AFLAC KICKOFF GAME: BAYLOR VS. AUBURN

September 5, 2026

Eric Winters

Auburn Tigers

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Postgame Press Conference

Auburn - 17, Baylor - 16

Q. Eric, could you walk us through the last two plays, the touchdowns they scored? You looked frustrated. Was that you, or maybe because of a mixup in coverage? And then your ability to bounce back and make that big play at the end?

ERIC WINTERS: Yeah, there was a little frustration. I think there was some miscommunication, but I didn't really see the play so I don't know what went on on that play. Coach Durk always says next play mentality. Went and made a play to end the game.

Q. How did that feel?

ERIC WINTERS: It's the best feeling in the world, leaving this place with a win.

Q. When you guys -- everybody talked about being on the sidelines, picking each other up. How important was that in this game? You guys over the last few years have lost a lot of close games. You guys found a way to win. Do you feel like that mentality was different today?

ERIC WINTERS: For sure. Offense (indiscernible) all day. We got them. And we told the offense that we got them too. I think we feel that way with everything in us. It showed tonight. The connection piece showed.

Q. Congrats on the win. Just wanted to ask you about with you and Elijah leading the team in tackles today. You had 11, and I believe he had 12. What kind of chemistry do you have out there with you being sophomores? I know you've known each other for a while now and been here a couple years. Can you just talk on that?

ERIC WINTERS: That's one of my best friends on the team. First day we moved into Auburn, that was my roommate. We got great chemistry. I'm literally his biggest fan. If he's got no fans, I'm his biggest fan. And I think it's vice versa. I'm just proud of him, and I'm sure it's vice versa too.

Q. They had a decent amount of success throwing the ball in the first half. Second half you all really broke up a lot of those passes until the very end. What kind of changed for you all, if anything, there in the second half to kind of slow Lagway down?

ERIC WINTERS: I don't think we made any changes. We just did our job at first I don't want to say we were scared. We just weren't challenging routes. We didn't feel like these guys could challenge passes, and they couldn't. The first half we kept backing up. We made an adjustment, and we just sat on the routes and we just made a lot of plays on the ball.

Q. How big do you think those two turnovers were in the first half? The forced fumble on the third down and the interception on the third down. How do you think that kept you guys in the game?

ERIC WINTERS: I think both those turnovers were in red zone, right, or the plus side of the 50, right? That kills a team. Especially like I think they were driving too, had a couple big plays in both those drives, that kills a team, kills their confidence. At times we busted and went in the right spot, but then we found a way to make a play.