Consecutive losses to Texas A&M and Georgia cost AP No. 15 Auburn any shot at competing for an SEC or national championship. Fortunately, the Tigers can still do the next best thing - keep AP No. 2 Alabama from doing the same.
To do so, it will need to be at full strength (or as close to full strength as a college football team can possibly be in late November) and that means having wide receiver D’haquille (Duke) Williams in the lineup.
Williams did not play in the Tigers’ 31-7 win over Samford on Saturday, but AL.com reports sources close to the wide receiver say he should be ready for Alabama.
“We are hoping he will be back this week,” head coach Gus Malzahn said. “I am not ready to make that call yet, but we are hopeful.”
Williams suffered a sprained MCL and a bruised knee in a second-quarter collision with Texas A&M defensive back De’Vante Harris in Auburn’s 41-38 loss to the Aggies on Nov. 8 and has not played since.
Auburn posted its worst offensive output of the Malzahn era in a 34-7 loss to Georgia on Nov. 15, as the Tigers compiled only 292 yards of total offense, averaging just 5.1 yards per pass and 4.3 yards per rush while accumulating a pedestrian 17 first downs (they average more than 24).
Williams leads the team with 38 grabs for 699 yards and five touchdowns. The junior is in his first year on the club after transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
Auburn will visit Alabama at 7:45 p.m. ET on ESPN on Saturday.