Auburn’s run game overpowers UMass
Auburn 59 UMass 14
AUBURN, Ala. — Robby Ashford rushed for three first-half touchdowns as Auburn defeated UMass, 59-14, on Saturday in Hugh Freeze’s debut as the Tigers’ head coach.
Ashford, last year’s starting quarterback, was used in redzone packages to complement new starter Payton Thorne, a Michigan State transfer. Thorne threw for 141 yards and a touchdown in his Auburn (1-0) debut.
“Obviously, you always want to be the starter,” Ashford said. “But Payton’s done a great job, and I look at him like a brother. We come out there every day and just know we’re out here to make each other better and do whatever we can to help this team win.”
Damari Alston scored a 2yard rushing touchdown on the Tigers’ first drive, while freshman Jeremiah Cobb broke a 42yard touchdown run on the second carry of his college career with 5:25 left in the third quarter. Sean Jackson finished things off with a 45-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter as the Tigers rushed for 294 yards.
Alston started at running back in place of Jarquez Hunter, the team’s top returner in rushing yards. Hunter did not dress Saturday, and he missed Auburn’s first several practices in August for undisclosed reasons.
Auburn’s defense recorded two takeaways and stopped UMass twice on fourth down. Jaylin Simpson returned a pick-6 50 yards early in the second half and recovered a fumble.
“It was good to see our defense play hard,” Freeze said. “I thought we played harder than we have in the scrimmages and than we did in the first possession. I thought we started to show a little passion.”
UMass (1-1) got a 1-yard TD run from quarterback Taisun Phommachanh on its first possession, then was kept off the board until the fourth quarter.
Kay’Ron Adams led the Minutemen with 101 rushing yards, while backup quarterback Carlos Davis found Anthony Simpson for a late 58-yard score.
“Not a good day to be a UMass Minuteman, for sure,” UMass coach Don Brown said. “But I really believe in our guys, we will rebound, we will practice hard, and we will be back next week ready to go.”