Sport: College Sports Category: Breaking News

Auburn safety Eric Winters earns SEC defensive player of the week honors

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 8, 2026, 2:30 PM

Last updated Sep 8, 2026

Auburn safety Eric Winters earns SEC defensive player of the week honors

Summary

Auburn safety Eric Winters earned SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week recognition following the Tigers' 17-16 victory against Baylor in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Winters recorded 11 tackles during the contest, including nine solo stops. The performance culminated in a goal-line tackle on Baylor tight end Matthew Klopfenstein during a two-point conversion attempt with nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. This defensive stop preserved the one-point lead for Auburn after a previous coverage lapse allowed a Baylor touchdown. Winters shares the weekly conference award with Texas linebacker Rasheem Biles. The Auburn defender prepares for his next appearance when the Tigers host Southern Miss this Saturday.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Eric Winters earned SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after the win over Baylor.
•Winters tallied 11 total tackles, including nine solo stops, in the Aflac Kickoff Game.
•A game-sealing goal-line tackle on a two-point conversion attempt secured the 17-16 win.
•Texas linebacker Rasheem Biles shares the weekly SEC award with Winters.
•Auburn faces Southern Miss this Saturday at 6:45 p.m. CT.

Latest Updates

4:00 PMYahoo Sports — How Eric Winters' practice habits led to game-saving tackle in Week 1
2:30 PMYahoo Sports — Auburn safety Eric Winters honored by SEC after clutch performance

What they're saying

"
Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin says it's no surprise that Winters stepped up when his team needed him the most last Saturday.
— Yahoo Sports