Auburn QB Deuce Knight Makes History in First Career Start

The Auburn Tigers defeated Mercer 62-17 on Saturday afternoon behind an explosive performance by true freshman quarterback Deuce Knight to improve to 5-6 on the season.

Knight posted one of the best outings of any Auburn quarterback in the program’s history, recording 401 total yards and six touchdowns, which tied the school record for the most touchdowns ever scored by an Auburn player.

“It was fun. It was a blessing,” Knight said after the game. “We had a great gameplan. We practiced good all week. It just came down to players making plays, great blocks, great blocking downfield and all the things like that.”

The former five-star made his first career start versus the Bears, but it surely didn’t look like it, as he erupted for a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to put Auburn up 7-0 just 15 seconds into the game.

“It was crazy. Like I said, great blocking downfield, great blocking up front, I just do the easy part. All you got to do is just run,” Knight said on the touchdown run.

Auburn true freshman 5-star QB Deuce Knight runs for a 75-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage👀

(via SECN)pic.twitter.com/UWkFfUKgOZ
— On3 (@On3sports) November 22, 2025

Knight didn’t back down after the storybook start, as he followed it up with a 51-yard touchdown run on 3rd-and-10 a couple of drives later. After Auburn and Mercer found themselves locked at 14 apiece after the opening period, Knight managed to find the endzone three more times in the second quarter, including a nine-yard rush, a 20-yard rush, and a 10-yard pass to Cam Coleman for his first passing touchdown of his career to extend the lead to 18.

The Tigers went into the break leading 35-17, with Knight already having racked up 173 rushing yards and four touchdowns on six carries and 120 more yards through the air on 11-of-16 passing. He is the first freshman in school history to record 150+ rushing yards and four touchdowns – and he did it in the opening 30 minutes of action.

THE FRESHMAN, DEUCE KNIGHT, IS MAKING HISTORY‼️

Through three quarters, he became the first freshman in program history to rush for 150+ yards and 4 Rush TD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wAefS5KYto
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 22, 2025

Additionally, Knight’s four rushing touchdowns were the most by an Auburn quarterback in a starting debut since at least 1969 and tied for the fourth-most by an Auburn player in program history. He is also the first Tiger to record four rushing touchdowns since Kerryon Johnson posted five at Missouri in 2017, which, once again, he accomplished in the first half alone.

Not only did the freshman produce fireworks at Jordan-Hare, but he also played comfortably and looked extremely poised under center. He received solid protection from the offensive line, allowing him to progress through his reads and make the correct decision on a majority of plays throughout the game.

“You saw what I saw. He looked natural,” senior offensive lineman Mason Murphy said on Knight’s performance. “He is fun to watch, fun to play with and is a good leader. He just went out there and did his thing. He did what we all thought and knew he could do.”

“[Deuce] has an approach to the game that is similar to a pro,” Murphy continued. “He takes every little ounce of coaching that you can get, and he is just an all-around good leader and a role model for the other freshmen to follow. Overall, his approach has been that of a pro for sure.”

Deuce Knight watches himself announced as the starting quarterback for the first time as an Auburn Tiger pic.twitter.com/quB4zXmKcM
— Gunner Norene (@norene_gunner10) November 22, 2025

Granted, it’s Mercer, so an outstanding showing from any player can’t be taken too heavily, but he undoubtedly showed promise and played at a level that most Auburn fans had hoped for when he arrived on the Plains last year.

Now, the main question that some personalities on Auburn’s corner of social media are raising is an interesting one.

Could Knight potentially see game action next week in the Iron Bowl?

And furthermore, could Knight even take over the starting spot with this outstanding performance?

Durkin and company will likely still give Ashton Daniels the nod against Alabama, but the question will certainly be thrown around and proposed at the upcoming weekly press conferences leading up to next Saturday.

Auburn needs to go with Daniels, as he holds much more experience at the collegiate level and showed great potential to lead the Tigers’ offense a few weeks ago in their loss to Vanderbilt. Knight’s performance on Saturday was definitely exciting, but is the jump from Mercer to the Iron Bowl one he is ready to make?

There’s no way to definitively know, but nonetheless, Knight ignited a great amount of anticipation and belief for the future of Auburn football. Of course, anything can happen in this new era of transfer portal and NIL, but if the Tigers are able to retain the freshman, he could very well turn out to be a star.