Over the years, we’ve done different countdowns to kickoff (or tipoff). This year, we’re putting a twist on the classic “Best Auburn Player to Ever Wear Each Number” list. Football is all about lighting up the scoreboard in 2021, so let’s take a walk down memory lane and review the last time a player in each uniform number put up points.
#44 — Cameron Artis-Payne
Game — Auburn vs. Wisconsin, January 1, 2015
I get it, it’s a game we’d generally like to forget.
After Auburn spent almost the entirety of the 2014 season in the Top 10, a disastrous November pitted an 8-4 Auburn against Wisconsin in the Hangover Outback Bowl. This was actually a fun game, including a 66 yard touchdown pass to Ricardo Louis, an all-world showing by Melvin Gordon (34 rushes for 251 yards and three scores), the Auburn defense picking off Joel Stave three times, and 24 combined 4th quarter points.
Down four in the 4th quarter, Cameron Artis-Payne, who was having quite a day on the ground himself, was able to punch in a score from the two yard line.
The score capped off a monster 2014 campaign from the JUCO transfer, who many were worried when he was tasked with replacing Tre Mason. Artis-Payne went off, though, to the tune of 1608 yards and 13 touchdowns on 303 carries, good for third-most yards in a season in Auburn history.
Ultimately, Auburn would drop this game in overtime when a freshman Daniel Carlson doinked the go-ahead field goal, which definitely wasn’t an indicator of future post-season games to come.
Auburn’s had some impact players don the 44 jersey in years past, namely Artis-Payne and Ben Tate. This year, we’ll see the headliner of the 2021 recruiting class Lee Hunter in that number. It’s unlikely we’ll see the big defensive tackle put up points, but never impossible. On the offensive side of the ball, sophomore walk-on Jay Sharp wears #44. He’s a running back, and there’s always the chance he gets a few late game touches in the Alabama State game. However, with freshman Jordon Ingram and Jarquez Hunter filling out the depth chart as scholarship running backs, I would bet the staff will want to be getting them touches whenever possible.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2021/7/22/22574423/numeraulogy-44-days
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