn-Mercer 4th quarter updates
10:36 p.m.: Alston gets the last touch of the game. Time expires as Auburn wins the game 42-16.
10:34 p.m.: Mercer’s Fred Payton throws to Devron Harper for a touchdown. Auburn 42 Mercer 16
10:32 p.m.: Mercer now has a fresh set of downs and a 1st and goal.
10:31 p.m.: Auburn now inserting backups into the game. Mercer able to hit another middle route and pick up the first down. Payton then finds another receiver with Keionte Scott trailing in coverage.
10:26 p.m.: Auburn goes for it on 4th down, Ashford scrambles and comes up short of the sticks. Mercer will take over.
10:24 p.m.:Ashford rifles it over the middle to John Samuel Shenker. It was close to underneath coverage, but the ball went right over and into a hole in the zone.
10:22 p.m.: Auburn takes over, Ashford hands off and then throws to Damari Alston. Auburn moves the chains after a gain of 13.
10:17 p.m.: Mercer throws incomplete with tight coverage from Keionte Scott. 4th and goal, Mercer makes the field goal. Auburn 42 Mercer 10.
10:15 p.m.: Dylan Brooks tips Payton’s pass on a screen attempt. Auburn brings up 3rd and goal for Mercer.
10:13 p.m.: Mercer completes a pass inside the red zone. The Bears now looking to add another score.
10:07 p.m.: Auburn commits a roughing the kicker penalty and hands to ball back to Mercer.
10:06 p.m.: Cam Riley chases down the Mercer QB Fred Payton to force a punt on 4th down. Riley now has 12 tackles on the night and is the leader in that category.
10:05 p.m.: Eku Leota leads the charge for his 5th tackle of the night. Jeffrey M’Ba checks in and is in the stop.
Auburn-Mercer 3rd quarter updates
9:58 p.m.: Mercer will take over at its own 25 yard line. The Bears have 138 yards of total offense. Keionte Scott comes barreling in for a tackle-for-loss.
9:57 p.m.: The first play after the rain delay, Tank Bigsby takes it 39 yards for an Auburn touchdown! He cut back after hitting the hole and got up field quickly.
9:55 p.m.: After over an hour of rain delay, we are back in action at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
8:29 p.m.: Lightning was detected near the stadium and we are now under a weather delay.
8:27 p.m.: Ashford throws a deep ball to Dawson. There was interference on the play from the defensive back.
8:27 p.m.: Koy Moore gets his first action of the night on a fly sweep from under center.
8:23 p.m.: Eku Leota and Donovan Kaufman combine for a sack against Mercer to bring up a 4th down. Keionte Scott loses his footing on a punt return. Auburn will take over. Leota now has 2 sacks on the night.
8:21 p.m.: Donovan Kaufman and DJ James combine for tackle-for-loss against a Mercer quick screen. Auburn brings up another 3rd and long.
8:15 p.m.: Jarquez Hunter scores on a second effort and help from a teammate. Auburn lined up in the I-formation at the goal line. Auburn 35 Mercer 7
8:14 p.m.: Ashford throws a deep ball to Ja’Varrius Johnson. The ball is on the money and Johnson made a nice catch in stride. Johnson is Auburn’s leading receiver on the night so far with 4 catches and 117 yards.
8:13 p.m.: Ashford completes a pass to Tar’Varish Dawson for a first down. The Tigers enter a hurry up tempo.
8:12 p.m.: Robby Ashford is the quarterback for the following drive. He is going to get a full drive under his belt to run the entire offense.
8:08 p.m.: Derick Hall makes a big sack on a QB rollout. Mercer will have to punt it back to the Tigers.
8:05 p.m.: Finley double clutches on a throw and it results in an interception. Mercer take over around its own 30 yard line.
8:03 p.m.: Tank Bigsby bounces the inside run to the outside for a big gain down the sideline. Auburn is in Mercer territory. Bigsby now has over 100 yards rushing in the game.
8:02 p.m.: Finley throws a timely out route at the first down line to Shedrick Jackson. First down for the Tigers.
8:01 p.m.: Freshman Damari Alston checks in and gets his first career carry.
8:00 p.m.: After a Marcus Harris tackle for no gain, Auburn forces the Mercer punt. Nehemiah Pritchett had a nice pass breakup during the defensive series as well.
7:56 p.m.: Mercer will start the half from its own 25 yard line.
Auburn-Mercer 2nd quarter updates
7:33 p.m.: Mercer scores its first touchdown of the game on a fade to receiver Devron Harper. Auburn 28 Mercer 7
7:25 p.m.: Mercer receiver Devron Harper makes a nice catch in the end zone with Nehemiah Pritchett draped over him. His foot was out of bounds. Mercer’s Ty James then makes a catch to set up 1st and goal for the Bears.
7:18 p.m.: Mercer converts its first 3rd down of the night with a throw over the middle. Bears are insider the Auburn 20 yard line. The 14 yard reception was the biggest pass play of the night for Mercer. Cam Riley leads all tacklers for Auburn with 6 total tackles.
7:16 p.m.: On 3rd and 18, Finley throws an interception over the middle of the field. Mercer will take over with good field position.
