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Auburn safety Tray Matthews was supposed to face his former team on Saturday. But a lingering injury kept him on the sideline.
Matthews was held out of Saturday’s game with Georgia due to an ankle injury, according to defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The sophomore safety practiced last week, but was limited by the injury. He also missed last week’s game with Texas A&M.
Will Muschamp says holding out Tray Matthews (ankle) vs. Georgia a coaches’ decision https://t.co/DXuUlesHPs
— Tom Green (@AUBlog) November 16, 2015
Muschamp: Tray Matthews “practiced sparingly last week.” … Straight-ahead stuff is fine, but change of direction gave him issues.
— Tom Green (@AUBlog) November 15, 2015
Stephen Roberts replaced Matthews in the Tigers’ secondary, and Muschamp said he was pleased with the sophomore’s performance.
Auburn’s Will Muschamp says DB Stephen Roberts “did well. I was pleased with his play” in start over injured Tray Matthews against Georgia
— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) November 15, 2015
Matthews played for Georgia in 2013, but was dismissed from the team in March 2014 following a couple of off-the-field incidents. He transferred to Auburn and sat out last season due to the NCAA’s transfer rule.
Matthews holds an interesting place in Auburn lore. In the final minute of the Tigers’ game with Georgia in 2013, with the Bulldogs holding on to a 38-37 lead, then-Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall threw up a Hail Mary pass on fourth down and Matthews (who was playing for Georgia at the time) positioned himself to knock the ball away. But fellow safety Josh Harvey-Clemons ran into him and the ball bounced up in the air and right into the hands of Auburn receiver Ricardo Louis, who ran it into the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Tigers a 43-38 victory. The play is commonly referred to as “The Prayer at Jordan-Hare.”
Georgia won Saturday’s game, 20-13.
