Auburn duo receives SEC weekly honors

AUBURN — Auburn junior kicker Wes Byrum and freshman running back Onterio McCalebb earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors following their performance in last Saturday’s 26-22 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers.

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Byrum earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after he set a career-high with four field goals made against the Vols. Byrum also chipped in a pair of extra-points to account for 14 of Auburn’s 26 points in the game.

Byrum hit 4-of-5 attempts, missing only from 46 yards. The miss was Byrum’s first of the year, after connecting on eight straight field goals to begin the season. Byrum is 10-of-11 on field goal attempts this season.

Byrum’s 22-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining sealed the victory for the Tigers, giving them a 26-16 lead before Tennessee’s touchdown as time expired accounted for the final 26-22 margin.

It marks the second time in Byrum’s career, and first this season, that he has garnered SEC Player of the Week honors. Byrum last earned the recognition following his game-winning field goal against Florida in 2007.

A native of Fort Meade, Fla., McCalebb racked up a season-high 204 all-purpose yards against the Volunteers. McCalebb rushed for 51 yards on 13 carries, caught four passes for 59 yards and returned two kickoffs for 91 yards in the game.

McCalebb’s 52-yard kickoff return with 4:19 remaining in the game set up Byrum’s game-clinching field goal.

It marks the second time this season McCalebb has earned SEC Freshman Player of the Week honors. McCalebb also garnered the honor the week of Sept. 7, after rushing for 148 yards with one touchdown in Auburn’s season-opening victory over Louisiana Tech.

The 17th-ranked Auburn Tigers travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Razorbacks Oct. 10. The game will televised by ESPN and will kickoff
at 11 a.m. CT.
(courtesy: Auburn Sports Information)