In a game where Auburn leaned heavily on the ground attack, running back Jarquez Hunter was the star. His standout performance was the bright spot in Auburn’s 31-13 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.
The Tigers racked up 137 of their 337 total yards on the ground against the Bulldogs, with Hunter leading the charge, contributing 91 yards on 13 carries, averaging 7.0 yards per carry. His moment came in the third quarter when he broke loose for a 38-yard touchdown run, Auburn’s only trip to the end zone. The score brought the Tigers within one possession of the lead and marked Hunter's longest rush of the season and the longest run Georgia’s defense has allowed all year.
“Proud of Jarquez,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. “Love his effort. He's never going to quit. He's going to practice his tail off every single time. And glad to see him having success.”
The running back’s second longest carry of the night was a 19-yard rush in the first quarter to give the Tigers a first down on Georgia’s 12-yard line.
Hunter tallies three touchdowns this season, bringing his career total to 20. With 2,700 career yards, he ranks 11th among Auburn’s all-time leading rushers.
In addition to Hunter, Auburn’s rushing attack saw contributions from Damari Alston, Jeremiah Cobb and quarterback Payton Thorne. Alston racked up 22 yards on four carries. Thorne also made an impact on the ground, collecting 22 yards rushing. Cobb finished the night with two cards on one carry.
“I think we are doing a good job on the ground,” Thorne said. “It starts with the guys up front and they’re doing a good job. Jarquez and Damari and Cobb back there doing a good job of seeing what the offensive line is doing and attacking.”
The Tigers were not able to fully get the ground game going until the third quarter, however, going into the contest with an average of 171.2 rushing yards per game and 5.5 per rush. In the first half, the Bulldogs held Auburn to 67 rushing yards and 3.94 yards per rush.
Auburn started the second half looking to get its ground game going, and on its opening drive of the third quarter, an eight yard scramble from Thorne opened up a 70-yard rushing quarter for the Tigers. Thorne followed his eight yard rush with six and 11 yard rushes on the next plays, and the drive eventually ended with Hunter’s explosive 38-yard rushing touchdown.
As Auburn looks ahead, establishing a consistent run game should help the Tigers maintain offensive momentum, as shown by their third quarter scoring drive against the Bulldogs. Hunter is leading a charge that seems to be a greater commitment to the ground game from Auburn.
The Tigers head into their bye week with a 2-4 record as they look to get back on track before facing the Missouri Tigers on the road on Saturday, Oct. 19.
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Grace Heim is a senior from Enterprise, Alabama, majoring in Political Science. She started with The Plainsman in January of 2023.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @graceeheim
