The Auburn Tigers got one step closer to achieving goals of postseason play with a 62-17 win over Mercer on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Auburn improved to 5-6 on the season after exploding for its highest point total of the season, thanks in part to 547 total yards of offense. After a shaky start defending the No. 1 offense in the FCS, the Tigers’ defense shut the Bears out in the second half.
Energy will begin to ramp up this week as the Tigers begin preparation for the 90th edition of the Iron Bowl against No. X Alabama on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
But first, let’s relive Auburn’s blowout win over FCS foe Mercer.
Here are some stats and tidbits from Auburn’s win on Saturday:
Miscellaneous
– After missing a bowl game last season, Auburn is one win away from reaching postseason play and two wins away (including a bowl game) from avoiding a fifth-straight losing season. If the Tigers’ do, however, end the 2025 campaign with a losing season, it will match the worst five-year stretch in Auburn football history (1946-50).
– Auburn now owns a 14-0 all-time record against Mercer, including a 9-0 mark in its home stadium.
– Saturday marked the 21st consecutive sellout at Jordan-Hare Stadium, dating back to the start of the 2023 season
– Auburn has an 809-484-47 record in 133 seasons of football, the 14th most wins among FBS programs. In the 86th season of football at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn is 353-102-7 all-time at home.
– DJ Durkin recorded his first win as interim head coach at Auburn and his first win as a head coach since Maryland defeated Indiana 42-39 in 2017.
– Under interim head coaches, Auburn is 5-7 all-time (Bill Oliver, Kevin Steele, Carnell Williams and DJ Durkin).
Game Specifics
– Auburn’s 62 points were a season-high and the most since scoring 73 vs. Alabama A&M in the 2024 season opener.
– Saturday marked just the fourth time since at least 1996 that Auburn scored a touchdown on its first play from scrimmage (2019 vs. Mississippi State, 2016 vs. Arkansas, 2003 vs. Alabama).
– Quarterback Deuce Knight recorded four rushing scores in the first half on Saturday. It marks the first time since at least 1995 that Auburn has had three different quarterbacks rush for two or more touchdowns in a single game in a season.
– With Knight’s 100+-yard rushing performance, Auburn has had two quarterbacks (Knight and Jackson Arnold) rush for 100 or more yards in a game in the same season for the first time since at least 1996.
– Auburn recorded 500+ yards of offense in back-to-back games for the first time since the first two games of the 2021 season.
– Knight became the fifth known left-handed starting quarterback in Auburn history, joining Lloyd Nix (1956-58), Charles Thomas (1978-81), Ken Hobby (1981) and Brandon Cox (2004-07).
– Knight’s 75-yard rushing score on the first play from scrimmage tied Carnell “Cadillac” Williams (vs. Alabama in 2003) for the fastest touchdown in Auburn history at 15 seconds.
– The run tied for the 27th-longest run in Auburn history and the longest since Jarquez Hunter went 94 yards against Alabama State in 2021. It also tied Tristan Davis (2005 at Kentucky) for the fifth-longest run by a freshman in Auburn history.
– Knight was responsible for six touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 passing) on Saturday. He tied the program record (Cam Newton, 2010 SEC Championship vs. South Carolina; Carnell Williams vs. Mississippi State, 2003).
– It was the sixth-longest run by an Auburn quarterback in program history.
– Knight joined Phil Gargis (1974), Cam Newton (2010) and Jackson Arnold (2025) as Tiger quarterbacks to rush for 100+ yards in their starting debut.
– He became the first Auburn quarterback with four rushing touchdowns in a game since Cam Newton versus Kentucky in 2010.
– He connected with Malcolm Simmons for a 91-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. It is tied for the third-longest touchdown pass in school history (Bo Nix to Anthony Schwartz vs. LSU in 2020).
– Jackson Arnold recorded a 56-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. It was the longest of his career and his eighth rushing touchdown of the season.
– His eight rushing scores on the season are tied for sixth-most by a quarterback in Auburn history (Dameyune Craig 1996, Bobby Freeman 1954) and the most since Nick Marshall had 11 in 2014.
– Eric Singleton Jr. has recorded a catch in every game of his collegiate career (35 straight). The streak is tied for the seventh longest active streak in FBS and the third-longest among SEC players.
– He recorded four receptions on Saturday, bringing his season reception total to 55. That ties Terry Beasley (1971) for the eight most in a single season at Auburn.
– Simmons’ 91-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was his first of the season and the longest catch of his career.
– He set a career high with 149 receiving yards, tying for 24th-most in a single game in Auburn history.
– Kayin Lee set a career high with six total tackles.
– Kaleb Harris recorded this first interception of his career with his second-quarter pick.
– Elijah Melendez recorded the second interception of his career. He returned it 41 yards for a touchdown for Auburn’s second defensive score of the season (Rayshawn Pleasant at Arkansas).
– Auburn is 32-3 since the start of the 2013 season when scoring a non-offensive touchdown.
– With three tackles, Xavier Atkins brought his season total to 81. That ties Dorian Mausi (2024) for the 23rd most tackles in a season by a Tiger since 2005.
– Alex McPherson now has 198 career kicking points, surpassing Jorge Portela (188, 1977-1979) for ninth in Auburn program history.
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