AUBURN, Ala. — Cam Coleman showcased his talent by catching three of Payton Thorne’s impressive five touchdown passes, leading Auburn to a convincing 48-14 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday.
As a freshman and a previously recognized 5-star recruit, Coleman set new personal bests with eight receptions and 100 receiving yards. His three touchdown receptions mark the first time an Auburn player has achieved this feat in a single game since 2018.
Despite dealing with a shoulder injury that left him questionable for the match-up, Thorne managed to pass for 286 yards. KeAndre Lambert-Smith contributed with 104 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Jarquez Hunter added a strong ground game, accumulating 102 rushing yards.
The Warhawks’ offense, on the other hand, was spearheaded by Ahmad Hardy, who rushed for 60 yards. In a late-game effort, backup quarterback General Booty connected with Jonathan Bibbs for a 65-yard touchdown pass on Louisiana-Monroe’s final play.
The Auburn defense delivered a solid performance, restricting Louisiana-Monroe to just 218 yards of total offense throughout the game.
Analysis of the game reveals contrasting fortunes for both teams. Louisiana-Monroe’s head coach, Bryant Vincent, experienced an initial success record of five wins in his first six games. However, the team is now facing a disappointing four-game losing streak, with their offense ranking a lowly 112th nationally in yards per play, indicating ongoing struggles to effectively move the ball.
For Auburn, while the team’s second season under head coach Hugh Freeze has been challenging, they managed to execute their game plan effectively against Louisiana-Monroe. Increased involvement of Coleman in the offensive strategy could provide a much-needed boost as they prepare to face tougher opponents in their remaining matches against Texas A&M and Alabama.
Looking ahead, Louisiana-Monroe will travel to face Arkansas State next Saturday afternoon, while Auburn will host No. 15 Texas A&M in a compelling match-up next Saturday night.