7:13 p.m.: Tank Bigsby’s long run is called back for hold by Austin Troxell. Bigsby has 62 yards on the ground so far tonight.
7:11 p.m.: Mercer QB Fred Payton loses the snap on third down and recovers his own fumble. Auburn will take over at its own 26 yard line after a Keionte Scott punt return.
7:09 p.m.: Mercer takes over at its own 25 yard line. 5:04 remains in the first half.
7:05 p.m.: Tank Bigsby dives over the pile for another Auburn touchdown. After a few quick plays in a hurry up offense, Auburn caps off the drive with an easy touchdown. Tigers lead 28-0.
7:03 p.m.: Auburn runs a jet sweep option. Ashford took the jet sweep, then pitched the ball to Tank Bigsby for a big gain of 21. inside the 20 yard line.
7:02 p.m.: Auburn opens the drive with a reverse to Ja’Varrius Johnson. Finley throws a lead block to help spring a first down.
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6:57 p.m.: Auburn forces another 3-and-out. It will take over at its own 49 yard line. Auburn has 213 yards of offense so far.
6:55 p.m.: Pressure from Eku Leota causes a rushed throw from Mercer QB Fred Payton. Zion Puckett breaks up the pass down field. Mercer has just 48 total yards of offense so far.
6:54 p.m.: Mercer will take over from its own 25 yard line. The Tigers have been strong on defense thus far.
6:51 p.m.: Jarquez Hunter punches it in for his second touchdown of the game. Auburn leads 21-0 with 10:17 left in the first half.
6:48 p.m.: Ashford checks back in. He takes a QB keeper down inside the 5 yard line. Penalty on the play: unnecessary roughness called on both teams. Penalties offset. 1st and goal for Auburn from the 3 yard line.
6:47 p.m.: Finley fires a rocket over the middle to wide receiver Shedrick Jackson. Tigers go with the hurry up offense.
6:44 p.m.: Auburn takes over at the Mercer 38 yard line after a nice punt return from Ja’Varrius Johnson.
6:42 p.m.: Eku Leota gets his first sack of the year following a bad snap from Mercer’s center. Mercer faced with a 3rd and 20.
6:39 p.m.: Mercer will take over at its own 11 yard line.
Auburn-Mercer 1st quarter updates
6:35 p.m.: After consecutive runs by Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, TJ Finley is sacked on 3rd and 9 while attempting to roll out.
6:31 p.m.: Payton’s pass broken up by nickel Donovan Kaufman. Mercer goes three-and-out. Auburn will take over at its own 45 yard line.
6:29 p.m.: Jarquez Hunter makes a big play on the kick-off starting Mercer inside its own 20 yard line.
6:24 p.m: Finley runs play action, then throws it out in the flats to John Samuel Shenker for a touchdown capping off a 93 yard drive. Auburn leads 14-0
6:24 p.m.: TJ Finley checks back in at quarterback and throws a deep ball to Ja’Varrius Johnson. The Tigers are inside the 5 yard line.
6:23 p.m.: Robby Ashford checks back in at quarterback and takes a zone read play for 49 yards.
6:19 p.m.: Mercer’s first drive stalls around the 43 yard line. Linebacker Cam Riley had three tackles during the drive. Auburn takes over at its own 7 yard line.
6:14 p.m.: Mercer will start the first drive from its own 17 yard line.
6:10 p.m.: Auburn’s first drive sees two different quarterbacks. TJ Finley started the game and Robby Ashford came in for one play. The Tigers hit a play action rollout pass to Ja’Varrius Johnson. Then, Finley hits a pass over the middle to Shedrick Jackson. The drive was capped off by a touchdown run by Jarquez Hunter.
6:02 p.m.: We’re underway in Jordan-Hare Stadium, Tyler Fromm takes the fair catch at the 33 yard line.
Auburn pregame updates
5:22 pm – DT Zykevious Walker isn’t dressed out, as expected. He’s recovering from injury.
5:19 pm – WR Shed Jackson is the fourth team captain for tonight’s game, joining Pappoe, Shenker and Hall.
5:10 pm – OL Kameron Stutts will start at right guard…Ja’Varrius Johnson will be the primary punt returner
5:07 pm – OL Tate Johnson taking first-team reps at center, followed by Jalil Irvin, Brandon Council and Avery Jernigan.
5:00 pm – WR Ja’Varrius Johnson, CB Keionte Scott, WR Jay Fair and WR Tar’Varish Dawson catching punts pregame.
There don’t seem to be any players sitting out of warmups for any reason. We’ll continue to monitor, but Auburn looks healthy entering the opener.
John Samuel Shenker, Owen Pappoe and Derick Hall have “C” badging added to their uniforms, representing the three team captains.
It’s spitting rain just under two hours from kickoff. The rain is supposed to hold off, but there’s a 50 percent chance of rain around 9 p.m.
Assistant coach Brad Bedell is getting some pregame running in up and down the field, working up a nice lather.
T.J. Finley took a lap around the entire field after coming out of the tunnel for warmups.
The student section is nearly full 82 minutes before kickoff.
